List of people from Cincinnati

This is a list of notable residents of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Politics

 * Stan Aronoff – member of Ohio Senate 1967–1996, its president from 1989–96
 * William Evans Arthur (1825–1897) – born in Cincinnati, United States Congressman from Kentucky
 * Steve Austria – Republican Congressman, 2009–2013
 * Jess L. Baily – United States Ambassador to North Macedonia, 2015–2019
 * Walt Bachrach – long-serving Mayor of Cincinnati
 * Ken Blackwell – former mayor of Cincinnati 1999–2007, Republican, Ohio Secretary of State and unsuccessful 2006 candidate for Governor of Ohio
 * James G. Birney – abolitionist and Liberty Party presidential candidate
 * John Boehner – Congressman and former Speaker of the House
 * William K. Bond – Whig Congressman, 1849–1853
 * Stanley E. Bowdle – Democratic Congressman, 1913–1915
 * John Bridgeland – lawyer and activist
 * Tom Brinkman – Republican Ohio House of Representatives member
 * Ethan Allen Brown – 7th Governor of Ohio
 * Frank Brogan – 15th Lieutenant Governor of Florida
 * Henry Francis Bryan – United States Navy Rear Admiral and the 17th governor of American Samoa
 * Jacob Burnet – U.S. Senator, 1828–1831
 * Phillip Burton – Democratic Congressman from California
 * Benjamin Butterworth – Republican Congressman, 1879–1883, 1885–1891
 * Mary Edith Campbell – Suffragette, Board of Education member
 * Samuel Fenton Cary – Congressman and temperance movement leader
 * John Cranley – former mayor of Cincinnati, 2013–2022
 * Steve Chabot – Republican Congressman, 1995–2009; 2011–2023
 * Thomas R. Chandler – perennial candidate
 * Donald D. Clancy – former Republican Congressman
 * Levi Coffin – abolitionist, member of the Underground Railroad
 * Aaron H. Conrow – Confederate congressman and general
 * Moses Dickson – Abolitionist leader
 * David T. Disney – Democratic Congressman, 1849–1855
 * Ozro J. Dodds – Democratic Congressman, 1872–1873
 * Steve Driehaus – Democratic Congressman, 2009–2011
 * Alexander Duncan – physician, Democratic Congressman, 1837–1841, 1843–1845
 * Thomas O. Edwards – Whig Congressman, 1847–1849
 * Edwin Einstein – Republican Congressman from New York, 1879–1881
 * Richard Kenneth Fox – United States Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, 1977–1979
 * George Fries – physician, Democratic Congressman, 1845–1849
 * James W. Gazlay – Republican Congressman, 1823–1825
 * Thomas Geoghegan – labor lawyer
 * John J. Gilligan – former Governor of Ohio
 * Herman P. Goebel – Republican Congressman, 1903–1911
 * Bill Gradison – Republican Congressman, former mayor of Cincinnati
 * Buddy Gray – activist and social worker
 * William S. Groesbeck – lawyer, Democratic Congressman, 1857–1859
 * John A. Gurley – Republican Congressman, 1859–1863
 * George W. Hayes – slave, Republican Ohio House of Representatives member
 * William E. Hess – Republican Congressman, 1929–1937, 1939–1949, 1951–1961
 * Dave Hobson – former Republican congressman
 * Cynthia Hogan – counsel to Joe Biden
 * Henry Thomas Hunt – former mayor of Cincinnati, 1912–1913
 * Andy Ireland – Democrat/Republican Congressman from Florida, 1977–1993
 * B. Todd Jones lawyer, Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 2011–2015
 * Joel Hills Johnson – Utah Territorial legislator, 1849–1850
 * William J. Keating – former Republican Congressman, brother of Charles Keating
 * Simon L. Leis, Jr. – Hamilton County, Ohio prosecutor and sheriff
 * Mark Lippert – former ambassador to South Korea
 * Nicholas Longworth – former Speaker of the House and Majority Leader
 * Charlie Luken – former Congressman and Mayor of Cincinnati
 * Tom Luken – former Congressman
 * Greg Landsman – Democratic Congressman, 2023–
 * Robert Todd Lytle – Congressman, 1833–1835
 * Mark L. Mallory – former mayor of Cincinnati, 2005–2013
 * William L. Mallory, Sr. – first African-American Ohio House of Representatives majority leader
 * Sam Malone – former Cincinnati city councilman
 * Lawrence Maxwell, Jr. – United States Solicitor General, 1893–1895
 * Neil H. McElroy – Secretary of Defense, 1957–1959
 * John McLean – Congressman, 1813–16, U.S. Postmaster General, 1823–1829, U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1829–1861
 * Alexander C. Mitchell – Republican congressman from Kansas, 1911
 * Tom Mooney – teacher, labor union activist
 * Harold G. Mosier – Democratic congressman, 1937–1939
 * Edward Follansbee Noyes – Governor of Ohio, Ambassador to France
 * Kabaka Oba – civil rights activist
 * Lucy Evelyn Peabody – conservation activist
 * Aaron F. Perry – Congressman, 1871–1872
 * Rob Portman – Congressman, United States Trade Representative; Director of Office of Management and Budget; U.S. Senator 2011–2023
 * Todd Portune – former Cincinnati city councilman
 * Trey Radel – former Republican Congressman from Florida
 * James B. Ray – Governor of Indiana, 1825–1831
 * Lindsay Reynolds – chief of staff to First Lady of the United States Melania Trump
 * Carl West Rich – Republican Congressman, three-time mayor of Cincinnati
 * Eugene P. Ruehlmann – Mayor of Cincinnati, 1967–1971
 * Jerry Rubin – political activist, Chicago Seven
 * Charles W. Sawyer – United States Secretary of Commerce, 1948–1953 under President Harry Truman
 * Milton Sayler – Cincinnati city councilman, Congressman, 1873–1879
 * Bob Schaffer – former Republican Congressman from Colorado
 * Jean Schmidt – Republican Congresswoman, 2005–2013; Ohio State Senator 2001–2004, 2021–
 * Bob Schuler – Ohio State Senator, 2002–2009
 * P.G. Sittenfeld – former Cincinnati city councilman, convicted of felony bribery
 * Kathleen Sebelius – Governor of Kansas 2003–2009, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services 2009–14
 * William B. Shattuc – Congressman, 1897–1903
 * Christopher Smitherman – former Cincinnati city councilman
 * Potter Stewart – lawyer, U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1958–1981
 * Bellamy Storer (1796–1875) – lawyer, Congressman, 1835–1837
 * Bellamy Storer (1847–1922) – Congressman, 1891–1895, diplomat
 * Bob Taft – Governor of Ohio, 1999–2007
 * Charles Phelps Taft II – Mayor of Cincinnati, 1955–1957
 * Robert A. Taft – Senate leader; son of William Howard Taft
 * Robert Taft Jr. – Congressman 1963–1965, 1967–1971; U.S. Senator 1971–1976
 * William Howard Taft – 27th President of the United States, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Business

