List of people from Olympia, Washington

The following is a list of famous Olympians, those people of note who have lived in or around Olympia, Washington, U.S.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Actors, comedians

• Sam Miller (born c. 1982) comedian^[1]
• Eloise Mumford (born 1986) actress
• Michael Richards (born 1949) actor and former stand-up comedian; played Kramer on Seinfeld

Academia

• Stephanie Coontz (born 1944) writer, academic and professor at Evergreen State College

Film, television, animation

• Craig Bartlett (born 1956) cartoonist, animator; graduated from Evergreen State College
• Dan Erickson (born 1984) television screenwriter, playwright and producer
• Matt Groening (born 1954) animator, cartoonist, creator of The Simpsons and Life in Hell

Military

• Robert Eugene Bush (1926–2005) youngest member of the U.S. Navy in World War II to receive the nation's highest military decoration for valor, Medal of Honor awardee
• Bruce P. Crandall (born 1933) Medal of Honor winner^[2]
• Myron H. Ranney (c. 1845–1910) Medal of Honor recipient in the American Civil War^[3]

Musicians, music producers

• Carrie Brownstein (born 1974) guitarist, singer (Sleater-Kinney), actress
• Dylan Carlson (born 1968) guitarist and lead vocalist of Earth
• Gretchen Christopher, singer for The Fleetwoods
• Kurt Cobain (1967–1994) guitarist and singer, Nirvana
• Kimya Dawson (born 1972) singer-songwriter, part of The Moldy Peaches
• Beth Ditto (born 1981) vocalist (The Gossip)
• Kathleen Hanna (born 1968) musician, vocalist, Bikini Kill and Le Tigre
• Calvin Johnson (born 1962) founder of K Records, singer in Beat Happening and Dub Narcotic Sound System
• Conrad Keely (born 1972) vocalist, guitarist (…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead)
• Macklemore (born 1983) hip hop musician; graduated from Evergreen State College
• Chiwoniso Maraire (1976–2013) American musician of Zimbabwean heritage
• Dumisani Maraire (1944–1999) Zimbabwean musician, singer-songwriter; taught at Evergreen State College
• Nellie McKay (born 1982) English Broadway actress, singer-songwriter
• Mirah (born 1974) singer-songwriter, released on K Records
• Slim Moon (born 1967) founder of Kill Rock Stars and 5 Rue Christine record labels
• Bruce Pavitt (born 1959) founder of Sub Pop Records; attended Evergreen State College
• Travis Shook (born 1969) jazz pianist
• Corin Tucker (born 1972) guitarist, singer for Sleater-Kinney
• Tobi Vail (born 1969) musician for Bikini Kill and The Frumpies
• Jared Warren, bassist, singer Big Business, The Melvins, formerly of Karp
• Kathi Wilcox (born 1969) musician (Bikini Kill, The Casual Dots)
• Allison Wolfe (born 1969) lead singer for Bratmobile and Partyline

Politicians, political figures

• Daniel Bigelow (1824–1905) pioneer legislator, lawyer, and abolitionist
• Rachel Corrie (1979–2003) nonviolence activist, Palestinian solidarity activist
• Don Eldridge (1919–2007) politician, businessman
• Roland S. Morris (1874–1945), diplomat, U.S. Ambassador to Japan

Sports

• Geoff Jenkins (born 1974) MLB outfielder for Milwaukee Brewers
• Kasey Keller (born 1969) soccer goal keeper
• Brian Kendrick (born 1979) SmackDown! wrestler
• Peter Kennedy (born 1927) figure skater
• Travis Lee (born 1975) first baseman in Major League Baseball, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
• Justin Leone (born 1977) third baseman, San Diego Padres
• Jeff Monson (born 1971) American-born Russian mixed martial arts fighter and anarchist
• Jared Sandberg (born 1978) third baseman, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
• Mike Sellers (born 1975) football player, Washington Redskins
• Jerramy Stevens (born 1979) football player, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Jonathan Stewart (born 1987) running back, Carolina Panthers

Visual artists and designers

• Christopher Baldwin (born 1973), illustrator, cartoonist
• Lynda Barry (born 1956) cartoonist (Ernie Pook's Comeek), writer
• Benjamin Moore (1952–2021) studio glass artist, teacher
• Cappy Thompson (born 1952), painter, known for reverse glass painting

Writers, poets

• Phoebe Judson (1831–1926) author, founder of Lynden, Washington
• Jim Lynch (born 1961) author of The Highest Tide
• Wendy C. Ortiz (born 1973) American writer and poet, of Mexican heritage; graduated from Evergreen State College

Others

• George Washington Bush (c. 1779–1863) early settler of Bush Prairie, trapper
• Adam Fletcher (born 1975) nonprofit director, Freechild Project; graduated from Evergreen State College
• Rebecca G. Howard (c. 1829 – July 1881) pioneer black businesswoman