List of people from Tampa, Florida

This is a list of notable people from Tampa, Florida .

Contents

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

A

• Eddie Ababio (born 1988), soccer player and coach ^[1]
• Cannonball Adderley (1928–1975), saxophone player
• Nat Adderley (1931–2000), cornet player
• Doug Allen (born 1951), football player
• Kirsten Bloom Allen, ballet dancer and actress ^[2]
• Geronimo Allison (born 1994), professional football player
• T.D. Allman (born 1944), writer, foreign correspondent, historian, author
• Austin Amer (born 2000), soccer player ^[3]
• Aric Almirola (born 1984), stock car driver
• Pete Alonso (born 1994), professional baseball player
• Jose Alvarez (born 1956), professional baseball player
• Erin Andrews (born 1978), sports anchor
• Gilbert Arenas (born 1982), professional basketball player
• Mike Awesome (1965–2007), professional wrestler

B

• Derek Backman (born 1966), soccer player ^[4]
• Jeff Baisley (born 1982), professional baseball player
• George F. Baughman (1915–2004), first president of New College of Florida, rear admiral, USNR
• Derek Bell (born 1968), professional baseball player
• Butch Benton (born 1957), professional baseball player
• Big Show (born 1972), professional wrestler
• Dan Bilzerian (born 1980), professional poker player, personality
• Paul Bilzerian (born 1950), financier convicted of securities fraud
• Les Blank (1935–2013), documentary filmmaker
• Sheila Bleck (born 1974), professional bodybuilder
• Salha "Mama" Bobo (1907–2001), Ybor business pioneer
• Isaiah Bolden (born 1999), professional football player
• Pam Bondi (born 1965), Florida attorney general ^[5]
• John Austin Branch (born 1908), Florida politician
• William Brennan (born 1963), professional baseball player
• Evelyn Brent (1895–1975), actress
• Corey Brown (born 1985), professional baseball player
• Bob Buckhorn (born 1958), mayor of Tampa
• Mike Bynum (born 1978), professional baseball player

C

• CADE (born 1996), singer/songwriter, musician
• Cody Carson (born 1989), singer
• Aaron Carter (1987–2022), actor/singer
• Jeff Carter (born 1964), professional baseball player
• Leslie Carter (1986–2012), singer
• Nick Carter (born 1980), singer of the Backstreet Boys
• Rick Casares (1931–2013), professional football player
• Kevin Cash (born 1977), professional baseball player
• Santiago Castañeda (born 2004), soccer player ^[6]
• Kathy Castor (born 1966), U.S. representative and former Hillsborough County commissioner ^[7]
• Celph Titled (born 1980), rapper, record producer
• John Cena (born 1977), professional wrestler, actor, rapper, television presenter
• Ray Charles (1930–2004), blind blues and pops singer, pianist
• Jordan Clarkson (born 1992), professional basketball player for the New York Knicks
• Barry Cohen (1939–2018), criminal defense attorney
• Nardi Contreras (born 1951), professional baseball player
• Matthew Cox (born 1969), former mortgage broker and fraudster; Most Wanted by Secret Service in 2006
• Ron Crawford (born 1945), actor and artist
• Tim Crews (1961–1993), professional baseball
• Cr1TiKaL (born 1994), YouTuber, streamer, musician

D

• Helen Davis (1926–2015), Florida state legislator
• Nancy Davis (born c. 1977), investor, businessperson
• Ryan Davis (born 1989), professional football player
• Jules Dervaes (1947–2016), urban farmer and environmentalist
• Doechii (born 1998), rapper
• Howell Emanuel Donaldson III (born 1993), serial killer
• Toney Douglas (born 1986), basketball player for Hapoel Eilat of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Cory Doyne (born 1981), professional baseball player
• Sam Dyson (born 1988), professional baseball player

E

• Carl Everett (born 1971), professional baseball player

F

• Lenny Faedo (born 1960), professional baseball player
• David Fagen (1870– date of death unknown), Buffalo Soldier, anti-imperialist
• Ernest Ferlita (1927–2015), Jesuit priest and playwright
• Mike Figga (born 1970), professional baseball player