 * Marcellus Bailey – patent attorney for Alexander Graham Bell
 * Emma Beckwith – bookkeeper, optician, inventor, suffragette
 * Powel Crosley Jr. – inventor and entrepreneur
 * Francis L. Dale – lawyer, Cincinnati Reds owner, Republican Party operative
 * Maxwell Dane – advertising executive
 * James Gamble – co-founder of Procter & Gamble
 * Alfred T. Goshorn – businessman, civic booster, founder of the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first professional baseball team
 * Lou Groen – entrepreneur, inventor of the Filet-O-Fish sandwich
 * Kevin Harrington – infomercial entrepreneur
 * Bob Herbold – former executive vice president and chief operating officer of Microsoft Corporation
 * Louise McCarren Herring – leader of the credit union movement
 * Charles R. Hook Sr. – steel industrialist
 * Ronald Howes – inventor of the Easy-Bake Oven
 * Jeffrey R. Immelt – CEO of General Electric
 * Charles Keating – banker involved in savings and loan crisis of the 1980s
 * Jim Koch – founder of Boston Beer Company
 * Bernard Kroger – founder of the Kroger supermarket chain
 * Chris Kempczinski – President & CEO of McDonald's Corporation (born in Boston, raised in Cincinnati)
 * Isaac Herbert Kempner – founder of Imperial Sugar
 * James Michael Lafferty – CEO of Fine Hygienic Holding, former regional CEO for Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and British American Tobacco; Olympic track and field coach
 * Harry Ward Leonard – electrical engineer and inventor
 * Carl Lindner, Jr. – businessman and co-founder of United Dairy Farmers; founder of American Financial Group
 * William F. Nast – diplomat, railroad businessman
 * Henry Nicholas – communications technology entrepreneur
 * Vivek Ramaswamy – biopharmaceutical entrepreneur, Republican Party presidential candidate
 * Stephen Sanger – former chairman of General Mills
 * Marge Schott – women's business pioneer; former owner of the Cincinnati Reds
 * David Sinton – pig iron industrialist
 * Ted Turner – founder of Turner Broadcasting System
 * David Uible – businessman and county commissioner
 * Douglas A. Warner III – banker
 * Joseph Ray Watkins – born in city, entrepreneur and founder of Watkins Incorporated
 * Luman Watson – 19th-century clockmaker
 * Granville Woods – inventor

Science

 * Cleveland Abbe – meteorologist
 * C. David Allis – geneticist
 * Richard Allison – Surgeon General of the Army
 * Ellen Harding Baker – astronomer and teacher
 * Charles J. Bates – food scientist
 * Amanda Bauer – astronomer
 * George Robert Carruthers – physicist
 * Robin T. Cotton – pediatrician
 * Naomi Deutsch – nurse and educator
 * Michael Dine – theoretical physicist
 * William Doherty – entomologist
 * Joseph Leo Doob – mathematician
 * Ronald G. Douglas – mathematician and university provost
 * Daniel Drake – physician and writer
 * Richard S. Hamilton – mathematician
 * Olive Hazlett – mathematician
 * Henry Heimlich – co-developer of the Heimlich maneuver
 * Karl Gordon Henize – NASA astronaut
 * Robert Kistner – gynecologist, textbook author
 * Thomas Samuel Kuhn – science historian
 * John Mauchly – physicist, co-designer of ENIAC
 * Ann Moore – pediatric nurse, inventor of the Snugli baby carrier
 * Sharlotte Neely -anthropologist
 * Louis Harry Newburgh – Professor of Clinical Investigation
 * Joseph Ransohoff – neurosurgeon
 * Samuel Mitja Rapoport — biochemist, Communist activist in Cincinnati in the 1930s
 * Tom Rapoport – cell biologist at the Harvard Medical School
 * Marion Rawson – archaeologist
 * George Rieveschl – inventor of Benadryl
 * Rae Robertson-Anderson – biophysicist
 * Albert Sabin – discoverer of oral polio vaccine

Journalism and media

 * Jon Arthur – syndicated radio personality
 * Gamaliel Bailey – journalist and abolitionist
 * Delilah L. Beasley – first African American woman to be published regularly in a major metropolitan newspaper
 * Marty Brennaman – Cincinnati Reds radio play-by-play announcer 1974–2019
 * Thom Brennaman – sports broadcaster
 * Gary Burbank – radio personality
 * Nick Clooney – journalist, anchorman, and television host, father of George Clooney
 * Gail Collins – columnist for The New York Times
 * The Cool Ghoul, real name Dick VonHoene – news anchor, talk show and horror-movie show host
 * Bill Cunningham – attorney, radio and television talk show host
 * Paul Dixon – Cincinnati-area daytime television host
 * Elizabeth Drew – political journalist and author
 * Sara Eisen – CNBC news anchor
 * Courtis Fuller – local news anchor
 * Bill Hemmer – Fox News Channel anchor and correspondent; former CNN anchor and reporter
 * Steven L. Herman – Voice of America bureau chief and correspondent
 * Derrin Horton – sportscaster
 * Mary Coffin Johnson – newspaper publisher, activist
 * Joe Kernen – CNBC news anchor
 * Dan La Botz – journalist, author and socialist activist
 * Alan Light – former editor of VIBE and Spin
 * Ruth Lyons – radio and television personality
 * Edward Deering Mansfield – 19th-century newspaper editor
 * William Maxwell – engraver, printer, publisher of the first newspaper in Cincinnati
 * Mike McConnell – syndicated radio talk show host
 * John Roll McLean – owner and publisher of The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Washington Post
 * Washington McLean – owner and publisher of The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Washington Post
 * Erin McPike – White House Correspondent for Independent Journal Review, formerly with CNN and NBC News
 * David Mendell – journalist and Barack Obama biographer
 * Dan Patrick – sportscaster and radio personality (from Mason, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati)
 * Virginia Payne – radio actress
 * Wally Phillips – radio personality
 * James S. Robbins – opinion journalist, author and scholar
 * Glenn Ryle – television personality
 * Al Schottelkotte – television news anchor and reporter
 * Bob Shreve – early television personality
 * Larry Smith – puppeteer and children's television host
 * Tony Snow – news commentator, White House Press Secretary for George W. Bush administration
 * Dale Sommers – radio personality also known as "the Truckin' Bozo"
 * Estelle Sternberger – radio commentator and women's activist
 * Anne Marie Tiernon – local news anchor
 * Linda Vester – Fox News Channel anchor
 * Carolyn Washburn – former vice president and editor of The Cincinnati Enquirer
 * Liz Wheeler – conservative political commentator, formerly with One America News Network
 * Todd Wright – Sports radio personality
 * Frederick Ziv – television producer and syndication pioneer

