List of Swiss Americans
Encyclopedia
This is a list of notable Swiss American
s, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Swiss American or must have references showing they are Swiss American and are notable.
Swiss American
Swiss Americans are Americans of Swiss descent.There are several ethno-linguistic subgroups among Swiss Americans, including Swiss German-speaking, Swiss French-speaking, and Swiss Italian-speaking....
s, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Swiss American or must have references showing they are Swiss American and are notable.
Business
- Steve BallmerSteve BallmerSteven Anthony "Steve" Ballmer is an American business magnate. He is the chief executive officer of Microsoft, having held that post since January 2000. , his personal wealth is estimated at US$13.9 billion, ranking number 19 on the Forbes 400.-Early life:Ballmer was born in Detroit, Michigan to...
(1956 - ) businessman and CEO of Microsoft Corporation - Meyer GuggenheimMeyer GuggenheimMeyer Guggenheim was the patriarch of what became known as the Guggenheim family. He was born in Lengnau, Aargau, Switzerland, was of German Jewish ancestry and emigrated to the United States in 1847...
(1828–1905) statesman, patriarch of Guggenheim family - Simon GuggenheimSimon GuggenheimSimon Guggenheim was an American businessman, politician, and philanthropist.-Life:He was the son of Meyer Guggenheim and Barbara Guggenheim, and was the younger brother of Daniel Guggenheim and Solomon R...
(1867–1941) businessman, politician, and philanthropist - Otto Frederick HunzikerOtto Frederick HunzikerOtto Frederick Hunziker was a pioneer in the American and international dairy industry, as both an educator and a technical innovator. Otto Hunziker was born and raised in Switzerland, emigrated to the U.S., and studied at Cornell University. He started and developed the dairy program at Purdue...
(1873–1959) pioneer in the American and international dairy industry - Henry Clay FrickHenry Clay FrickHenry Clay Frick was an American industrialist, financier, and art patron. He founded the H. C. Frick & Company coke manufacturing company, was chairman of the Carnegie Steel Company, and played a major role in the formation of the giant U.S. Steel steel manufacturing concern...
(1849–1919) industrialist and art patron, once known as "America's most hated man". as per CNBC one of the "Worst American CEOs of All Time". - Milton Hershey (1857–1945) confectioner, philanthropist, and founder of The Hershey Chocolate Company
- S. S. KresgeS. S. KresgeSebastian Spering Kresge , was the founder of the S. S. Kresge Company, one of the 20th century's largest and best-known retail organizations...
(1867–1966) merchant, philanthropist and founder of the The S. S. Kresge Company, now Sears Holdings Corporation. - Robert Lutz (1932 - ) General Motors Vice Chairman of Product Development and Chairman of GM North America, the world's largest automaker
- James G. SterchiJames G. SterchiJames Gilbert Sterchi was an American businessman, best known as the cofounder and head of the furniture wholesaler, Sterchi Brothers Furniture Company. At its height, Sterchi Brothers was the world's largest furniture store chain, with sixty-five stores across the southeastern United States and a...
(1867–1932) furniture store magnate - Bruce TognazziniBruce TognazziniBruce "Tog" Tognazzini is a usability consultant in partnership with Donald Norman and Jakob Nielsen in the Nielsen Norman Group, which specializes in human computer interaction. He was with Apple Computer for fourteen years, then with Sun Microsystems for four years, then WebMD for another four...
(1945 - ) usability consultant in partnership the Nielsen Norman Group
Actors and directors
- Renée ZellwegerRenée ZellwegerRenée Kathleen Zellweger is an American actress and producer. Zellweger first gained widespread attention for her role in the film Jerry Maguire , and subsequently received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her roles as Bridget Jones in the comedy Bridget Jones's Diary ...
(1969 - ) Film actress - James CaviezelJames CaviezelJames Patrick Caviezel, Jr. is an American film actor, usually credited as Jim Caviezel. He is known for the roles of Jesus Christ in the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, Bobby Jones in Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, Detective John Sullivan in Frequency, Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte...
