This is a list of notable Native Hawaiians. To be included on this list, they must be notable and be of the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands, or their descendants.
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Academia and science[edit]
- Isabella Abbott (1919–2010), educator, phycologist, and ethnobotanist; she was the first native Hawaiian woman to receive a PhD in science
- Cliff Kapono, scientist, surfer, journalist; his work is focused on researching ocean conservation and sustainability at University of Hawai'i at Hilo
- Samuel Kamakau, historian and scholar of Hawaiian culture and language, author
- John S. K. Kauwe III (born 1980), geneticist and 11th president of Brigham Young University–Hawaii (BYU–Hawaii)
- David Malo (1795–1853), Native Hawaiian historian of the Kingdom of Hawaii
- Mary Kawena Pukui (1895–1986), Hawaiian scholar, author, composer, hula expert and educator
- Nainoa Thompson, Polynesian navigator, Trustee for Kamehameha Schools
- Haunani-Kay Trask (1949–2021), Hawaiian nationalist, educator, political scientist, author, and professor emeritus at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
- Native Hawaiians in academia and science
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Arts and entertainment[edit]
- Sam Choy, chef, restaurateur, and Food Network television personality
- Marcus Coloma (born 1978), television and film actor
- Sasha Colby (born 1985), drag queen, beauty pageant winner, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race
- Auliʻi Cravalho, actress and singer[1]
- Frank De Lima (born 1949), comedian and Catholic deacon
- William De Los Santos (born 1965), author, poet, screenwriter, film director and film producer
- Brian Haberlin (born 1963), comic book artist, writer, editor and producer
- Kelly Hu (born 1968), actress, former fashion model and beauty pageant queen
- Maren Jensen (born 1956), former model and actress; known for starring in the 1970s television series Battlestar Galactica
- Kaliko Kauahi, television actress
- Gilbert Lani Kauhi (1937–2004), often credited as Zulu, actor who starred in the television series Hawaii Five-O
- Al Kikume (1894–1972), actor and stuntman
- Brook Mahealani Lee (born 1971), actress, television host, model, Miss Universe 1997
- Jason Scott Lee (born November 19, 1966), actor and martial artist[2]
- Steve Leialoha (born 1952), comic book artist
- Agnes Lum (born 1956), gravure idol, bikini model, actor, and singer
- Jarah Mariano (born 1984), model
- Maxine (born 1986), model and professional WWE wrestler
- Janet Mock (born 1983), television host, director, producer, writer, and transgender rights activist
- Jason Momoa (born 1979), actor[3]
- Kellye Nakahara (1948–2020), actress, starred in the television show M*A*S*H
- Cheryl Moana Marie Nunes (born 1971), former Oakland Raiderette, television presenter
- Adrienne Keahi Pao (born 1975), photographer and artist
- Keanu Reeves (born 1964), actor; Canadian born
- Rap Reiplinger, Emmy-award winning comedian[4]
- Nicole Scherzinger (born 1978), singer-songwriter and television personality
- Wini Shaw (1907–1982), actress, singer[5]
- Shannyn Sossamon (born 1978), actress[6]
- David Strathairn (born 1949), actor
- Napua Stevens (1918–1990), entertainer, singer, hula dancer, musician, teacher, radio-television personality, event producer and author
- Kiana Tom (born 1965), television host, fitness expert, author, actress, and businesswoman
- Brendon Urie (born 1987), lead singer of Panic! At The Disco, one quarter native Hawaiian
- Ed Parker (1931–1990), martial artist, actor, grandmaster, and founder of American Kenpo karati
- Herman Wedemeyer (1924–1999), actor, football player, and politician; starred in Hawaii Five-O (1972–1980)
- Native Hawaiians in the arts and entertainment
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Business[edit]
- William Heath Davis (1822–1909), merchant and trader; early pioneer of the city of San Diego, California
Literature[edit]
- Kaui Hart Hemmings, novelist, author of The Descendants (2007)
- George Kanahele (1930–2000), author of books about Native Hawaiians, activist
- Kirby Wright, novelist and poet
Media and journalism[edit]
- Jeff Chang, journalist, author and music critic; of Hawaiian-Chinese ancestry
Music[edit]
- Kealii Blaisdell (born 1972), musician of Native Hawaiian music
- Don Ho (1930–2007), entertainer, musician, best known for the song "Tiny Bubbles"
- Hoku Ho (born 1981), Bubblegum pop singer
- Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu (born 1959), musician, contemporary Hawaiian chanter and kumu hula
- Anuhea Jenkins (born 1985), singer-songwriter, musician