Acting, motion pictures, and television

 * Kevin Allison – actor, sketch comedian (The State)
 * Patti Astor – underground film actress
 * Theda Bara – silent film actress
 * Powhatan Beaty – American Civil War soldier and stage actor
 * Louise Beavers – actress
 * Andy Blankenbuehler – dancer and choreographer
 * Ron Bohmer – singer and actor
 * Zach Bolton – voice actor and ADR director affiliated with Funimation
 * Mark Boone Junior – actor
 * Lee Bowman – film and television actor
 * Bob Braun – local television and radio personality
 * Don Brodie – actor and director
 * Nana Bryant – actress
 * Mabel Brownell – stage actress
 * Rebecca Budig – soap opera and television actress
 * Marty Callner – music video director
 * Rocky Carroll – actor (NCIS)
 * Marguerite Clark – stage and silent film actress
 * Majel Coleman – actress and model
 * Ray Combs – host of Family Feud, 1988–1994
 * Walter Connolly – film actor
 * Shamika Cotton – actress
 * Chase Crawford – actor and producer
 * Joel Crothers – actor
 * Raymond Garfield Dandridge – poet
 * Doris Day – popular singer and actress
 * Tim de Zarn – actor
 * Gabrielle Dennis – actress (The Game)
 * John Diehl – actor
 * John Dierkes – actor
 * Pamella D'Pella – actress
 * Carmen Electra (born Tara Leigh Patrick) – actress, singer
 * Vera-Ellen – actress and dancer (White Christmas)
 * Susan Floyd – actress
 * Trixie Friganza – vaudeville and film actress
 * Stephen Geoffreys – film, stage, and gay pornography actor
 * Sidney M. Goldin – silent film director
 * Charles Guggenheim – movie director
 * Julie Hagerty – model and actress (Airplane!)
 * Pauline Hall – stage actress and dancer
 * Porter Hall – actor (Miracle on 34th Street)
 * Emily Harper – actress
 * Maurice Hegeman – Broadway musical actor, lyricist, and playwright
 * Tiffany Hines – actress
 * Libby Holman – torch singer and actress
 * Tonya Ingram – poet, disability activist, mental health advocate
 * IShowSpeed, real name Darren Watkins Jr. – YouTube personality, streamer, rapper, and songwriter
 * Arthur V. Johnson – silent film actor and director
 * Lanny Joon – actor
 * Noah Keen – actor
 * Dagney Kerr – actress
 * Mike Kleinhenz – voice actor
 * Ida Koverman – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film executive
 * Eric Lange – actor (Lost and Victorious)
 * Dorothy Layton – actress
 * KiKi Layne – actress
 * Hal Le Roy – dancer, singer, stage actor
 * Hudson Leick – actress
 * Edward LeSaint – silent film actor and director
 * Marcia Lewis – actress
 * Vicki Lewis – actress (NewsRadio)
 * Floriana Lima – actress
 * Todd Louiso – actor
 * Gina Malo – actress
 * Irene Manning – actress and singer
 * Jack Manning – actor
 * Markiplier, real name Mark Edward Fischbach – YouTube personality, originally from Honolulu, later moved to Los Angeles
 * Ann May – silent film actress
 * Eve McVeagh – actress
 * Benjamin S. Mears – actor and playwright
 * Blanche Mehaffey – showgirl and actress
 * Gertrude Michael – film and television actress
 * Fanny Midgley – silent film actress
 * Harry F. Millarde – silent film actor and director
 * Marjorie Monaghan – actress
 * J. Madison Wright Morris – actress and model
 * Kathryn Morris – actress (Cold Case)
 * Sydney Morton – actor
 * Heidi Mueller – actress
 * Pamela Myers – Broadway and television actress
 * Stephen Nichols – actor
 * Luke Null – comedian, cast member on Saturday Night Live
 * Gary Owen – stand-up comedian and actor
 * Jay Patterson – actor
 * Jo Ellen Pellman – actress
 * Richard M. Powell – television and film screenwriter
 * Tyrone Power – actor (The Mark of Zorro, Witness for the Prosecution)
 * Lee Roy Reams – Broadway actor and director, born in Covington, Kentucky
 * Theresa Rebeck – television (NYPD Blue) and film screenwriter
 * Theodore Reed – movie director
 * Hari Rhodes – actor
 * Sy Richardson – actor
 * Diana-Maria Riva – actress
 * Dennis Roady – actor and YouTube personality
 * Wendy Robie – actress
 * Roy Rogers – actor and singer, iconic western film star
 * Bonnie Rotten – porn star
 * Brenda Scott – actress
 * Tom Segura – comedian
 * Iva Shepard – silent film actress
 * Gertrude Short – silent film actress
 * Hal Sparks – actor and comedian
 * Shane Sparks – choreographer
 * Steven Spielberg – Oscar-winning film director
 * Jerry Springer – mayor of Cincinnati, talk show host (born in London, of Austrian parents)
 * Pat Stanley – actress, dancer, and singer
 * Galadriel Stineman – actress
 * Brette Taylor – actress and singer-songwriter
 * Amanda Tepe – actress
 * Jordan Trovillion – actress and singer
 * Evelyn Venable – actress
 * Daniel von Bargen – actor
 * Patricia Wettig – actress and playwright
 * Robert J. Wilke – actor
 * Katt Williams – stand-up comedian and actor
 * Jennie Worrell – 19th-century burlesque actress
 * Rudy Wurlitzer – screenwriter
 * Amy Yasbeck – actress
 * Wolfgang Zilzer – actor

Music

 * Marty Balin – founder and original lead singer of Jefferson Airplane
 * Matt Berninger – lead singer of The National
 * LaKiesha Berri – R&B singer
 * Boom Bip – electronic musician
 * Andy Biersack – rock singer (Black Veil Brides)
 * Bobby Borchers – country music singer-songwriter
 * Earl Bostic – jazz and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist
 * Mia Carruthers – singer-songwriter
 * Mel Carter – R&B singer
 * Bootsy Collins – Parliament Funkadelic funk bass player
 * Danny Cox – folk singer/songwriter
 * Gustav Dannreuther – violinist and conductor
 * Hal Davis – songwriter and record producer for Motown Records
 * Carl Dobkins, Jr. – rockabilly singer
 * George Duning – trumpet and piano player
 * Fat Jon – hip hop producer
 * Frank Foster – jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger
 * Stephen Foster – songwriter and arranger
 * Homer and Jethro – Grammy-winning country comedy duo
 * H-Bomb Ferguson – jump blues singer
 * Henry Fillmore – march music composer
 * Peter Frampton – musician, previously lived in Cincinnati
 * Jane French – singer-songwriter
 * Reed Ghazala – electronic musician and instrument builder
 * Larry Hall – singer ("Sandy")
 * Fred Hersch – jazz pianist
 * Hi-Tek – rapper and producer
 * Joel Hills Johnson – gospel songwriter called "Zion's Songster"
 * Gloria Jones – singer-songwriter
 * Grandpa Jones – entertainer, banjo player and "old time" country and gospel singer
 * Kenna – electronic musician
 * Steve Kipner – songwriter ("Let's Get Physical")
 * Drew Lachey – winner of Dancing With The Stars
 * Nick Lachey – lead singer of 98 Degrees
 * James Levine – conductor
 * Scott Lindroth – composer
 * Lonnie Mack – blues artist
 * Arlo McKinley – singer-songwriter
 * Len Mink – Christian evangelist and musician
 * Sonny Moorman – blues guitarist
 * Nicole C. Mullen – songwriter and choreographer
 * Naked Cowboy – busker
 * Curtis Peagler – jazz saxophonist
 * Ralph Penland – jazz drummer
 * Awadagin Pratt – concert pianist
 * Tyler Ramsey – guitarist for Band of Horses
 * Antonio "L.A." Reid – record executive
 * Katie Reider – singer-songwriter
 * Sheldon Reynolds – R&B guitarist
 * George Russell – jazz pianist and composer
 * Mamie Smith – blues singer
 * Sudan Archives — violinist and R&B singer
 * Merle Travis – country and western singer, songwriter, and guitarist
 * Constance Cochnower Virtue – composer
 * Speed Walton – hip hop musician
 * David Wolfenberger – singer-songwriter
 * Andy Williams – pop singer
 * Philippe Wynne – lead singer for The Spinners