(1968 - ) Film actor - Michelle PfeifferMichelle PfeifferMichelle Marie Pfeiffer is an American actress. She made her film debut in 1980 in The Hollywood Knights, but first garnered mainstream attention with her performance in Brian De Palma's Scarface . Pfeiffer has won numerous awards for her work...
(1958 - ) Film actress - Liev SchreiberLiev SchreiberIsaac Liev Schreiber , commonly known as Liev Schreiber, is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s, having initially appeared in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywood films, including the Scream trilogy of...
(1967 - ) Film actor - Meryl StreepMeryl StreepMary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
(1949 - ) Film actress - George LucasGeorge LucasGeorge Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
(1944 - ) Film director - Marc ForsterMarc ForsterMarc Forster is a German-Swiss filmmaker and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the films Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland, Stranger than Fiction, The Kite Runner, and Quantum of Solace.- Life and career :...
(1969 - ) Film director, raised in DavosDavosDavos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
(Switzerland), Swiss mother, holds Swiss citizenship - William WylerWilliam WylerWilliam Wyler was a leading American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter.Notable works included Ben-Hur , The Best Years of Our Lives , and Mrs. Miniver , all of which won Wyler Academy Awards for Best Director, and also won Best Picture...
(1902–1981) Film director - Billie DoveBillie DoveBillie Dove was an American actress.-Early life and career:She was born as Bertha Bohny in New York City to Charles and Bertha Bohny who were Swiss immigrants. As a teen, she worked as a model to help support her family and was hired at the age of 15 by Florenz Ziegfeld to appear in his Ziegfeld...
(1903–1997) Film actress - Q'Orianka KilcherQ'Orianka KilcherQ'orianka Waira Qoiana Kilcher is a U.S. actress, singer and activist. She is best known for her role as Pocahontas in the 2005 film The New World, directed by Terrence Malick. Her second memorable film role is Princess Kaiulani in Princess Kaiulani.-Early life:Kilcher was born in Schweigmatt,...
(1990 - ) singer and actress - Victor MatureVictor MatureVictor John Mature was an American stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Mature was born in Louisville, Kentucky to an Italian-speaking father from the town Pinzolo, in the Italian part of the former County of Tyrol , Marcello Gelindo Maturi, later Marcellus George Mature, a cutler,...
(1913–1999) Film actor - René Murat Auberjonois (1940 - ) Film actor
- Jodi Ann PatersonJodi Ann PatersonJodi Ann Paterson is an American model, actress and former beauty queen. She competed in the Miss Teen USA competition as Miss Oregon Teen USA in 1994; she was a Playboy Playmate in 1999, and was named Playmate of the Year in 2000...
(1975 - ) model, actress and former beauty queen. - Berry BerensonBerry BerensonBerinthia "Berry" Berenson Perkins was an American photographer, actress, and model. Perkins was also known as the wife of actor Anthony Perkins and died in the September 11 attacks as a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11.-Early life and family:Berinthia Berenson was the younger daughter of...
(1948–2001) photographer, actress, and model - Theda BaraTheda BaraTheda Bara , born Theodosia Burr Goodman, was an American silent film actress – one of the most popular of her era, and one of cinema's earliest sex symbols. Her femme fatale roles earned her the nickname "The Vamp" . The term "vamp" soon became a popular slang term for a sexually predatory woman...
(1885–1955) silent film actress and sex symbol - Sean MichaelSean Michael (US actor)Sean Michael Afable is an American actor, best known for playing the role of Dylan Chiu in Akeelah and the Bee.- Biography :...
(1988 - ) Film actor - Jeremy MaxwellJeremy MaxwellJeremy Maxwell Kramer , known professionally as Jeremy Maxwell, is an American film/voice actor.-Early life:Maxwell was born in Grants Pass, Oregon; He has one older sister. According to the Internet Movie Database, Maxwell speaks both Danish and English...
