The following is a list of notable people who have lived in Knoxville, Tennessee. For University of Tennessee students and alumni not otherwise associated with Knoxville, see List of University of Tennessee people.

Art and architecture

Self-portrait by American artist Catherine Wiley (1879–1958)

Charles I. Barber (1887–1962), architect
George Franklin Barber (1854–1915), architect^[1]
Albert Baumann, Jr. (1897–1952), architect
Albert Baumann, Sr. (1861–1942), architect
Joseph Baumann (1844–1920), architect
Lloyd Branson (1853–1925), painter
Darby Conley (b. 1970), cartoonist, Get Fuzzy^[2]
Beauford Delaney (1901–1979), painter
Joseph Delaney (1904–1991), painter
R. F. Graf (1865–1929), architect
Thomas Hope (1757–1820), architect
Dennis Hwang (b. 1978), graphic artist for Google and Niantic
Joseph Knaffl (1861–1938), photographer
Adelia Armstrong Lutz (1859–1931), painter
Bruce McCarty (1920–2013), architect
T. M. Schleier (1832–1908), photographer
Catherine Wiley (1879–1958), painter

Business and industry

Alexander Arthur (1846–1912), entrepreneur
Jake Butcher (1936-2017), rogue banker and gubernatorial candidate
Eldad Cicero Camp (1839–1920), coal tycoon
Ashley Capps (b. 1955), AC Entertainment founder, co-creator of Bonnaroo Music Festival^[3]
George Dempster (1887–1964), inventor of the Dempster-Dumpster, mayor of Knoxville
Guilford Glazer (1921–2014), real estate developer and philanthropist^[4]
Dee Haslam (b. 1954), CEO of RIVR Media
Jim Haslam (b. 1930), founder of Pilot Corp.^[5]
Jimmy Haslam (b. 1954), owner of the Cleveland Browns
Cal Johnson (1844–1925), saloon and racetrack owner
Peter Kern (1835–1907), confectioner, founder of Kern's Bakery
Joseph Alexander Mabry, Jr. (1826–1882), entrepreneur^[6]
Charles McClung McGhee (1828–1907), railroad tycoon
William J. Oliver (1867–1925), contractor and manufacturer, original low bidder for the construction of the Panama Canal
Edward J. Sanford (1831–1902), manufacturing tycoon
James G. Sterchi (1867–1932), furniture tycoon
Dave Thomas (1932–2002), restaurant owner, founder of Wendy's^[7]
Cas Walker (1902–1998), grocery store magnate, radio and television personality
Chris Whittle (b. 1947), entrepreneur, founder of Channel One News and Edison Schools

Education

Eben Alexander (1851–1910), Greek language scholar and ambassador
Charles W. Cansler (1871–1953), Austin High School principal, civil rights advocate and author
Thomas William Humes (1815–1892), president of the University of Tennessee (1865–1883)
Harcourt Morgan (1867–1950), president of the University of Tennessee (1919–1934), director and chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority

Entertainment

Kelsea Ballerini (b. 1993), singer-songwriter
Bianca Belair (b. 1989), professional wrestler^[8]
Polly Bergen (1930–2014), actress, singer
Natalie Bible' (b. 1983), film director
Clarence Brown (1890–1987), film director
Archie Campbell (1914–1987), television personality
Henry Cho (b. 1962), comedian, actor
Simeon Coxe (1938-2020), musician, pioneer of synth-pop music
Cylk Cozart (b. 1957), actor
John Cullum (b. 1930), Tony Award-winning actor and singer^[9]
Dale Dickey (b. 1961), actress
Harry Fujiwara (1935-2016), better known as "Mr. Fuji," professional wrestler^[10]
Christina Hendricks (b. 1975), actress^[11]^{[unreliable source?]}
Glenn Jacobs (b. 1967), better known as "Kane," professional wrestler, Knox County mayor ^[12]
Jeff Jarrett (b. 1967), professional wrestler^[13]
David Keith (b. 1954), actor
Johnny Knoxville (b. 1971), actor and daredevil, changed his last name in reference to his hometown^[7]
Jamie Marchi (b. 1977), actress
Patricia Neal (1926–2010), Academy Award-winning actress^[7]
Lillian Randolph (1898–1980), actress
Brad Renfro (1982–2008), actor^[7]
Quentin Tarantino (b. 1963), Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director^[7]
Bob Thomas (b. 1954), radio personality, actor, writer
Jake Thomas (b. 1990), actor^[7]
Tina Wesson (b. 1960), contestant, Survivor television series; winner of Survivor: The Australian Outback

Military

Alexander Bonnyman Jr. (1910-1943), Medal of Honor recipient. Killed in Action during the Battle of Tarawa.
Roddie Edmonds (1919-1985), World War II P.O.W credited with saving the lives of Jewish service members. He is honored as Righteous Among the Nations.
David Farragut (1801–1870), Civil War (Union) admiral^[14]
Norman C. Gaddis (1923–2024), Air Force general and Vietnam War POW
Thomas C. Hindman (1828–1868), Civil War (Confederate) general
Bruce K. Holloway (1912–1999), Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Air Command (1968–1972)
Lawrence Tyson (1861–1929), World War I general and United States Senator
Maurice F. Weisner (1917–2006), Admiral, Commander-in-Chief of United States Pacific Command, 1976–1979