- Dick Jensen (1942–2006), Rhythm and Blues, Soul, and Gospel singer and actor
- Israel Kamakawiwoʻole (1959–1997), musician, singer-songwriter, and Hawaiian sovereignty activist
- Irmgard Farden Aluli (1911-2001), prominent composer
- Keali'i Reichel (born 1962), singer-songwriter, musician
- Mary Kaye (1924–2007), musician, guitarist, singer
- Kūkahi (born 1999), musician, singer-songwriter, record producer
- Eric Lee, musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer
- Joey Moe (born 1985), hip hop and pop singer and producer; Danish-Hawaiian descent
- Ruban Nielson (born 1980), musician, New Zealand singer-songwriter and musician
- Dennis Pavao (1951–2002), Hawaiian falsetto singer and musician; one of several Hawaiian musicians who during the 1970s, led the Hawaiian music renaissance
- Marlene Sai (born 1941), Hawaiian classic-style female solo singer, actress
- Brendon Urie (born 1987), lead singer of Panic! at the Disco
- Native Hawaiians in music
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Politics, military, and civil service[edit]
- Duke Aiona (born 1955), politician, 10th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii from 2002 to 2010
- Daniel K. Akaka, (1924–2018), politician, United States Senator from Hawaii from 1990 to 2013
- D. G. Anderson (born 1930), politician, real estate developer and businessman; Hawai'i State House of Representatives from 1962 to 1966; Hawai'i State Senate from 1967 to 1983
- S. Haunani Apoliona, banker, activist for the Hawaiian sovereignty movement
- Gordon Chung-Hoon (1910–1979), first Native Hawaiian flag officer in the US Navy and Director of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture
- Faith Evans (1937–2014), Hawaii state legislator and one of the first women to serve as a United States Marshal
- Brickwood Galuteria, politician, former member of the Hawaii Senate from the 12th district from 2008 to 2018; former radio host and actor
- Clayton Hee (born 1953), politician, Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 23rd district
- Victor Stewart Kaleoaloha Houston (1876–1959), politician, Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii Territory's At-large district from 1927 until 1933
- Curtis P. Iaukea (1855–1940), politician, court official, army officer and diplomat of the Kingdom of Hawaii
- Kaialiʻi Kahele (born 1974), politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 2nd district from 2021
- Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole (1871–1922), politician, Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii Territory's At-large district from 1903 to 1922
- Quentin Kawananakoa (born 1961), politician, Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 26th district, great-grandson of Prince David Kawānanakoa
- James Kealoha (1908–1983), politician, first Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
- Esther Kia'aina (born 1963), politician, United States Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas from 2014 to 2017; Member of the Honolulu City Council from the 3rd district from 2021
- Samuel Wilder King (1886–1959), politician, Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's at-large district from 1935 to 1943; 11th Territorial Governor of Hawaii from 1953 to 1957
- Joseph Nawahi (1842–1896), politician, Native Hawaiian nationalist leader, legislator, lawyer, newspaper publisher, and painter
- Herbert K. Pililaau (1928–1951), United States Army soldier and a recipient of the Medal of Honor
- Henry Hoʻolulu Pitman (1845–1863), Union Army soldier, one of the "Hawaiʻi Sons of the Civil War"
- William S. Richardson (1919–2010), attorney, political figure, and chief justice of the Hawaii State Supreme Court from 1966 to 1982
- Myron "Pinky" Thompson (1924–2001), Native Hawaiian community leader and trustee of Bishop Estate
- Suzanne Vares-Lum (born 1967), first female Native Hawaiian General officer, and first Native Hawaiian president of East–West Center
- John D. Waiheʻe III (born 1946), politician, fourth governor of Hawaii from 1986 to 1994
- Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox ("Iron Duke of Hawaiʻi"; 1855–1903), politician, delegate to Congress
- Native Hawaiians in politics, military and civil service
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Sports[edit]
- Travis Browne (born 1982), mixed martial artist (MMA) and heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
- Madison Chock (born 1992), ice dancer
- Ron Darling (born 1960), former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher
- Adriano Directo Emperado (1926–2009), co-founder of Kajukenbo self-defense system