(1973 - ) Film actor - Ryan SeacrestRyan SeacrestRyan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
(1974 - ) television and radio host, television producer, and entrepreneur - August SchellenbergAugust SchellenbergAugust Schellenberg is a Canadian actor. His ethnicity is Mohawk and Swiss-German. He was trained at the National Theatre School of Canada.His first film was Rip-Off in 1971. In 1981, he did voices for the animated film Heavy Metal...
(1936 - ) actor - Bridget MarquardtBridget MarquardtBridget Marquardt is an American television personality, model, and actress. She is best known for her role on the reality television series The Girls Next Door, which depicts her life as one of Playboy magazine publisher Hugh Hefner's girlfriends...
(1975 - ) model, actress - Tyler HoechlinTyler HoechlinTyler Lee Hoechlin is an American actor who got his big break starring as Tom Hanks' son in the film Road to Perdition...
(1987 - ) Film actor
Visual artists
- Herbert MatterHerbert MatterHerbert Matter was a Swiss-born American photographer and graphic designer known for his pioneering use of photomontage in commercial art...
(1907–1984) photographer and graphic designer - Adolfo Müller-UryAdolfo Müller-UryAdolfo Muller-Ury was a Swiss-born American portrait painter and impressionistic painter of roses and still life.-Heritage and early life in Switzerland:...
(1862–1947) portrait and impressionistic still-life painter - Jeremiah TheusJeremiah TheusJeremiah Theus was a Swiss-born American painter, primarily of portraits...
(1716–1774) painter
Writers
- William Frank Buckley (1925–2008) writer
- Lorin Morgan-RichardsLorin Morgan-RichardsLorin Morgan-Richards born February 16, 1975, of Amish and Welsh descent, is a Hollywood based writer and illustrator of dark literature and composer of dark storytelling.-Early years:...
(1975) author, composer, curator. Richards' AmishAmishThe Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
YoderYoderYoder is a surname originating in the Canton of Berne in Switzerland. The surname is a shortened version of St. Theodorus, the first Roman Catholic bishop of Octodurum in present day Martigny, Switzerland. Theodorus—also known as St. Theodore of Grammont, St. Theodule, and St...
ancestry can be traced to Canton of Bern, Switzerland.
Musicians
- Melissa Auf der MaurMelissa Auf der MaurMelissa Auf der Maur is a Canadian rock musician from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Her career has included 5 years as bassist with the band Hole and she later toured with The Smashing Pumpkins for their 2000 tour. Her second solo album, Out of Our Minds, was released on March 30, 2010. She is also a...
(1972 - ) singer - JewelJewel (singer)Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
(1974 - ) singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and author - Rudolph GanzRudolph GanzRudolph Ganz was a Swiss pianist, conductor and composer. He claimed direct descent from Charlemagne.-Biography:...
(1877–1972) pianist, conductor and composer - Karina LombardKarina LombardKarina Lombard is an actress and singer.- Early life :Lombard was born in Tahiti. Her mother, Nupuree Lightfoot, is a medicine woman of the Lakota Nation and was an immigrant living in Tahiti. Her father, Henry Lombard, a banker, is a European aristocrat of Russian, Italian and Swiss descent....
(1969 - ) singer and actress - Cyndi LauperCyndi LauperCynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
(1953 - ) singer-songwriter and actress - Elvis PerkinsElvis PerkinsElvis Perkins is an American folk-rock recording artist. He released his debut studio album, Ash Wednesday, in 2007...
(1976 - ) singer-songwriter
Governors and presidents
- Herbert HooverHerbert HooverHerbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
(1874–1964) 31st President of the United States - Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
(1890–1969) 34st President of the United States - Anthony G. BrownAnthony G. BrownAnthony G. Brown is a Democratic Party politician from the State of Maryland and is the current Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. He was elected as Maryland’s eighth Lieutenant Governor in 2006 on a ticket with Governor Martin O'Malley. Both were reelected in 2010. He is the second African...