Groups

 * 98 Degrees – boy band of the 1990s
 * Afghan Whigs – rock band
 * Ass Ponys – rock band
 * The Bears – rock band
 * Beneath the Sky – metalcore band
 * Black Veil Brides – rock band
 * Blessid Union of Souls – rock band
 * Buffalo Killers – rock band
 * The Casinos – doo-wop group
 * The Deele – R&B/Soul group
 * Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods – 1970s pop band
 * Ellery – alt-folk band
 * Five Deez – Hip Hop group
 * Foxy Shazam – rock band
 * The Greenhornes – rock band
 * Heartless Bastards – indie rock band
 * The Isley Brothers – R&B/soul group
 * The Lemon Pipers – pop band from the 1960s
 * The National – indie rock band
 * Otis Williams and the Charms – doo-wop vocal group
 * Over the Rhine – rock band
 * RyanDan – dual operatic singer/gospel
 * Pomegranates – indie rock band
 * Pure Prairie League – pop/country band
 * The Students – doo-wop group
 * Walk the Moon – indie-rock band
 * Wussy – indie rock band

Authors

 * Karen Ackerman – children's author
 * Melissa Elizabeth Riddle Banta (1834–1907) – poet
 * Thomas Berger – author
 * Eva Best – story writer, poet, music composer, dramatist
 * Christopher Bollen – novelist
 * Fredric Brown – author
 * Alice Cary – poet
 * Phoebe Cary – poet
 * Stuart Archer Cohen – novelist
 * Sharon Creech – novelist
 * Michael Cunningham – novelist (The Hours)
 * Nikki Giovanni – poet and author
 * Shari Goldhagen – novelist
 * Richard Hague – poet, author and educator
 * Kenneth Koch – New York School poet
 * Tim Lucas – film critic, novelist, author
 * William Matthews – poet
 * William Holmes McGuffey – educator, author of McGuffey Readers
 * Karen Marie Moning – paranormal romance/thriller author
 * David Quammen – science and travel writer
 * Susan Elizabeth Phillips – author
 * Mike Resnick – Hugo Award-winning science fiction writer
 * Helen Hooven Santmyer – writer
 * Stanley Schmidt – science fiction author and magazine editor
 * Curtis Sittenfeld – novelist
 * Henry Thew Stevenson – academic and writer
 * Harriet Beecher Stowe – author and abolitionist
 * Jonathan Valin – novelist
 * Edmund White – author

Visual artists

 * James Presley Ball – photographer and abolitionist
 * Karl Bissinger – photographer
 * Robert Frederick Blum – lithographer
 * Jim Borgman – Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist
 * Jim Dine – pop artist
 * Robert S. Duncanson – painter and muralist
 * Frank Duveneck – figure and portrait painter
 * Elliot Earls – graphic designer
 * Alfred Oscar Elzner – architect
 * Suzanne Farrell – ballerina
 * Tim Folzenlogen – realist painter
 * William H. Fry – Aesthetic movement wood carver and gilder
 * Frank J. Girardin – painter
 * Daniel Greene – painter
 * Harry Hake – architect
 * Samuel Hannaford – architect, designer of Cincinnati's Music Hall
 * Charley Harper – wildlife artist
 * Robert Henri – painter, leader of the Ashcan School movement
 * Ida Holterhoff Holloway – painter
 * Charles S. Kaelin – American Impressionist painter
 * Graham Ingels – comic book and magazine illustrator
 * Thomas Rogers Kimball – architect
 * Janis Crystal Lipzin – multi-media artist, filmmaker, photographer
 * Gary Lord – faux painter and decorator
 * Mary Louise McLaughlin – ceramic painter and studio potter
 * Lewis Henry Meakin – American Impressionist painter
 * Henry Mosler – painter
 * Alfred B. Mullett – architect
 * Frank Harmon Myers – painter
 * Charles Henry Niehaus – sculptor
 * Thomas Satterwhite Noble – painter
 * Elizabeth Nourse – painter
 * Diane Pfister – artist and painter
 * Edward Henry Potthast – American Impressionist painter
 * Hiram Powers – sculptor
 * John Ruthven – painter of wildlife
 * Sara Sax – ceramic painter
 * Kataro Shirayamadani – ceramic painter
 * Sheida Soleimani – Iranian-American multidisciplinary artist
 * Lilly Martin Spencer – painter
 * Francis Marion Stokes – architect
 * Maria Longworth Nichols Storer – founder of the Rookwood Pottery Company
 * Adolph Strauch – landscape architect
 * John Robinson Tait – landscape painter
 * Tony Tasset – contemporary artist
 * Mary Lee Tate – African American painter, educator
 * Tom Tsuchiya – sculptor
 * John Henry Twachtman – impressionist landscape painter
 * Leon Van Loo – photographer
 * Edward Charles Volkert – American Impressionist painter
 * Tom Wesselmann – pop artist