Music

Roy Acuff (1903–1992), country music singer
Sheila Aldridge (b. 1956), country music singer, the Aldridge Sisters^[15]
Sherry Aldridge (b. 1954), country music singer, the Aldridge Sisters^[15]
Chet Atkins (1924–2001), country music guitarist
Rodney Atkins (b. 1969), country musician
Kelsea Ballerini (b. 1993), country music artist
Ava Barber (b. 1954), country music singer, featured performer from The Lawrence Welk Show^[16]
Dave Barnes (b. 1978), singer/songwriter/musician
Brian Bell (b. 1968), guitarist for the band Weezer
Didi Benami (b. 1986), singer/songwriter, top-ten American Idol finalist
Chris Blue (b. 1990), singer/songwriter, The Voice season 12 winner
Kenny Chesney (b. 1968), country musician^[7]
Ashley Cleveland (b. 1957), gospel musician
Mary Costa (b. 1930), opera singer, voice of Briar Rose / Princess Aurora in Disney's 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty
Jerome Courtland (1926–2012), actor and director
John Davis (b. 1974), musician, lead singer of Superdrag^[17]
The Dirty Works, punk band
Don Everly (1937–2021), early rock-and-roll singer, the Everly Brothers
Phil Everly (1939–2014), early rock-and-roll singer, the Everly Brothers
Con Hunley (b. 1945), country music artist
Phil Leadbetter (b. 1962), bluegrass musician
Briston Maroney (b. 1998), folk rock musician
Harry McClintock (1882–1957), folk musician, "Big Rock Candy Mountain"
Mary McDonald, sacred music composer
Brownie McGhee (1915–1996), blues musician
Stick McGhee (1917–1961), blues musician
Ashley Monroe (b. 1986), country singer
Grace Moore (1898–1947), opera singer^[18]
Joseph Patrick Moore (b. 1969), jazz composer, bassist, arranger, producer^[19]
Bobby Ogdin (b. 1945), musician
Nick Raskulinecz, Grammy-winning record producer^[20]
Florence Reece (1900–1986), folk songwriter; coal mining labor activist^[21]
Emily Ann Roberts (b. 1998), singer/songwriter, The Voice runner-up
Brent Smith (b. 1978), rock singer, lead vocalist for Shinedown
Richard Aaker Trythall (1939–2022), composer and pianist
Myra Brooks Turner (1936-2017), composer
10 Years, alternative rock band
Whitechapel, Deathcore band

Politics and law

Robert H. Adams (1792–1830), United States Senator from Mississippi^[22]
Alexander O. Anderson (1794–1869), United States Senator
Victor Ashe (b. 1945), former mayor, U.S. Ambassador to Poland
George W. Baxter (1855–1929), territorial governor of Wyoming
William Blount (1749–1800), Constitutional Convention delegate, Governor of the Southwest Territory, United States Senator
William G. "Parson" Brownlow (1805–1877), publisher of the Knoxville Whig, Governor of Tennessee, United States Senator^[23]
John Hervey Crozier (1812–1889), U.S. congressman
James Alexander Fowler (1863–1955), U.S. Assistant Attorney General and Knoxville mayor
Lizzie Crozier French (1851–1926), women's suffragist
Lucius F. C. Garvin (1841–1922), former Governor of Rhode Island
Sion Harris (1811–1854), member of the Liberian legislature
Bill Haslam (b. 1958), Governor of Tennessee, former Mayor of Knoxville
William H. Hastie (1904–1976), U.S. Virgin Islands governor, first African American federal appellate court judge^[24]
Leonidas Houk (1836–1891), U.S. congressman
Ray Jenkins (1897–1980), attorney, Senate counsel during the Army-McCarthy Hearings
Horace Maynard (1814–1882), U.S. congressman and postmaster general
William Gibbs McAdoo (1863–1941), U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
Lee McClung (1870–1914), U.S. Treasurer
John Randolph Neal, Jr. (1876–1959), law professor, Scopes Trial attorney
T.A.R. Nelson (1812–1873), U.S. congressman
John Reinhardt (1920–2016), diplomat
Glenn Reynolds (b. 1960), legal academic and blogger^[25]
James Herman Robinson (1907–1972), clergyman, founder of Operation Crossroads Africa
Edward Terry Sanford (1865–1930), U.S. Supreme Court justice
John Sevier (1745–1815), pioneer and soldier, first Governor of Tennessee^[26]
William Henry Sneed (1812–1869), U.S. congressman
Oliver Perry Temple (1820–1907), attorney, judge, and historian
Hugh Lawson White (1773–1840), United States Senator, presidential candidate
James White (1747–1820), pioneer, founder of Knoxville
John Williams (1778–1837), United States Senator
William F. Yardley (1844–1924), attorney, first African American to run for governor of Tennessee