(1961 - ) Governor of Maryland - Robert B. MeynerRobert B. MeynerRobert Baumle Meyner of Phillipsburg, New Jersey was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 44th Governor of New Jersey, from 1954 to 1962...
(1908–1990) Governor of New Jersey - Emanuel L. PhilippEmanuel L. PhilippEmanuel Lorenz Philipp was the 23rd Governor of Wisconsin, United States, from 1915 to 1921. He was born in Honey Creek in Sauk County...
(1861–1925) Governor of Wisconsin - Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
(2008-) 44th President of the United States, (Swiss distant ancestors). - Madeleine May Kunin, 28 Sept. 1933 fomer Governor of Vermont(85-93) and United States Ambassador in Berne(96-99)
- Norman H. Bangerter 4.Jan 1933, former Governor of Utah(85-93)(Swiss ancestor-Benedict Bangerter, Lyss, BE)
Congressmen and senators
- Albert GallatinAlbert GallatinAbraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was a Swiss-American ethnologist, linguist, politician, diplomat, congressman, and the longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury. In 1831, he founded the University of the City of New York...
(1761–1849) Senator of Pennsylvania - Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharAmy Jean Klobuchar is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party...
(1960 - ) Senator of Minnesota - James L. BuckleyJames L. BuckleyJames Lane Buckley is a retired judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and previously served as a United States Senator from the state of New York as a member of the Conservative Party of New York from January 3, 1971 to January 3, 1977...
(1923 - ) Senator of New York - Robert Portman (1955 -) Congressman Ohio
- James S. NegleyJames S. NegleyJames Scott Negley was an American Civil War General, farmer, railroader, and U.S. Representative from the state of Pennsylvania. He played a key role in the Union victory at the Battle of Murfreesboro.-Early life:...
(1826–1901) Congressman Pennsylvania - James William GoodJames William GoodJames William Good was an American politician from the state of Iowa, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Cabinet. He was a member of the United States Republican Party.-Background:...
(1866–1929) Congressman Iowa
Other
- Warren E. BurgerWarren E. BurgerWarren Earl Burger was the 15th Chief Justice of the United States from 1969 to 1986. Although Burger had conservative leanings, the U.S...
(1907–1995) Chief Justice of the United States from 1969 to 1986 - August ClaessensAugust ClaessensAugust "Gus" Claessens was an American socialist politician, best known as one of the five New York Assemblymen expelled from that body during the First Red Scare for their membership in the Socialist Party of America...
(1885–1954) politician, best known as one of the five New York Assemblymen - Albert GallatinAlbert GallatinAbraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was a Swiss-American ethnologist, linguist, politician, diplomat, congressman, and the longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury. In 1831, he founded the University of the City of New York...
(1761–1849) politician, ethnologist, linguist, founder of New York University, diplomat, and United States Secretary of the Treasury - Fred IkléFred IkleDr. Fred Charles Iklé was a United States Department of Defense official during the presidency of Ronald Reagan who is credited with a key role in increasing U.S. aid to anti-Soviet rebels in the Soviet War in Afghanistan...
(1924-2011) Under Secretary of Defense for PolicyUnder Secretary of Defense for PolicyThe Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is a high level civilian official in the United States Department of Defense. The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is the principal staff assistant and adviser to both the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense for all matters... - Wally SchirraWally SchirraWalter Marty Schirra, Jr. was an American test pilot, United States Navy officer, and one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts chosen for the Project Mercury, America's effort to put humans in space. He is the only person to fly in all of America's first three space programs...
(1923–2007) Astronaut, only person to fly in all of America's first three space programs (Mercury, Gemini and Apollo) - Samuel F. SnivelySamuel F. SnivelySamuel Frisby Snively was the mayor of Duluth, Minnesota from 1921–1937. His legacy as mayor will be largely remembered for the tremendous effort he put into the creation of numerous parks and boulevards throughout the city, particularly Seven Bridges Road and Skyline Parkway.-Early...