Baseball

 * Mike Adams – MLB outfielder
 * Ethan Allen – MLB player, coach at Yale University
 * Nick Altrock – MLB pitcher
 * Charlie Armbruster – MLB catcher
 * Skeeter Barnes – MLB utility player
 * Al Bashang – MLB outfielder
 * Buddy Bell – MLB third baseman and manager
 * Charlie Bell – MLB pitcher
 * David Bell – MLB third baseman and Cincinnati Reds manager
 * Frank Bell – MLB player
 * Mike Bell – MLB third baseman
 * Andrew Benintendi – MLB outfielder
 * Ralph Birkofer – MLB pitcher
 * Red Bittmann – MLB second baseman
 * Ethan Blackaby – MLB outfielder
 * Jim Bolger – MLB outfielder
 * Barry Bonnell – MLB player
 * Daryl Boston – MLB outfielder
 * Buzz Boyle – MLB outfielder
 * Jack Boyle – MLB player
 * Jimmy Boyle – MLB catcher
 * Andrew Brackman – former MLB pitcher
 * Ed Brinkman – MLB player
 * Jim Brosnan – MLB pitcher, author of The Long Season and Pennant Race
 * Nelson Burbrink – MLB catcher and scout
 * Moe Burtschy – MLB pitcher
 * Jack Bushelman – MLB pitcher
 * Flea Clifton – MLB pitcher
 * Joe Crotty – MLB catcher
 * Bob Daughters – MLB player
 * Zach Day – MLB pitcher
 * Dory Dean – MLB pitcher
 * Drew Denson – MLB first baseman
 * Red Dooin – MLB player and manager
 * Bill Doran – MLB second baseman
 * Richard Dotson – MLB pitcher
 * Dick Drott – MLB pitcher
 * Louis Dula – Negro leagues pitcher
 * Leon Durham – MLB player
 * Joe Ellick – MLB player
 * Buck Ewing – Hall of Fame catcher and manager
 * Bill Faul – MLB pitcher
 * Tom Flanigan – MLB pitcher
 * Danny Friend – MLB pitcher
 * Charlie Grant – Negro leagues second baseman
 * Bob Gilks – MLB player
 * Ed Glenn – MLB player
 * Charlie Gould – National League baseball player
 * Ken Griffey Jr. – MLB outfielder, Baseball Hall of Famer (born in Donora, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Cincinnati)
 * Tommy Griffith – MLB outfielder
 * Heinie Groh – MLB third baseman
 * Josh Harrison – MLB third baseman
 * Dan Hayden – Miami University (OH) baseball coach
 * August Herrmann – Cincinnati Reds president, 1903–1920
 * Johnny Hodapp – MLB infielder
 * Ed Hug – MLB catcher
 * Miller Huggins – MLB player; Hall of Fame manager for the New York Yankees
 * Roy Hughes – MLB infielder
 * Tom Hume – MLB pitcher and coach
 * Adam Hyzdu – MLB and Japanese baseball outfielder
 * Larry Jacobus – MLB pitcher
 * Betsy Jochum – All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * Lance Johnson – MLB player
 * David Justice – MLB player
 * Al Kaiser – MLB outfielder
 * Dorothy Kamenshek – All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * Scott Klingenbeck – MLB pitcher
 * Eddie Kolb – MLB pitcher, businessman
 * Al Lakeman – MLB player
 * Margie Lang – All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * Barry Larkin – MLB shortstop, Baseball Hall of Famer
 * Stephen Larkin – MLB first baseman
 * Steve Larkin – MLB pitcher
 * Charlie Leesman – MLB pitcher
 * Dick LeMay – MLB pitcher
 * Jensen Lewis – MLB pitcher
 * Jim Leyritz – MLB catcher
 * Bill Long – MLB pitcher
 * Garry Maddox – MLB outfielder
 * Lee Magee – MLB player and manager
 * Art Mahaffey – MLB pitcher
 * Lefty Marr – MLB third baseman
 * Len Matuszek – MLB first baseman
 * Wally Mayer – MLB catcher
 * Roger McDowell – MLB pitcher and coach
 * Bobby Mitchell – MLB pitcher
 * Ralph Miller – MLB pitcher
 * Ron Moeller – MLB pitcher
 * Bobby Moore – MLB player who is currently a coach for the Atlanta Braves organization
 * Red Munson – MLB catcher
 * Charles Murphy – sportswriter, owner of the Chicago Cubs
 * Tim Naehring – MLB player
 * Russ Nagelson – MLB player
 * Chris Nichting – MLB pitcher
 * Bob Nieman – MLB player
 * Russ Nixon – MLB player and manager (born in Cleves, a suburb of Cincinnati)
 * Joe Nuxhall – pitcher, later long-time color commentator for Cincinnati Reds games (from Hamilton, Ohio)
 * Brian O'Connor MLB pitcher
 * Ron Oester – MLB player
 * Jayhawk Owens – MLB player
 * Dave Parker – MLB player, born in Mississippi, grew up in Cincinnati
 * George Paynter – MLB outfielder
 * George Pechiney – MLB pitcher
 * Dave Pember – MLB pitcher
 * Shannon Penn – MLB designated hitter
 * Eduardo Pérez – MLB player; son of Tony Pérez
 * Jack Pfiester – MLB pitcher
 * Cy Pfirman – MLB umpire
 * Icicle Reeder – MLB outfielder
 * Tuffy Rhodes – MLB and Japanese player
 * Billy Riley – MLB player outfielder
 * Pete Rose – All-Star MLB player, holds record for most hits in a career
 * Pete Rose Jr. – minor league baseball player
 * Jeff Russell – MLB pitcher
 * Scott Sauerbeck – MLB pitcher
 * Admiral Schlei – MLB catcher
 * Jimmy Shevlin – MLB first baseman
 * John Shoupe – 19th-century shortstop
 * Joe Smith – MLB player
 * Rudy Sommers – MLB pitcher
 * Ed Sperber – MLB outfielder
 * Jake Stenzel – MLB outfielder
 * Shannon Stewart – MLB player
 * Eric Surkamp – MLB pitcher
 * Brent Suter – MLB pitcher
 * Pat Tabler – MLB player and baseball analyst
 * Kent Tekulve – MLB pitcher
 * Bill Wegman – MLB pitcher
 * Marie Wegman – All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * Alex Wimmers – MLB pitcher
 * Jimmy Wynn – MLB outfielder
 * George Yeager – MLB catcher
 * Kevin Youkilis – All-Star MLB first and third baseman
 * Don Zimmer – MLB player and manager

Basketball

 * Luke Babbitt – NBA player
 * Dennis Bell – NBA player
 * Tom Boerwinkle – NBA player
 * Ric Bucher – ESPN NBA analyst
 * Rick Calloway – NBA player
 * Jeremy Chappell – Robert Morris and European league player
 * Kwan Cheatham (born 1995) – basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League
 * Semaj Christon – Xavier University and NBA Development League player
 * Mick Cronin – UCLA and University of Cincinnati basketball coach
 * Ralph Crosthwaite – Western Kentucky University and NBA player
 * Erik Daniels – University of Kentucky and NBA player
 * Dee Davis – WNBA player
 * Derrek Dickey – NBA player and analyst
 * Justin Doellman – Xavier University and Spanish League player
 * Josh Duncan – Xavier University and European league player
 * Jacob Eisner – Israeli basketball player
 * Robin Freeman – 1955 and 1956 All-American at Ohio State
 * Yancy Gates – player for Ironi Nahariya of the Israeli Premier League
 * Matt Harpring – NBA player
 * Tyrone Hill – Xavier University and NBA player
 * Robert Hite – NBA player
 * Rick Hughes – NBA player
 * Brandon Hunter – NBA player
 * Kannard Johnson – NBA player
 * Pat Kelsey – College of Charleston Cougars men's basketball head coach
 * Shane Larkin – plays in the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi for Anadolu Efes S.K., son of Barry Larkin
 * Brad Loesing – Wofford and European league player
 * Mike Mathis – NBA referee
 * Kelsey Mitchell – 2018 Big Ten Women's Basketball Player of the Year for Ohio State
 * Louis Orr – NBA player and college coach
 * Dave Robisch – NBA and ABA player
 * Kelly Schumacher – WNBA basketball player
 * Jordan Sibert – NBA player
 * Mel Thomas – UConn player
 * LaSalle Thompson – NBA player
 * Bob Wiesenhahn – NBA player
 * Devin Williams – West Virginia and NBA G League player