- Russell Doane (born 1986), mixed martial artist (MMA) and Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
- Max Holloway (born 1991), mixed martial artist (MMA)
- Natasha Kai (born 1983), Olympic gold medalist, professional soccer player
- Charles Kalani Jr. (Professor Tanaka; 1930–2000), professional athlete including professional wrestler, professional boxer, actor
- Jason Kapono (born 1981), basketball player, former NBA forward
- Takamiyama Daigorō (Jesse Kuhaulua; June 16, 1944), former sumo wrestler
- Kevin Mawae (born 1971), former president of the NFL Players Association
- Yancy Medeiros (born 1987), mixed martial artist (MMA)
- Leilani Munter (born 1974), race car driver and environmental activist
- Don Muraco (born 1949), professional wrestler, World Wrestling Federation
- K. J. Noons, mixed martial artist (MMA)
- Kealia Ohai, soccer player
- Danny Ongais (born 1942), former race car driver
- B. J. Penn (born 1978), mixed martial artist (MMA) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Ray Schoenke (born 1941), former NFL player
- Akebono Tarō (born Chadwick Haheo Rowan; 1969–2024), former professional sumo wrestler and professional wrestler
- Logan Tom (born 1981), indoor volleyball and beach volleyball player; four-time Olympian
- Shane Victorino (born 1980), professional baseball player for the Boston Red Sox
- Kimo von Oelhoffen, former NFL player
- Charlie Wedemeyer (1946–2010), high school coach and author; subject of a PBS documentary and a made-for-TV movie.
- Jerome Williams, baseball player
- Kailee Wong, professional football player
Surfers[edit]
- Eddie Aikau (1946–1978), professional surfer, lifeguard, and winner of the1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship
- Sunny Garcia (born 1970), professional surfer
- Duke Paoa Kahanamoku (1890–1968), Olympian and World Ambassador of Surfing, he popularized the ancient Hawaiian sport of surfing
- Montgomery Kaluhiokalani ("Buttons"; 1958–2013), surfer, innovator of modern surfing maneuvers
- David Nuuhiwa (born 1948), professional surfer
- Native Hawaiians in sports
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Royalty and nobles[edit]
- Bernice Pauahi Bishop (1831–1884), aliʻi (nobility) of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii and a well known philanthropist
- John Papa ʻĪʻī (1800–1870), ali'i (nobility), 19th-century educator, politician and historian in the Kingdom of Hawaii
- King Kalākaua (1836–1891), known as The Merrie Monarch, last king of Hawaiʻi
- Kamehameha the Great (1782–1819), first king of Hawaii
- Kaumualiʻi (c. 1778–1824), last independent aliʻi nui of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau before joining with Kamehameha I
- Princess Abigail Kawananakoa (1926–2022), descendant of aliʻi, a member of the House of Kawānanakoa
- Princess Kaʻiulani (1875–1899), daughter of Likelike, and the last heir apparent to the Hawaiian Kingdom
- Princess Likelike (1851–1887), mother of Kaʻiulani and 2nd in line of succession after her sister Liliʻuokalani
- Queen Liliʻuokalani (1838–1917), last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi
- Native Hawaiians royalty and nobles
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Others[edit]
- Charles Kekumano (1919–1998), Roman Catholic priest and first papal chamberlain of native Hawaiian ancestry
- Helio Koaʻeloa (ca. 1815–1846), Hawaiian Catholic lay missionary, called as the "Apostle of Maui"
- Harry Maitey (1807–1872), first Hawaiian person to travel to Prussia
- Freddie Tavares (1913–1990), inventor, helped design the Fender Stratocaster and other Fender products, steel guitarist[7]
- Mililani Trask (born 1951), leader of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement and a political speaker and attorney
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Daniel, Diane (November 17, 2016). "What to See in Hawaii? Ask Auli'i Cravalho of Disney's 'Moana'". The New York Times. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ Jason Scott Lee Interview - IGN, August 29, 2005, retrieved May 13, 2021
- ^ Garvey, Marianne (August 15, 2019). "Inside Jason Momoa's fight for a sacred Hawaiian mountain". CNN. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ "Rap: Hawaii's Comic Genius". HawaiiNewsNow.com. April 10, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ "Wini Shaw". Oxford Reference. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ Nepales, Ruben V. (August 11, 2017). "A Fil-Am actor's life: Shannyn Sossamon". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ "All About… Freddie Tavares". Guitar.com | All Things Guitar. May 16, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2021.