G

• Gallagher (1947–2022), watermelon-smashing comedian
• Robert Gant (born 1968), actor
• Joanna Garcia (born 1979), actress
• Steve Garvey (born 1948), professional baseball player
• Walter Lee Gibbons (1928–2015), pitcher in Negro league baseball and the Minor Leagues
• Mychal Givens (born 1990), MLB pitcher
• Graham Godfrey (born 1984), professional baseball player
• Luis Gonzalez (born 1967), professional baseball player
• Dwight Gooden (born 1964), professional baseball player
• Arjun Gupta (born 1986), actor

H

• Bob Hall (born 1942), member of Texas State Senate
• Denny Hamlin (born 1980), professional stock car driver
• Garry Hancock (1954–2015), professional baseball player
• Rondo Hatton (1894–1946), actor, reporter
• Eric Hayes (born 1967), football player
• Mike Heath (born 1955), professional baseball catcher
• Fallon Henley (born 1994), pro wrestler
• Jaclyn Hill (born 1990), entrepreneur and internet personality
• Hulk Hogan (1953—2025), actor/wrestler
• Melissa Howard (born 1977), actress/comedian
• Rodney Howard-Brown, Christian evangelist and pastor of River Church
• John Hudek (born 1966), professional baseball pitcher
• Joe Hudson (born 1991), professional baseball catcher
• Gary Huff (born 1951), professional football player
• Dario Hunt (born 1989), basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Lauren Hutton (born 1943), supermodel, actress

I

• Paul D. Irving (born 1957), Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives

J

• Carter Jenkins (born 1991), actor
• Tate Johnson (born 2005), soccer player ^[8]
• Matt Joyce (born 1984), professional baseball player
• Jewels Sparkles (born 2001), drag queen and singer

K

• Kamelot (formed 1991), power metal band
• Jill Kelley (born 1975), philanthropist and advocate
• Jen Kiggans (born 1971), U.S. representative for Virginia ^[9]
• Tarence Kinsey (born 1984), basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Premier League
• Joseph Kittinger, former United States Air Force officer
• KJ-52 (born 1975), Christian rapper
• Bert Kreischer, comedian
• Ryszard Kukliński, Polish soldier and CIA agent

L

• Bernard LaFayette (born 1940), civil rights leader
• Tony LaRussa (born 1944), professional baseball player
• Laurel Lee (born 1974), U.S. representative and former Secretary of State of Florida and Judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida ^[10]
• Tony Little (born 1956), fitness equipment pitchman
• Bobby Joe Long (1953-2019), serial killer executed by lethal injection
• Al López (1908–2005), professional baseball player
• Vance Lovelace (born 1963), professional baseball player
• Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. (1893–1985), businessman, civic leader, National Guard commander and segregationist political figure

M

• Dave Magadan (born 1962), professional baseball player
• Matt Mantei (born 1973), professional baseball player
• Sam Marsonek (born 1978), professional baseball player
• Andrew Martin (1975–2009), Canadian professional wrestler, died in Tampa
• Robert Martinez (born 1934), politician, former Governor of Florida
• Tino Martinez (born 1967), professional baseball player
• Billy Mays (1958–2009), TV commercial pitchman
• Eugene McCaslin (born 1977), professional football player
• Lance McCullers (born 1964), professional baseball player
• Tom McEwen (1923–2011), sportswriter
• Fred McGriff (born 1963), professional baseball player
• Butterfly McQueen (1911–1995), actress, Gone with the Wind
• Alex Mechanik (born 1986), filmmaker
• Peter Mellor (born 1947), English-born American soccer player and coach
• Jason Michaels (born 1976), professional baseball player
• Sam Militello (born 1969), professional baseball player
• Rich Monteleone (born 1963), professional baseball player
• Ashley Moody (born 1975), U.S. Senator, former Florida Attorney General ^[11]
• Aaron Murray, professional football player

N

• Gene Nelson (born 1960), professional baseball player
• Leslie Nicholas Jr. (1927–2007), businessman
• Reena Ninan (born 1979), Indian-American television journalist, founder of the news company Good Trouble Productions

