Subscribe for all my updates and don't miss a thing! Sign me up!

Top 30 Most Famous People From Jamaica
The True World Beaters

Sharing Is Caring! Share this awesome content with your friends now.

start_here_if_new_image_link

Watch! See the real Jamaica in VIDEOS!
Click Here and see why over 90,000 fans are raving about my YouTube Channel!


Usain Bolt
Bob Marley
Marcus Garvey
Model Carla Campbell
Claude McKay
Spelling Bee Champion Jodian Maxwell
Boxer Lennox Lewis
Musician Shaggy

Yes, there are thousands of world famous people from Jamaica - although some are more famous than others.

But I have to admit, I really marveled at the number of Jamaicans I found that are world true beaters when conducting this research. I mean those that have overcome the odds to make it, and make it grand on the world stage.


New! Experience The REAL Jamaica!
Book Your Private Tour here and experience Jamaica the way we (locals) do!

Considering also that we are still under 3 million people-only approximately 1/7th the size of New York, this is truly an amazing feat!

They sprung up from varying backgrounds, although many are who we consider 'grassroot' Jamaicans, or those whose families were not from the esteemed class.

See Also: Famous persons who made Jamaica home

The most readily identified are perhaps the musicians, led by Robert Nesta Marley (Bob Marley), but there are scores of other individuals who truly made our little rock proud.

The list includes:

  • Actors,
  • Athletes and Sport Coordinators,
  • Business People,
  • Poets,
  • Boxers,
  • Activists
  • Educators
  • Students eg. Jodian Maxwell
  • Novelist
  • Journalists
  • Producers,
  • and of course politicians.

Below is My Top 30 list (sorted alphabetically), of the most famous people from Jamaica or those with Jamaican heritage.

If you question my judgment or want to make a suggestion - with reason, please feel free to do so by clicking here.

OK, enough of my chatter, here you go!

  1. Asafa Powell, Athletic Sprinter
  2. Bob Marley, Reggae Musician
  3. Buju Banton, Reggae DJ
  4. "Butch" Stewart, Businessman
  5. Carla Campbell, Model
  6. Chris Blackwell, President & CEO Of Island Records And Palm Pictures, NYC.
  7. Claude Mckay, Writer
  8. Courtney Walsh, Record Breaking Test Cricketer
  9. Donald Quarrie, Jamaican 200 Metre Gold Medalist
  10. Donovan Bailey, Jamaica-Born Canadian, World Champion Sprinter
  11. Edward Seaga, Former Prime Minister
  12. Edna Manley, Artist/Sculptor
  13. Edward Baugh, Poet
  14. Jimmy Cliff, Reggae Musician
  15. Jody-Anne Maxwell, Winner Of The Scripps National Spelling Bee Competition
  16. Linford Christie, World Champion Sprinter
  17. Lennox Lewis, World Champion Boxer
  18. Louise Bennett-Coverly, Poet and Cultural Icon
  19. Marcus Garvey, Political Activist
  20. Merlene Ottey, Athletic Sprinter
  21. Michael Lee-Chin, Chairman/CEO of AIC Ltd. & Chairman of NCB Jamaica
  22. Michael Manley, Former Prime Minister
  23. Mike Mccallum, Champion Boxer
  24. P. J. Patterson, Former Prime Minister
  25. Patrick Ewing, Jamaica-Born American, Former NBA Star
  26. Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister
  27. Sean Paul, Reggae Singer
  28. Shaggy, Reggae Singer and Songwriter
  29. Steve Bucknor, International Cricket Umpire &
  30. Usain Bolt, Jamaican Sprinter!

Honourable Mentions

  1. Peter Sloley
  2. Harry Belavonte
  3. Trevor Williams
  4. Dr. Henry Lowe
  5. Kwame Dawes
  6. Una Clarke -Tomlinson
  7. Alrick Brown
  8. Louie Rankine
  9. Maurice Ashley

Am I missing someone? Who do you think should be added to this list?

Click Here to add this person
Click here to see other nominations

Back to Top 'Dem mek wi proud'! - we say in Jamaican Creole.

Wikipedia also has an nicely extended and categorized list of famous people from Jamaica. Take a look at them HERE [opens in a new window].

I noticed they have a list of popular Jamaican Americans [if you care] as well. Take a peek at them right here as well.

Look out world, you may just be seeing my name appearing on this prestigious list of famous people from Jamaica soon. I hope. [SMILE!]

You might like these

Pages Related To Famous People From Jamaica

Make sure you subscribe to my free monthly e-zine My Island Jamaica Digest (MIJD) and stay with the latest from Jamaica!

Suggest Another Famous Jamaican

Do you know a Jamaican who has done exceptionally well for the country, or in his or her field of work?

Please let us know!

Please include as much detail as possible telling us why he or she should be recognized here.

Other Great Suggestions

Here are some of the suggestions we have received so far.

Stroke SURVIVOR Took Me On Her Farm Tour | Women In Farming 
A sweet soul, Ms Lorna, aka Pumpkin, overcame many illnesses, including a broken blood vessel in her brain to continue her passion for farming. Now …

She Collects GARBAGE for a living - and loves it! Meet Melissa 
There is a particular job that very few of us aspire to do, and worst for our children. That's one of the Garbage Collector , certainly here in …

Professor Louis Grant worked tirelessly for the Jamaican people 
Professor Louis Grant: born March 6, 1913 in Clarendon. He was an internationally acclaimed Pathologist, and Microbiologist who did significant work …

Marie Atkins, C.D.J.P.