Science

William M. Bass, (b. 1928), founder of the University of Tennessee's Body Farm; author of Death's Acre
Randall Collins (b. 1941), sociologist and author
Weston Fulton (1871–1946), meteorologist, inventor
Jack Hanna (b. 1947), zoologist
Gerald North (b. 1938), climatologist^{[citation needed]}
Helen Smith, forensic psychologist

Sports

Erik Ainge (b. 1986), former NFL quarterback and sports radio personality
Trevor Bayne (b. 1991), NASCAR driver and 2011 Daytona 500 winner
Chad Bell (b. 1989), Major League Baseball player
Ralph Boston (1939–2023), Olympic athlete
John Bruhin (b. 1964), NFL player
Ken Burkhart (1916–2004), MLB player and umpire
Brett Carroll (b. 1982), MLB player
Joey Clinkscales (b. 1964), NFL player and executive
Reggie Cobb (1968–2019), NFL running back
Mike Cofer (1960–2019), NFL linebacker
Tony Cosey (b. 1974), All-American cross country and track runner; Olympic athlete in the steeplechase at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
Cartha Doyle (b. 1929), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
Chad Finchum, NASCAR driver
Phillip Fulmer (b. 1950), former head coach of Tennessee Volunteers football team^[27]
Ray Graves (1918–2015), former NFL player and head coach at Florida
Anthony Hancock (b. 1960), former NFL player
Todd Helton (b. 1973), Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player
Adam Henley (b. 1994), professional soccer player
Paul Hogue (1940–2009), former NBA player
Scott Holtzman (b. 1983), mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
Garth Iorg (b. 1954), Major League Baseball player and coach^[28]
Tim Irwin (b. 1958), former NFL offensive lineman
Todd Kelly (b. 1970), NFL linebacker^[29]
Pete Kreis (1900–1934), race car driver
Terry McDaniel (b. 1965), NFL defensive back^[29]
Raleigh McKenzie (b. 1963), NFL lineman
Reggie McKenzie (b. 1963), NFL linebacker, General Manager of the Oakland Raiders
Kathleen Malach (1926–2011), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
Billy Meyer (1893–1957), Major League Baseball player and manager
Robert Neyland (1892–1962), University of Tennessee football coach
Kevin O'Connell (b. 1985), NFL player
Rafaello Oliveira (b. 1982), mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
Peter Oppegard (b. 1959), Olympic figure skater
Randy Orton (b. 1980), professional wrestler, actor
Jackie Parker (1932-2006), CFL football player
Chad Pennington (b. 1976), NFL quarterback
Jerry Punch (b. 1953), ESPN analyst
Fuad Reveiz (b. 1963), NFL placekicker
Ovince St. Preux (b. 1983), mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
Doris Sams (1927–2012), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player^[30]
Aaron Schoenfeld (b. 1990), American-Israeli Major League Soccer player
Steve Searcy (b. 1964), former Major League Baseball pitcher
Harrison Smith (b. 1989), NFL safety for Minnesota Vikings
Lee Smith (b. 1987), NFL tight end
Pat Summitt (1952–2016), former head coach, Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team^[31]
Davis Tarwater (b. 1984), Olympic swimmer
John Tate (1955–1998), Olympic and professional boxer
Ben Testerman (b. 1962), professional tennis player
Leroy Thompson (b. 1968), former NFL running back
Bubba Trammell (b. 1971), Major League Baseball player
Elston Turner (b. 1959), NBA player and coach
Jackie Walker (1950–2002), All-American linebacker at Tennessee
Josh Walker (b. 1991) NFL guard
Jason Witten (b. 1982), NFL tight end
Chris Woodruff (b. 1973), professional tennis player^[32]
Trey Cabbage (b. 1997), Major League Baseball player

Writers and journalists

James Agee (1909–1955), Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Paul Y. Anderson (1893–1938), Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter
Anne W. Armstrong (1872–1958), author of This Day and Time (1930)^[33]
Carson Brewer (1920–2003), journalist and conservationist
Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924), author of The Secret Garden^[34]
Albert Chavannes (1836–1903), Utopian philosopher
Lowell Cunningham (b. 1959), comic book writer, Men in Black creator
Nikki Giovanni (b. 1943), poet
Alex Haley (1921–1992), author of Roots
George Washington Harris (1814–1869), Southern humorist
Frederick Heiskell (1786–1882), pioneering Tennessee journalist; cofounder of the Knoxville Register
Ed Hooper (b. 1964), author, journalist^[35]
Joseph Wood Krutch (1893–1970), writer, naturalist
S.J. Mathes (1849?–1927), pioneer California newspaperman
Cormac McCarthy (b. 1933), Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Adolph Ochs (1858–1935), newspaper publisher^[36]
J. G. M. Ramsey (1797–1884), historian
William Rule (1839–1928), newspaper editor, mayor of Knoxville
Ed Sams (b. 1952), author and educator
Bernadotte Schmitt (1886–1969), Pulitzer Prize-winning historian^[37]
Karl Edward Wagner (1945–1994), fantasy writer

Other

Jane Franklin Hommel Denney (1878–1946), socialite and women's club leader
Mary Boyce Temple (1856–1929), philanthropist and preservationist
Adam Ragusea, YouTube chef