O

• Ralph Onis (1908–1995), professional baseball player

P

• Ferdie Pacheco (1927–2017), physician, boxing analyst
• Sarah Paulson (born 1974), Emmy Award-winning actress
• Michelle Phan (born 1987), YouTube personality and entrepreneur
• Lou Piniella (born 1943), professional baseball player
• Peter Polansky, tennis player
• Rich Puig (born 1953), professional baseball player

R

• Ryan Raburn (born 1981), professional baseball player
• John Ramos (born 1965), professional baseball player
• Chris Ray (born 1982), professional baseball player
• John Reaves (1950–2017), professional football player
• Jody Reed (born 1962), professional baseball player
• Roy Roberts (1906–1975), actor
• Shane Robinson (born 1984), professional baseball player
• Todd Rogers (born 1964), electronic sports player
• Jason Romano (born 1979), professional baseball player
• Calvin Royal III, ballet dancer

S

• Tony Samuels (1954–2001), gridiron football player
• David Sanborn (born 1945), musician (saxophonist)
• Stephanie Moulton Sarkis (born 1974), psychotherapist and author
• Randy Savage (1952–2011), professional wrestler
• Gary Sheffield (born 1968), professional baseball player
• Dakota Skye (1994–2021), pornographic actress
• Amber Smith (born 1971), actress and model
• Brittany Snow (born 1986), actress
• Matthew Stafford (born 1988), professional football player
• George Steinbrenner (1930–2010), philanthropist, principal owner of New York Yankees
• Stephen Stills (born 1945), singer/songwriter, musician
• Steve Swindal, businessman, chairman of the Port Tampa Bay
• John H. Sykes, businessman and philanthropist, founder of Sykes Enterprises

T

• Channing Tatum (born 1980), actor
• Owen Teague (born 1998), actor
• Ernest Ivy Thomas Jr. (1924–1945), Marine, one of six who raised first flag on Mount Suribachi at Battle of Iwo Jima
• Randolph W. Thrower (1913–2014), former Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service
• Mel Tillis (1932–2017), country-western singer-songwriter and musician; Country Music Entertainer of the Year in 1976
• Santo Trafficante Jr. (1914–1987), Mafia boss
• Kyle Tucker (born 1997), Major League Baseball player
• Preston Tucker (born 1990), MLB player

V

• David E. Vogt III, politician
• VoiceoverPete (Pete Accetturo) (born 1959), Internet personality

W

• Dreama Walker (born 1986), actress
• Ted Washington (born 1968), professional football player
• Sharon Webb (1936–2010), science fiction writer
• Gavin Weiland (born 2000), musician
• Dan White (1908–1980), Award winning American actor in vaudeville, theater, film and television
• John White (1935–1988), football player
• Slim Whitman (1923–2013), country music and western music singer
• Mike Williams (born 1984), professional football player
• Charles R. Wilson (born 1954), federal judge

Z

• Tony Zappone (born 1947), journalist, broadcaster, author

References

1. "Eddie Ababio". North Carolina Tar Heels . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
2. "Do-ers Profile: Kirsten Bloom". Tampa Bay Times . February 4, 1993. p. 27. Retrieved December 7, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
3. "Player Insider: Back for Another Year". Barça Residency Academy. August 29, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
4. "Derek Backman (2004)". Lynn Fighting Knights . Retrieved January 2, 2025.
5. "The Honorable Pam Bondi". America First Policy Institute . Retrieved January 14, 2025.
6. Sciaretta, Brian (August 30, 2024). "Castaneda's unique journey in Florida leads him to SC Paderborn". American Soccer Now. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
7. Ogles, Jacob (June 4, 2024). "No. 5 on the list of Tampa Bay's Most Powerful Politicians: Kathy Castor". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
8. "Tate Johnson". Major League Soccer . Retrieved October 12, 2025.
9. "KIGGANS, Jennifer". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
10. Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601. "Laurel M. Lee (Florida (FL)), 119th Congress Profile". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
11. "U.S. Senate: States in the Senate | Florida". www.senate.gov. Retrieved May 11, 2025.