(1859–1952) Mayor of Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, MinnesotaDuluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,... - Peter StaubPeter StaubPeter Staub was a Swiss-born American businessman, politician, and diplomat. He immigrated to the United States in 1854, and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1856, where he lived for most of the remainder of his life...
(1827–1904) Mayor of Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, TennesseeFounded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... - William WirtWilliam Wirt (Attorney General)William Wirt was an American author and statesman who is credited with turning the position of United States Attorney General into one of influence.-History:...
(1772–1834) US Attorney General
Historical figures
- Fernand AuberjonoisFernand AuberjonoisFernand Auberjonois was a highly respected journalist who worked as the foreign correspondent of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Toledo Blade. Throughout most of the Cold War, Auberjonois was one of the most admired American reporters based in London...
(1910–2004) highly respected journalist, foreign correspondent of the Pittsburgh Post-GazettePittsburgh Post-GazetteThe Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
and the Toledo BladeThe Blade (newspaper)The Blade is a daily newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, first published on December 19, 1835.- Overview :David Ross Locke gained national fame for the paper during the Civil War era by writing under the pen name Petroleum V. Nasby. Writing under the pen name, Locke wrote satires ranging on topics from... - Edward Walter EberleEdward Walter EberleEdward Walter Eberle was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy and third Chief of Naval Operations.-Early years:...
(1864–1929) admiral in the United States Navy, served as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy and third Chief of Naval Operations - Robert FrankRobert FrankRobert Frank , born in Zürich, Switzerland, is an important figure in American photography and film. His most notable work, the 1958 photobook titled The Americans, was influential, and earned Frank comparisons to a modern-day de Tocqueville for his fresh and skeptical outsider's view of American...
(1924 - ) important figure in American photography and film - Adolph Rickenbacker (1886–1976) Pioneer of the electric guitar and founder of the RickenbackerRickenbackerRickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...
guitar company, whose products would be an important influence on 1960s music through, among others, The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and The ByrdsThe ByrdsThe Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
. - Eddie RickenbackerEddie RickenbackerEdward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
(1890–1973) automobile race car driver and automotive designer, hero of World War I, government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation - John SutterJohn SutterJohann Augus Sutter was a Swiss pioneer of California known for his association with the California Gold Rush by the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall and the mill making team at Sutter's Mill, and for establishing Sutter's Fort in the area that would eventually become Sacramento, the...
(1803–1880) CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
n famous for his association with the California Gold Rush (in that gold was discovered by James W. Marshall in Sutter's Mill) and for establishing Sutter's Fort in an area that would later become the capital of California, Sacramento - John Augustus Sutter, Jr.John Augustus Sutter, Jr.John Augustus Sutter, Jr. was the founder and planner of the City of Sacramento, California, a U.S. Consul in Acapulco, Mexico and the son of Swiss born American pioneer, John Augustus Sutter, Sr.-Biography:...
(1826–1897), his son, a U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ConsulConsulConsul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
to AcapulcoAcapulcoAcapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the founder and planner of the City of SacramentoSacramento, CaliforniaSacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... - William WirtWilliam Wirt (Attorney General)William Wirt was an American author and statesman who is credited with turning the position of United States Attorney General into one of influence.-History:...
(1772–1834) author and statesman who is credited with turning the position of United States Attorney General into one of influence - Henry WirzHenry WirzHeinrich Hartmann Wirz better known as Henry Wirz was a Confederate officer in the American Civil War...
(1822–1865) the only Confederate soldier executed in the aftermath of the American Civil War for war crimes - John Joachim ZublyJohn Joachim ZublyReverend John Joachim Zubly , born Hans Joachim Züblin, was a Swiss-born American pastor, planter, and statesman during the American Revolution. Although a delegate for Georgia to the Continental Congress in 1775, he resisted independence from Great Britain and became a Loyalist.-Early life and...
(1724–1781) pastor, planter, and statesman during the American Revolution - J. Edgar HooverJ. Edgar HooverJohn Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972...
