People from the state of Louisiana who have achieved fame or note include:
- Trace Adkins, singer & songwriter
- Louis Armstrong, (1901-1971), musician & entertainer
- Evelyn Ashford, (born 1957), Olympic champion
- The Axeman, serial killer
- Vernel Bagneris, writer, director, actor, dancer
- Dave Bartholomew, musician, composer, promoter
- P.G.T. Beauregard, (1818-1893), general & inventor
- Sidney Bechet, (1897-1959), musician
- Ernest Bellocq, (1873-1949), photographer
- Terrence Blanchard, musician & composer
- Kathleen Blanco, governor
- Buddy Bolden (1877-1930), musician, "inventor of jazz"(?)
- James Booker, musician
- Terry Bradshaw, (born 1948), football quarterback
- Overton Brooks (1897-1961), politician
- Tom Brown (1888-1958), musician
- Wellman Braud,(1891-1966), musician
- George Brunies (1902-1974), musician
- George Washington Cable, (died 1925), writer
- Truman Capote, (1924-1984), writer
- Kitty Carlisle, (born 1910), entertainer
- James Carville, political consultant
- Clifton Chenier, Zydeco musician
- Harry Connick, Jr, (born 1967), musician and entertainer
- Harry Connick Sr, district attorney, singer
- Jimmie Davis, (1899-2000), singer, governor
- Edmond Dede musican, composer
- Ernie K. Doe, singer, "Emperor of the Universe"
- Fats Domino, musician
- Champion Jack Dupree boxer & musician
- Marshall Faulk, (born 1973), St. Louis Rams star running back
- Jim Garrison, (1921-1992), district attorney
- George Girard, (1930-1957), musician
- Louis Moreau Gottschalk, pianist & composer
- Shirley Ann Grau, writer
- Bryant Gumbel, (born 1948), television anchor
- Buddy Guy, blues musician
- John Hampson, inventor of "venetian" blinds
- Marie Alice Heine, (1858-1925), first American Princess of Monaco
- Clarence "Frogman" Henry, singer & musician
- Lillian Hellman, (1905-1984), writer
- George Herriman, (1880-1944), Krazy Kat cartoonist
- Al Hirt, (1922-1999), musician
- Mahalia Jackson, (1911-1972), gospel singer
- Bill Johnson, (1872-1972), musician
- Earl King, (1934-2003), musician
- Stalebread Lacombe, self-proclaimed "inventor of jazz"
- Papa Jack Laine, (1873-1966), bandleader
- Dorothy Lamour, (1914-1996), actress
- Mary Landrieu, (born 1955), Senator
- Moon Landrieu, (born 1930), judge and politician
- Nick LaRocca, (1889-1961), self-proclaimed "inventor of jazz"
- Josef Delarose Lascaux, inventor of cotton candy (candy floss)
- John Larroquette, (born 1947), actor
- Marie Laveau, (1794?-1881?), Voodoo Queen
- Emeril Lagasse, (born 1959), Chef
- Elmore Leonard, (born 1925), author
- Jerry Lee Lewis, (born 1935), musician
- Earl Long, governor
- Huey P. Long, (1893-1935), kingfish
- Russell B. Long, (1918-2003), Senator
- Professor Longhair, musician
- Magic Sam, Blues pioneer
- Karl Malone, (born 1963), Los Angeles Lakers forward, former Utah Jazz legend
- Peyton Manning, (born 1976), Indianapolis Colts star quarterback
- Pete Maravich, (1947-1988), Basketball player
- Paul Mares, (1900-1949), musician
- Branford Marsalis, (born 1960), musician
- Ellis Marsalis, musician & educator
- Wynton Marsalis, (born 1961), musician
- Huey Meaux, record producer
- DL Menard, Cajun musician Erath, LA
- Adah Isaacs Menken, actress
- Lizzy Miles, (1895-1963), singer
- Little Brother Montgomery, (c. 1906-1985), American musician
- Jelly Roll Morton, (1890-1941), musician & composer, self-proclaimed "inventor of jazz"
- Morgus The Magnificent
- Paul Morphy, (1837-1884), world chess champion
- Garrett Morris, (born 1937), comedian
- The Neville Brothers, musicians & singers
- Alcide Nunez, (1884-1934), musician
- Joe "King" Oliver, (1885-1938), musician
- Dr. Alton Ochsner, surgeon & medical researcher
- Lee Harvey Oswald, (1939-1963), alleged assassin
- John H. Overton, (1875-1948), Senator
- Nicholas Payton, musician
- Marguerite Piazza, operatic soprano
- P.B.S. Pinchback, politician
- Helen Prejean, (born 1938), activist
- Louis Prima, (1910-1978), musician & entertainer
- Paul Prudhomme, Chef - born
- Mac Rebbenack "Dr. John"
- Godfrey Reggio, (born 1940), film maker
- Anne Rice, (born 1941), writer of vampire tales and other Gothic fiction
- Norbert Rilleaux, (1806-1894), inventor, engineer
- Leon Roppolo, (1902-1943), musician
- Rhonda Shear, beauty queen, television host
- Rockin' Sidney, Zydeco star
- Richard Simmons, (born 1948), entertainer
- Floyd Soileau, record producer
- Britney Spears, (born 1981), pop singer
- Jimmy Swaggart, evangelist
- Keith Thibodeaux, (born 1950), actor
- John Kennedy Toole, (1937-1969), writer
- Allen Toussaint, musician, composer, record producer
- Ben Turpin, (c. 1872-1940), silent film comedian
- Ray Walston, (1914-2001), actor
- Hank Williams, Jr, (1949-) singer
- A. Baldwin Wood, (1879-1956), inventor & engineer
- Andrew Young, (1932-), politician & statesman
- Lester Young, (1909-1959), musician
