This is a list of notable people who have lived on Cape Breton Island.
Arts Steve Arbuckle, actor from Donkin The Barra MacNeils, singing group John Beardman, abstract painter Kate Beaton, webcomic artist from Mabou, winner of the 2009 Doug Wright Award for "Best Emerging Talent" Nathan Bishop, singer-songwriter from Celtae Kay Boutilier, singer, perhaps better known as "My Name is Kay" John Allan Cameron, singer-songwriter, from Mabou, credited as the "godfather" of Cape Breton's modern Celtic music revival Ronald Caplan, historian, publisher, member of the Order of Canada Lynn Coady, author, winner of the 2013 Scotiabank Giller Prize Nathan Cohen, theatre critic, broadcaster, publisher J. P. Cormier, singer-songwriter; fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar player; Chéticamp Lee Cremo, fiddle player Mark Day, film and television actor, writer, and producer Aselin Debison, singer-songwriter Don Domanski, poet Carolyn Dunn, film and television actor from Whitney Pier Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald, fiddle player from White Point Robert Frank, photographer Danny Gallivan, Hockey Night in Canada sportscaster John Gracie, singer-songwriter Bruce Guthro, singer-songwriter Drake Jensen, singer-songwriter Rita Joe, Mi'kmaw poet and songwriter Angus MacAskill, giant and circus performer Allie MacDonald, actress Frankie MacDonald, YouTube phenomenon and winner of the Vital Cape Breton Excellence Award Martin MacDonald, orchestral conductor Mitch MacDonald, singer-songwriter Linden MacIntyre, journalist, broadcaster, novelist, winner of 2009 Giller Prize Ashley MacIsaac, fiddle player Veronica MacIsaac, fashion designer who specialises in tartan Daniel MacIvor, actor, playwright, theatre director and film director Billy MacLellan, actor (Nobody, Defiance, Murdoch Mysteries) Hugh MacLennan, Governor General's Awards-winning author, professor of English at McGill University. He won five Governor General's Awards and a Royal Bank Award Alistair MacLeod, author Buddy MacMaster, fiddle player Natalie MacMaster, fiddle player Rita MacNeil, singer-songwriter Matt Minglewood, musician Farley Mowat, writer, had his summer residence in Cape Breton Scott Oake, sportscaster Daniel Petrie, Hollywood filmmaker The Rankin Family, singers-songwriters Molly Rankin, musician from Inverness Rick Ravanello, actor, Hart's War; various TV series, including 24, CSI and Desperate Housewives Harold Russell, Academy Award-winning actor for his portrayal of Homer Parrish in the 1946 film The Best Years of Our Lives Gordie Sampson, singer-songwriter Douglas September, singer-songwriter Richard Serra, sculptor Slowcoaster, rock band Amy Spurway, author Tom Fun Orchestra, rock band Morgan Toney, Mi'kmaw fiddle player Scott Turner, songwriter
Athletics Paul Boutilier ice hockey Norm Ferguson ice hockey Trevor Fahey ice hockey Aaron Johnson ice hockey Andrew MacDonald ice hockey Al MacInnis ice hockey Mike McPhee ice hockey Johnny Miles marathon runner Ryan Rozicki cruiserweight boxer Bobby Smith ice hockey Doug Sulliman ice hockey Kevin Morrison ice hockey Logan Shaw ice hockey
Politics, the law, and business John George Bourinot (younger), 3rd Clerk of the House of Commons (Canada) John Buchanan, Premier of Nova Scotia Gerald Butts, former Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau William Davis, coal miner murdered by British Empire Steel Corporation police and namesake of Davis Day in New Waterford, Nova Scotia Mayann Francis, first Black Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Clarence Gillis, Member of Parliament Ruth Goldbloom, philanthropist, member of the Order of Canada Alasdair Graham, Senator Gordon Sidney Harrington, Premier of Nova Scotia Alexander Graham Bell Angus L. MacDonald, Premier of Nova Scotia Donald MacDonald, President of the Canadian Labour Congress and MLA Finlay MacDonald, Senator Rodney MacDonald, Premier of Nova Scotia Allan MacEachen, Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister Russell MacLellan, Premier of Nova Scotia Kevin S. MacLeod, Canadian Secretary to the Queen Donald Marshall, Jr., wrongly convicted Mi’kmaq activist David Mathews, former Mayor of New York City under the British during the American Revolution Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada J.B. McLachlan, trade-unionist, journalist, political activist, and revolutionary John W. Morgan, Mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality Robert Muir, Member of Parliament; Senator George Henry Murray, Premier of Nova Scotia Lisa Raitt, Conservative MP and former federal Minister of Transport, Labour and Natural Resources Irving Schwartz, businessman, philanthropist, member of the Order of Canada Alexander S. Williams, NYPD officer, candidate for US Senate
Religion Moses Coady, Roman Catholic priest, helped found the Co-operative Antigonish Movement at St. Francis Xavier University Moses E. Kiley, Roman Catholic archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Reverend Norman McLeod, Presbyterian minister, St Ann's; migrated in the 1850s with 800 settlers from surrounding communities to Waipu, New Zealand James "Father Jimmy" Tompkins, Roman Catholic priest, helped found the Co-operative Antigonish Movement at St. Francis Xavier University
Sciences Walter Mackenzie, Dr. - Dean of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton Arthur B. McDonald, astrophysicist and joint winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics
Other John Bernard Croak V.C. Neil McLean, a New Zealand public works contractor and sportsman Isaac Phills, Order of Canada recipient
See also
List of people from Nova Scotia
References