Boxing

 * Tim Austin – 1992 Olympic bronze medalist and bantamweight boxing champion
 * Adrien Broner – light welterweight boxer
 * Ezzard Charles – heavyweight champion boxer
 * Larry Donald – Olympic and professional heavyweight boxer
 * George Foster – featherweight boxer
 * Billy Joiner – heavyweight boxer and trainer
 * Freddie Miller – featherweight boxer
 * Aaron Pryor – world light welterweight champion boxer
 * Brad Rone – journeyman boxer who died in the ring
 * Ronald Siler – 2004 Olympic flyweight boxer
 * Wallace Smith – lightweight boxer
 * Reggie Strickland – has the most known losses of any boxer in history
 * Tony Tubbs – heavyweight boxer
 * Rau'shee Warren – bantamweight boxer
 * Ricardo Williams – 2000 Olympic light welterweight silver medalist boxer
 * Harry Woodson – 19th-century boxer

Football

 * Alex Albright – NFL linebacker
 * Kevin Allen – NFL offensive tackle
 * Darren Anderson – NFL cornerback
 * Mel Anthony – Michigan and CFL fullback; 1965 Rose Bowl MVP
 * Steve Apke – replacement player during 1987 NFL players' strike
 * B.J. Askew – NFL fullback
 * Alex Bannister – NFL wide receiver
 * Darren Barnett – NFL cornerback
 * Ron Beagle – College Football Hall of Fame end for Navy
 * Bruce Beekley – NFL linebacker
 * Ed Biles – NFL Houston Oilers head coach, 1981–1983
 * Rocky Boiman – Notre Dame and NFL linebacker, radio host
 * Vaughn Booker – NFL defensive end
 * Jim Boyle – NFL offensive tackle
 * Colin Branch – NFL safety
 * Tyrone Brown – NFL and CFL wide receiver
 * Al Brosky – College Football Hall of Fame cornerback
 * Dante Brown – NFL running back
 * Ricky Brown – NFL linebacker for Boston College and the Oakland Raiders
 * Trevor Canfield – NFL offensive lineman
 * Tank Carradine – Florida State and NFL defensive tackle
 * Brent Celek – NFL tight end
 * Garrett Celek – NFL tight end
 * Frank Clair – Canadian Football League coach
 * Vinnie Clark – NFL cornerback
 * Robert Cobb – NFL defensive end
 * John Conner – University of Kentucky and New York Jets fullback
 * Bob Crable – NFL player, businessman
 * Shane Curry – NFL defensive end; murdered in 1992
 * Dane Dastillung – American football player
 * Jerome Davis – NFL nose tackle
 * Wayne Davis – NFL cornerback
 * Jerry Doerger – NFL center
 * Nate Ebner – Ohio State and NFL New England Patriots safety and 2016 rugby sevens Olympian
 * Dixon Edwards – NFL linebacker
 * Marc Edwards – NFL fullback
 * Ray Edwards – NFL defensive end
 * Mark Elder – Eastern Kentucky college football head coach
 * Mark Fischer – Purdue and Washington Redskins offensive lineman
 * Dave Foley – Ohio State and NFL offensive tackle
 * Greg Frey – Ohio State quarterback
 * Bob Fry – NFL offensive lineman
 * Dave Frye – NFL linebacker
 * Bob Goodridge – NFL wide receiver
 * Dick Gordon – Pro Bowl wide receiver
 * Carlton Gray – NFL cornerback
 * Gino Guidugli – University of Cincinnati quarterback
 * Darryl Hardy – NFL linebacker
 * Maurice Harvey – NFL safety
 * Clint Haslerig – Michigan and NFL wide receiver
 * Don Hasselbeck – NFL tight end
 * Joel Heath – NFL defensive tackle
 * Rodney Heath – NFL cornerback
 * Mark Herrmann – NFL quarterback
 * Jordan Hicks – NFL linebacker
 * Alex Higdon – Ohio State and NFL tight end
 * Darius Hillary – Wisconsin and NFL cornerback
 * Robert Hoernschemeyer – NFL running back
 * Jack Hoffman – NFL player
 * Sam Hubbard – defensive end for the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Bengals
 * Kevin Huber – NFL punter
 * Russ Huesman – college football coach
 * Tony Hunter – Notre Dame and NFL tight end
 * Tom Jackson – NFL player and ESPN analyst (lives in Cincinnati)
 * Dan James – NFL and Ohio State offensive lineman
 * Melvin Johnson – NFL safety
 * Paris Johnson Jr. – Ohio State offensive lineman
 * Greg Jones – NFL linebacker
 * Michael Jordan – NFL offensive lineman
 * Steve Junker – NFL tight end
 * Mark Kamphaus – Boston College quarterback
 * Eric Kattus – NFL tight end
 * Terry Killens – NFL linebacker
 * Austin King – NFL center
 * Eric Joel Kresser – NFL quarterback
 * Luke Kuechly – NFL linebacker; 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
 * David Long Jr. – NFL linebacker
 * Dante Love – Ball State wide receiver
 * Greg Mancz – NFL center
 * Michael Matthews – NFL tight end
 * Napoleon McCallum – College Football Hall of Fame running back for Navy
 * Jake McQuaide – Los Angeles Rams Pro Bowl Long snapper
 * Brandon Miree – NFL fullback
 * Michael Muñoz – Tennessee offensive tackle
 * Justin Murray – NFL offensive tackle
 * Leon Murray – Tennessee State quarterback
 * Rico Murray – NFL cornerback
 * Al Nelson – former NFL cornerback
 * Steve Niehaus – first draft choice of NFL Seattle Seahawks; defensive tackle
 * Ray Nolting – NFL running back, University of Cincinnati football coach
 * Andrew Norwell – NFL offensive lineman, 2017 All-Pro
 * David Nugent – NFL defensive lineman
 * Tom O'Brien – North Carolina State Wolfpack football head coach
 * Antwan Peek – NFL linebacker
 * Ahmed Plummer – NFL cornerback (from Wyoming, suburb of Cincinnati)
 * P. J. Pope – NFL running back
 * DeVier Posey – NFL wide receiver
 * George Ratterman – football player
 * Reggie Redding – NFL offensive lineman
 * Ike Reese – NFL linebacker and radio host
 * Jack Reynolds – NFL linebacker
 * J. Burton Rix – SMU and Miami (FL) head football coach
 * Kurt Rocco – Arena Football League quarterback
 * Kyle Rudolph – Minnesota Vikings tight end
 * Marcus Rush – NFL linebacker
 * Abdul Salaam – NFL defensive tackle
 * Greg Scruggs – NFL linebacker
 * Mike Sensibaugh – NFL safety
 * Tyler Sheehan – NFL and indoor football quarterback
 * Ed Shuttlesworth – Michigan and CFL fullback
 * Chris Smith – NFL running back
 * Sean Smith – NFL defensive end
 * Kirk Springs – NFL safety
 * Ryan Stanchek – NFL offensive lineman
 * Ralph Staub – Cincinnati Bearcats football player and coach
 * Roger Staubach – Heisman Trophy-winning Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback
 * Milt Stegall – NFL and CFL wide receiver, Canadian Football Hall of Famer
 * Greg Stemrick – NFL cornerback
 * Ken Stone – NFL safety
 * Zach Strief – NFL offensive lineman
 * Dana Stubblefield – NFL defensive tackle
 * Steve Sylvester – NFL offensive lineman
 * Matthew Teague – NFL and CFL linebacker
 * Matt Tennant – NFL offensive lineman
 * Steve Tensi – NFL quarterback
 * Brian Townsend – NFL linebacker
 * DeJuan Tribble – NFL cornerback
 * Tom Waddle – NFL wide receiver and football analyst
 * Eric Wood – NFL center
 * Spencer Ware – NFL running back
 * Adolphus Washington – Ohio State and NFL defensive tackle
 * John Wiethe – All-Pro NFL guard/linebacker and Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball head coach, 1946–1952
 * Russell Wilson – NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XLVIII Champion
 * DeShawn Wynn – NFL running back