(1935–1972) first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States. - Felix ZollicofferFelix ZollicofferFelix Kirk Zollicoffer was a newspaperman, three-term United States Congressman from Tennessee, officer in the United States Army, and a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War...
(1812–1862) newspaperman, three-term US Congressman from Tennessee, officer in the United States Army, and a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War
Religion
- Daniel Kumler FlickingerDaniel Kumler FlickingerDaniel Kumler Flickinger was an American Bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, elected in 1885...
(1824–1911) Bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ - Martin MartyMartin Marty (bishop)Bishop Martin Marty, O.S.B. was a Benedictine priest and missionary in America. He was the first Abbot of St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana, the first Vicar Apostolic of Dakota Territory, and the second Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud...
(1834–1886) Benedictine priest - Philip SchaffPhilip SchaffPhilip Schaff , was a Swiss-born, German-educated Protestant theologian and a historian of the Christian church, who, after his education, lived and taught in the United States.-Biography:...
(1819–1893) Protestant theologian and a historian of the Christian church
Scientists
- Alexander Emanuel AgassizAlexander Emanuel AgassizAlexander Emmanuel Rodolphe Agassiz , son of Louis Agassiz and stepson of Elizabeth Cabot Agassiz, was an American scientist and engineer.-Biography:...
(1835–1910), geologist and zoologist - Louis AgassizLouis AgassizJean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz was a Swiss paleontologist, glaciologist, geologist and a prominent innovator in the study of the Earth's natural history. He grew up in Switzerland and became a professor of natural history at University of Neuchâtel...
(1807–1873) zoologist, glaciologist, and geologist, the husband of educator Elizabeth Cabot Cary Agassiz, and one of the first world-class American scientists - Othmar AmmannOthmar AmmannOthmar Hermann Ammann was a American structural engineer whose designs include the George Washington Bridge, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and Bayonne Bridge.-Biography:...
(1879–1965) civil engineer - Adolph Francis Alphonse BandelierAdolph Francis Alphonse BandelierAdolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier was an American archaeologist after whom Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico, United States, is named....
(1840–1914) archeologist - Felix BlochFelix BlochFelix Bloch was a Swiss physicist, working mainly in the U.S.-Life and work:Bloch was born in Zürich, Switzerland to Jewish parents Gustav and Agnes Bloch. He was educated there and at the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, also in Zürich. Initially studying engineering he soon changed to physics...
(1905–1983) physicist - Armand BorelArmand BorelArmand Borel was a Swiss mathematician, born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and was a permanent professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, United States from 1957 to 1993...
(1923–2003) mathematician - Florian CajoriFlorian CajoriFlorian Cajori was one of the most celebrated historians of mathematics in his day.- Biography :...
(1859–1930) mathematician - Albert EinsteinAlbert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
(1879–1955) theoretical physicist widely regarded as the most important scientist of the 20th century and one of the greatest physicists of all time - Edmond H. FischerEdmond H. FischerEdmond H. Fischer is a Swiss American biochemist. He and his collaborator Edwin G. Krebs were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1992 for describing how reversible phosphorylation works as a switch to activate proteins and regulate various cellular processes.-Early life:Fischer...
(1920 - ) biochemist - Walter GautschiWalter GautschiWalter Gautschi is a Swiss-American mathematician, known for his contributions to numerical analysis. He has authored over 150 papers in hisarea and published two books.Born in Basel, he has a Ph.D...
(1927 - ) mathematician - Otto Frederick HunzikerOtto Frederick HunzikerOtto Frederick Hunziker was a pioneer in the American and international dairy industry, as both an educator and a technical innovator. Otto Hunziker was born and raised in Switzerland, emigrated to the U.S., and studied at Cornell University. He started and developed the dairy program at Purdue...
(1873–1959) dairy educator and technologist - Adolf MeyerAdolf Meyer (psychiatrist)Adolf Meyer, M.D., LL.D., , was a Swiss psychiatrist who rose to prominence as the president of the American Psychiatric Association and was one of the most influential figures in psychiatry in the first half of the twentieth century...