Marie Atkins, Former Mayor of Kingston & St. Andrew 
Famous and Notable Jamaicans: Marie Atkins Mayor Marie Atkins was the 3rd female mayor for Kingston & St. Andrew, Jamaica and is the longest serving …

Colin Powell 
The Former American Secretary of State was born to Jamaican parents who moved to the US in the 1920s. Seventy-four years ago, Colin Powell was born …

Famous Jamaican Educators 
Hugh Sherlock founded the YMCA and the Boys' Town Sports Club town in Jamaica. He was also a social worker,cricketer also a clergy man. He wrote the much …

Dr. Lecky receiving norman manley award<br><font size=1>Source:http://caribbean-icons.org</font>

Jamaican Scientists,Jamaican Engineers, Jamaican Painters and Technical Experts 
He developed the cattle, Jamaican Hope and more. Web Articles: The Gleaner Thomas Lecky, was born on a small farm in Portland in 1904. He …

Oliver Samuels<br><font size=1>Source: reichholdcenter.com</font>

Famous Jamaican Actors,Playwrights and Beauty Contestants 
Wow this man has been making Jamaicans, and others, laugh for years. His comedies/plays are great. He should be recognized for that if not anything else. …

Famous Jamaican Culturalists, Politicians and Social Commentators 
Whist forming the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), Marcus Garvey had over 4 million black people under his leadership. That is a phenomenal …

Top Jamaican Authors 
From the dawn of civilization, man has been an author in his own way, with testimony of his writings found engraved on the walls of caves, on the trunks …

Famous Jamaican Athletes and Sport Players 
... World Record Holder of 100m and 200m. Mr. Bolt brought honorable mention once again to Jamaica, in the same light of a Bob Marley , Marcus Garvey …

Joe Higgs | Photo: Jamaica Observer

Joe Higgs: The Father or Godfather of Reggae Music? Not rated yet
Joe Higgs was the FIRST singer /musician to emerge out of Trench Town. He taught many who were inspired by his craft. His students included, but were …

Luddy Samms

Luddy Samms aka Ludwig Samuels Not rated yet
Luddy Samms was born in Jamaica in 1947 and was taken by his parents, who were from Cascade Hanover, to the USA at the age of 4 months old. He is a …

shelly ann fraser - Jamaican Athlete Not rated yet
Jamaican Athlete a great female athlete born December 27 1986. born in Kingston Jamaica.at age 21 she became the first female athlete to win a 100 …

Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce, Jamaican sprinter Not rated yet
Shelly Ann has earned the title 'fastest woman in the world'. She does exceptionally well on the track every time she set foot on it no matter the place …

Famous Jamaican- Joseph Andrew (Joey) Clarke Not rated yet
Master Playwright, Director, Actor, Writer, Broadcaster and Copywriter and Wordsmith. Author of "Stories of Exordia" (Obtainable from Kindle) Born …

Tesssane Chin-musician  Not rated yet
Wow this woman is an AMAZING singer she has worked SOOO hard to get to where she is now and is inspirational

Merlene Joyce Ottey

Merlene Joyce Ottey - Jamaican Athlete (Sprinter) Not rated yet
Merlene Ottey is may 'famous and favourite Jamaican'. A daughter of jamaica from the cold hills of Hanover, the same parish of birth for Alexander Bustamante; …

The Right Excellent Norman Washington Manley Not rated yet
Norman Washington Manley was born to mixed-race parents in Roxborough in Jamaica's Manchester parish, on 4 July 1893. His father Thomas Albert Samuel Manley, …

Merlene Ottey

Merlene Ottey - Jamaica's Most Decorated Athlete Not rated yet
Merlene Ottey was born to Hubert and Joan Ottey in Cold Spring, Hanover, Jamaica. In her early school years in the 1970s, Ottey attended Gurneys Mount …

True Jamaican legend

Usain Bolt.  Not rated yet
Double World,Olympic and record holder in both 100m,200m and 4x1 relay

Sir Donald Sangster Jamaica (JIS photo)

Sir Donald Sangster - The Forgotten Jamaican Prime Minister Not rated yet
Sir Donald was acting prime minister for Jamaica from 1961 to 1967 when he became Prime Minister. During his tenure he was also Finance Minister and …

Dr. Olga Graham

Famous Jamaican - Dr. Olga Graham  Not rated yet
Dr. Olga Graham nee Richards, formerly Lindo. Schools: Immaculate Conception, Holy Childhood High (Holy Cross), University Of the West Indies, York …

Famous Jamaican Musicians, Producers and Artistes Not rated yet
He brought reggae to the world and to me. He made people aware of Jamaica and introduced many to Rasta who would have never heard of it otherwise. …

Click here to write your own.

Go To Famous Places In Jamaica from Famous Jamaicans
Return to My Island Jamaica from Famous People from Jamaica

Back To The Top Of This Page

New! Experience The REAL Jamaica!
Book Your Private Tour here and experience Jamaica the way we (locals) do!

Read More ...

New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.

Recommended For You ...

Other Great Articles You Might Have Missed

P.S. Didn't find what you were looking for? 
Still need help?

Click Here to try our dependable and effective Site Search tool. It works!

Or, simply click here and here, to browse my library of over 500 questions and answers! Chances are someone already asked (and got an answer to) your question.

copyscape
Back To The Top Of This Page

Like My Site? Please Click Here To Share It With Your Friends

Home   |   JOIN US   |   Site Search   |   Have Your Say   |   Archives   |   Old Archives   |   Contact   |   Disclaimer   |   TIP ME!   |   Link To Us


Do like I did! Share your passion
(about your city, hobby or experience) and make a living from it. Click Here to see how.

By Wellesley Gayle   |   Copyright © 2007-2023 My-Island-Jamaica.com   |   All rights Reserved.   |   Privacy Policy