Golf

 * Steve Flesch (1967–) – professional golfer
 * Jim Herman (1977–) – professional golfer
 * Bob Lohr (1960–) – professional golfer
 * Tom Nieporte (1928–2014) – professional golfer
 * Marissa Steen (1989–) – professional golfer
 * Brett Wetterich (1973–) – professional golfer

Tennis

 * Winona Closterman (1877–1944) – tennis player
 * Ruth Sanders Cordes (1890–1968) – tennis player
 * Steve DeVries (1964–) – tennis player
 * Nat Emerson (1874–1958) – tennis player
 * Nicole Gibbs (1993–) – tennis player
 * Reuben A. Holden III (1890–1967) – tennis player
 * Emmy Kaiser (1990–) – wheelchair tennis player
 * Louis Kuhler (1902–1925) – tennis player
 * Paul Kunkel (1903–1977) – amateur tennis player
 * Barry MacKay (1935–2012) – tennis player and broadcaster
 * Caty McNally (2001–) – tennis player
 * Monica Nolan (1913–1995) – tennis player
 * Eric Quigley (1989–) – tennis player
 * Peyton Stearns (2001–) – tennis player
 * Dudley Sutphin (1875–1926) – tennis player, lawyer
 * Bill Talbert (1918–1999) – tennis player and administrator
 * Tony Trabert (1930–2021) – tennis player and instructor
 * Clara Louise Zinke (1909–1978) – tennis player
 * J.J. Wolf (1998–) – tennis player

Other

 * Rachael Adams – 2016 Olympic women's volleyball bronze medalist
 * Eddie Arcaro – Triple Crown-winning jockey
 * Amanda Borden – 1996 gold-medal winning gymnast
 * Danielle Borgman – professional soccer player
 * Jordan Brauninger – figure skater
 * Aimee Bruder – bronze medal-winning Paralympics swimmer
 * Caleb Bragg – racecar driver and automobile inventor
 * Marc Burch – Major League Soccer defender
 * Amber Campbell – 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games hammer thrower
 * Steve Cauthen – Triple Crown-winning jockey (from Covington, Kentucky)
 * Rodney Combs – NASCAR driver
 * Katherine Copely – Lithuanian ice dancer
 * Angelo Dawkins – WWE tag team wrestler with Street Profits
 * Deena Deardurff – 1972 Olympic swimming gold medalist
 * Rich Franklin – Ultimate Fighting Championship champion
 * Curt Fraser – National Hockey League (NHL) player and coach
 * Christina Gao – figure skater
 * Mike Goldberg – Ultimate Fighting Championship play-by-play commentator
 * Jonathan Good – AEW professional wrestler known as Jon Moxley; formerly known as Dean Ambrose in WWE
 * Nick Hagglund – FC Cincinnati soccer player
 * Maxwell Holt – 2016 Olympic men's volleyball bronze medalist
 * Harlan Holden – track and field athlete at the 1912 Summer Olympics
 * Ted Horn – race car driver
 * DeHart Hubbard – first African-American to win an individual Olympic gold medal
 * Joseph Hudepohl – Olympic swimmer
 * Tori Huster – soccer player
 * Julie Isphording – long-distance runner
 * Rebecca Jasontek – 2004 bronze medal-winning synchronized swimmer
 * Jenny Kemp – 1972 Olympic swimming gold medalist
 * Dan Ketchum – Olympic swimmer
 * Aubrey Kingsbury – professional soccer player of Washington Spirit and the United States national team
 * Walter Laufer – 1928 gold medal-winning swimmer
 * Rose Lavelle – 2019 World Cup champion and NWSL player
 * Linda Miles – professional wrestler (WWE's "Shaniqua")
 * Betsy Mitchell – 1984 Olympic swimming gold medalist
 * Heather Mitts – soccer player
 * Darrell Pace – 1976 and 1984 Olympic gold-medal winning archer
 * David Payne – hurdler
 * Erin Phenix – gold-medal winning swimmer at the 2000 Summer Olympics
 * Brian Pillman – NFL nose tackle and professional wrestler
 * Brian Pillman Jr. – professional wrestler, son of Brian Pillman
 * Lexie Priessman – gymnast
 * Kerry Schall – UFC fighter
 * Vivian St. John – professional wrestler
 * Josh Schneider – former World Record holder, swimming
 * Robert Shmalo – ice dancer
 * Bridget Sloan – Olympic gymnast and 2009 world all-around champion
 * Kyle Smith – soccer player
 * Brandon Sosna – sports administrator and executive
 * Sam Stoller – sprinter and long jumper
 * Les Thatcher – professional wrestler, announcer, and trainer
 * Nick Thoman – 2012 swimming gold medalist
 * Mary Lee Tracy – gymnastics coach
 * Albertson Van Zo Post – 1904 double gold medal-winning fencer
 * Bryan Volpenhein – 2004 gold medal-winning rower
 * Olga Strashun Weil – amateur golfer and tennis player
 * Mary Wineberg – 2008 Olympic gold medalist, track and field
 * Russ Witherby – Olympic ice dancing competitor
 * Brian Woermann – professional wrestler ("Matt Stryker")
 * Jimmy Yang – professional wrestler
 * Jeanne Zelasko – sports broadcaster