(1866–1950) psychiatrist - Jean PiccardJean PiccardJean Felix Piccard , also known as Jean Piccard, was a Swiss-born American chemist, engineer, professor and high-altitude balloonist. He invented clustered high-altitude balloons, and with his wife Jeannette, the plastic balloon...
(1884–1963) scientist and high-altitude balloonist - Louis François de Pourtalès (1824–80) Naturalist
- Max TheilerMax TheilerMax Theiler was a South African/American virologist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1951 for developing a vaccine against yellow fever.-Career development:...
(1899–1972) virologist, awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for developing a vaccine against yellow fever - Etienne WengerEtienne WengerEtienne C. Wenger is an educational theorist and practitioner, best known for his formulation of the theory of situated cognition and his more recent work in the field of communities of practice....
(1952 - ) educational researcher - David AlterDavid AlterDavid Alter was a prominent American inventor and scientist of the 19th century. He was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania and graduated from the Reformed Medical School in New York City. He had German and Swiss ancestry.-Inventions:Dr...
(1807–1881) American inventor, almost discovered spectroscopy - Josias JoeslerJosias JoeslerJosias Thomas Joesler was a Swiss-American Tucson, Arizona architect.Born in 1895 in Zurich. Joesler’s architectural legacy would come to articulate the romantic revival Tucson style of the first half of the 20th century....
(1895–1927) architect - Fritz ZwickyFritz ZwickyFritz Zwicky was a Swiss astronomer. He worked most of his life at the California Institute of Technology in the United States of America, where he made many important contributions in theoretical and observational astronomy.- Biography :Fritz Zwicky was born in Varna, Bulgaria to a Swiss father....
(1898–1974) astronomer - Robert Julius TrumplerRobert Julius TrumplerRobert Julius Trumpler was a Swiss-American astronomer....
(1886–1956) astronomer
Sports
- Ben RoethlisbergerBen RoethlisbergerBenjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
(1982 - ) football quarterback in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers - William "Pudge" HeffelfingerWilliam Heffelfinger-External links:...
(1867–1954), first professional football player - Jeff HostetlerJeff HostetlerWilliam Jeffrey Hostetler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. His nickname is "Hoss".-Penn State:...
(1961 - ) football quarterback in the NFL for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. - Martin BuserMartin BuserMartin Buser is a champion of sled dog racing.Martin Buser began mushing at age seventeen in Switzerland. In 1979, Buser moved to Alaska to train and raise sled dogs full time...
(1958 - ) champion of sled dog racing - Rudolph "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone (1913–1996) perhaps the best known pool player in the United States
- Bobby FischerBobby FischerRobert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
(1943–2008), controversial world chess champion - Louis ChevroletLouis ChevroletLouis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of...
(1878–1941) racing driver and the founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company, now the most famous brand of General Motors.
Other
- Henry BouquetHenry BouquetHenry Bouquet was a prominent British Army officer in the French and Indian War and Pontiac's War. Bouquet is best known for his victory over Native Americans at the Battle of Bushy Run, lifting the siege of Fort Pitt during Pontiac's War.-Early life:Bouquet was born into a moderately wealthy...
- Chesley SullenbergerChesley SullenbergerChesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III is an American airline transport pilot , safety expert, and accident investigator from Danville, California...
(1951 - ) American airline transport pilot (ATP) who successfully carried out the emergency ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, saving the lives of the 155 people on the aircraft. - Christoph MeiliChristoph MeiliChristoph Meili is a Swiss whistleblower and Swiss-American security professional.In early 1997, Meili worked as a night guard at the Union Bank of Switzerland in Zurich, Switzerland...
(1968 - ) whistleblower. - Helen KellerHelen KellerHelen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
(1880–1968) author, political activist and lecturer. First deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. - Gary GygaxGary GygaxErnest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
(1938–2008) writer and game designer, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)