Military

 * Christian Albert – Medal of Honor recipient at Siege of Vicksburg
 * Nicholas Longworth Anderson – American Civil War colonel
 * George J. Austin (c. 1881–1930), Black military officer; worked for Black representation in the U.S. military during segregation
 * Edward William Boers – Navy Medal of Honor recipient
 * Henry Francis Bryan – United States Navy Rear Admiral and 17th governor of American Samoa
 * James Calhoun – cavalryman killed at Battle of the Little Bighorn
 * Henry M. Cist – American Civil War general
 * Charles Clark – Confederate Army general, plantation owner, Confederate Governor of Mississippi
 * Cordelia E Cook – first woman to receive both the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart
 * John Cook – Medal of Honor recipient at Battle of Antietam
 * Hubert Dilger – Civil War artillery officer
 * William Dwight – Union Civil War general
 * Wilson V. Eagleson II – U.S. Army Air Force officer and decorated combat fighter pilot with the prodigious Tuskegee Airmen
 * James E. Earheart, Jr. – Marine killed in action during World War II
 * William S. Fellers – Marine Corps major general, Director of Staff of Inter-American Defense Board
 * Manning Force – American Civil War general and Medal of Honor recipient
 * John R. Fox – World War II-era Medal of Honor recipient
 * Kenner Garrard – American Civil War general
 * James Augustin Greer – Civil War-era Admiral
 * Webb Hayes – Medal of Honor recipient, co-founder of Union Carbide
 * Victor Heintz – decorated World War I veteran; Republican Congressman, 1917–1919
 * Andrew Hickenlooper – American Civil War general
 * Heinrich Hoffman – American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient
 * Francis Lupo – World War I soldier whose remains were discovered in 2003
 * William Haines Lytle – poet; Civil War general; killed at Battle of Chickamauga (1863)
 * Keith Matthew Maupin – soldier, missing and captured in Iraq for nearly four years
 * Nathaniel McLean – Union Civil War general
 * John Moore – Surgeon General of the Army
 * Abram S. Piatt – Union Civil War general
 * James Pine – United States Coast Guard Vice Admiral
 * John P. Slough – Union Civil War general
 * George E. Stratemeyer – Air Force general
 * Melancthon S. Wade – Union Civil War general
 * Godfrey Weitzel – Union Civil War general

Other notable people

 * Clara Adams – aviation pioneer
 * Pierre Adrian – chef at The Maisonette
 * Joseph H. Albers – first bishop of Lansing, Michigan
 * Anthony Allaire – New York City Police inspector
 * Michael Anthony – chef
 * Levi Addison Ault – businessman, naturalist, donor of Cincinnati's Ault Park
 * John Bardo – 13th President of Wichita State University, 10th Chancellor of Western Carolina University
 * Samri Baldwin – stage magician
 * Daniel Carter Beard – founder Sons of Daniel Boone
 * Betty Blake – historic preservationist
 * Kim Bobo – labor activist
 * Thomas D. Boyatt – former United States Ambassador to Burkina Faso and Colombia
 * Kitty Burke – nightclub entertainer who attempted to bat in a baseball game
 * Mary Towne Burt – temperance reformer, newspaper publisher, and benefactor
 * Oba Chandler – rapist and murderer on death row in Florida
 * Peter H. Clark – abolitionist and educator
 * Levi Coffin – abolitionist
 * Lorenzo Collins – mentally ill man shot by Cincinnati police in 1997
 * Robert Daniel Conlon – Roman Catholic Bishop of Steubenville, Ohio
 * Sara Jane Crafts (1845–1930), educator, author, social reformer
 * Moses Dickson – African-American abolitionist, soldier and minister
 * Jonathan Edwards – first president of Washington & Jefferson College
 * William Henry Elder – long-serving Roman Catholic Bishop of Cincinnati
 * Audrey Emery – heiress and socialite
 * Mary Emery – philanthropist
 * T. Higbee Embry – aviation enthusiast and co-founder of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
 * Dana Fabe – Chief Justice Alaska Supreme Court
 * Bernard T. Espelage – first Bishop of Gallup, New Mexico
 * Mary Jane Farell – Contract bridge player
 * Susan Fessenden (1840–1932) – activist, social reformer
 * Thomas Milton Gatch – president of Willamette University, Oregon State University and University of Washington
 * Nelson Glueck – rabbi and archaeologist
 * Alfred Gottschalk – President of Hebrew Union College and leader in Reform Judaism
 * Henry Joseph Grimmelsmann – first Bishop of Evansville
 * Alice Claypoole Gwynne – wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt II
 * Don Helbig – Guinness World Record holder for roller coaster riding
 * John R. Hicks – murderer executed by the State of Ohio
 * Helena Keith-Falconer, Countess of Kintore – heiress and socialite
 * Charles L. Kuhn – art historian
 * Alice Stone Ilchman – eighth president of Sarah Lawrence College
 * Joseph Jonas – first Jew to settle in Cincinnati, founder of the Old Jewish Cemetery
 * Stewart Judah – card magician
 * Posteal Laskey – serial killer nicknamed the "Cincinnati Strangler"
 * William Mackey Lomasney – Irish revolutionary
 * Longworth family – early leading Cincinnati family
 * Lytle family – early leading Cincinnati family
 * Mike Mangold – pilot
 * Helen Taft Manning – daughter of William Howard Taft, historian
 * Charles Manson – cult leader, convicted murderer
 * Carl K. Moeddel – auxiliary bishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, 1993–2007
 * Julian Morgenstern – rabbi, professor, and president of Hebrew Union College
 * Sara Murphy – socialite, Pablo Picasso portrait subject
 * Anthony John King Mussio – first Roman Catholic bishop of Steubenville, Ohio
 * David Leroy Nickens – freed slave, first African American licensed minister in Ohio
 * Jack Norris – dietitian and vegan activist
 * Olive Peterson – contract bridge player and teacher
 * David Philipson – Reform rabbi
 * John Baptist Purcell – long-serving Roman Catholic Bishop of Cincinnati
 * George Remus – bootlegger
 * Robert Ruwe – United States Tax Court judge
 * William Knox Schroeder – student killed in the Kent State shootings
 * William Smith – murderer executed in 2005
 * Hermann, Freiherr von Soden – biblical scholar
 * Joseph Strauss – chief engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge
 * Jule Sugarman – creator of Head Start
 * Denise Trauth – 9th President of Texas State University
 * Myra L. Uhlfelder – classicist
 * Otto Warmbier – University of Virginia student arrested in North Korea; later died in custody in 2017
 * Irvin F. Westheimer – founder of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America