This is a list of notable Polish-Americans with immediate Polish ancestry, born in Poland or the United States.
Science
- Paul Baran, internet pioneer
- Gertrude Blanch, mathematician
- Karol J. Bobko, NASA astronaut
- James Gimzewski, physicist
- Walter Golaski, engineer
- Hilary Koprowski, virologist and immunologist
- Robert Kowalski, mathematician
- Charlie Kowal, astronomer
- Stephanie Kwolek, inventor
- William Markowitz, astronomer
- Ralph Modjeski, engineer
- Michael Alfred Peszke, historian
- Scott E. Parazynski, NASA astronaut
- James A. Pawelczyk, NASA astronaut
- Stephen Poplawski, inventor
- Albert Sabin, medical researcher
- Jack Tramiel, computer pioneer
- Steve Wozniak, computer pioneer
- Feliks Wierzbicki, physician
- Marie Zakrzewska, physician
- Frank Wilczek, physicist
Music
- George Antheil, composer and pianist
- Pat Benatar, rock singer
- Eddie Blazonczyk, polka musician
- John Doe, musician
- Arthur Rubinstein, composer
- Adam Dutkiewicz, guitarist
- Byron Janis, pianist
- Gene Krupa, jazz and big band kit drummer
- Ray Manzarek, musician, born Ray Manczarek
- Bogdan Raczynski, Drum and Bass artist
- Mitch Ryder, singer
- Johnny Rzeznik, singer
- Frederic Rzewski, composer
- Ed Kowalczyk, singer
- Bob Baran, (Robert Thaddeus Baran) composer, musician and producer
Literature
- Marek Jan Chodakiewicz, historian
- Michael Alfred Peszke, historian
- Leo Yankevich, poet
- Jack Yellen, lyricist
- Adam Zamoyski, historian
- Roger Zelazny, fantasy and science fiction writer
Arts
Entertainment
- Carroll Baker, actress
- Pat Benatar, singer
- Charles Bronson, actor
- Ted Knight, actor
- Adam Lamberg, actor
- Helena Modjeska, actress
- Pola Negri, actress
- Stefanie Powers, actress
- Pat Sajak, current host of the Wheel of Fortune game show
- Leelee Sobieski, actress
- Martha Stewart, television and magazine personality
- Loretta Swit, actress
- Keith Szarabajka actor
- Michał Urbaniak, jazz violinist
- Bobby Vinton, singer
- Wachowski brothers, film director
Sports
Auto racing
- Alan Kulwicki, NASCAR driver
- Edward Anthony Barnowski, baseball player
- Oscar Bielaski, baseball player
- Joseph Peter Bonikowski, baseball player
- Dave Borkowski, baseball player
- Michael Joseph Bielecki, baseball player
- Mark David Budaska, baseball player
- Chris Clapinski, baseball player
- Stan Coveleski, baseball player
- James Mark Czajkowski, baseball player
- Frank Dobrowolski, baseball player
- Douglas Dean Drabek, baseball player
- Moe Drabowsky, baseball player
- Jerome Matthew Dybzinski, baseball player
- Billy Cordell Grabarkewitz, baseball player
- Jason Grabowski, baseball player
- Tom Gola, basketball player
- William Joseph Gogolewski, baseball player
- Richard John Gorecki, baseball player
- Robert John Gorinski, baseball player
- Mark James Grudzielanek, baseball player
- Joseph Charles Grzenda, baseball player
- Mark Steven Gubicza, baseball player
- Doug Wayne Gwosdz, baseball player
- Edward Louis Halicki, baseball player
- Gary Raymond Ignasiak, baseball player
- Michael James Ignasiak, baseball player
- Gerad Joseph Janeski, baseball player
- Mike Jerzembeck, baseball player
- Michael Allen Jurewicz, baseball player
- Scott Andrew Kamieniecki, baseball player
- Ronald Bernard Klimkowski, baseball player
- Ted Kluszewski, baseball player
- Douglas James Konieczny, baseball player
- Dennis John Konuszewski, baseball player
- George Felix Kopacz, baseball player
- Kevin Craig Koslofski, baseball player
- Raymond Allen Krawczyk, baseball player
- Wayne Richard Krenchicki, baseball player
- Anthony Christopher Kubek, baseball player
- Theodore Rodger Kubiak, baseball player
- John Henry Kubiszyn, baseball player
- Gilbert Thomas Kubski, baseball player
- Marion John Kutyna, baseball player
- John Kruk, baseball player
- Allen Robert Lachowicz, baseball player
- David Lawrence Lemanczyk, baseball player
- Robert Peter Lipski, baseball player
- Eddie Lopat, baseball player
- Mark Lukasiewicz, baseball player
- Greg Luzinski, baseball player
- Rob Mackowiak, baseball player
- Thomas Anthony Makowski, baseball player
- Philip Anthony Mankowski, baseball player
- Leonard James Matuszek, baseball player
- Bill Mazeroski, baseball player
- Doug Mientkiewicz, baseball player
- Robert Milacki, baseball player
- David John Mlicki, baseball player
- Stan Musial, baseball player
- Joe Niekro, baseball player
- Phil Niekro, baseball player
- Christopher John Nitkowski, baseball player
- James Joseph Paciorek, baseball player
- Joseph Michael Orsulak, baseball player
- John Francis Paciorek
- Tom Paciorek, baseball player
- John Pawlowski, baseball player
- Ronald Peter Perzanowski, baseball player
- Stanley Perzanowski, baseball player
- A.J. Pierzynski, baseball player
- Johnny Podres, baseball player
- Scott Podsednik, baseball player
- Timothy Matthew Pyznarski, baseball player
- Michael Raczka, baseball player
- Michael George Rogodzinski, baseball player
- Raymond Michael Sadecki, baseball player
- Edward Roman Sadowski, baseball player
- James Michael Sadowski, baseball player
- Theodore Sadowski, baseball player
- Robert Sadowski, baseball player
- Robert Frank Sadowski, baseball player
- Brian Sikorski, baseball player
- Al Simmons, baseball player
- Joseph Douglas Skalski, baseball player
- Moose Skowron, baseball player
- Joseph Andrew Slusarski, baseball player
- Peter Louis Stanicek, baseball player
- Stephen Blair Stanicek, baseball player
- Scott Sobkowiak, baseball player
- Andrew Neal Stankiewicz, baseball player
- Richard Francis Stelmaszek, baseball player
- Ronald Alan Swoboda, baseball player
- Kenneth John Szotkiewicz, baseball player
- Frank Tanana, baseball player
- Robert Joseph Terlecki, baseball player
- Thomas Arthur Tischinski, baseball player
- Richard Joseph Tracewski, baseball player
- Alan Trammell, baseball player and current manager of the Detroit Tigers
- Gary Lee Waslewski, baseball player
- John Joseph Wojcik, baseball player
- Edward David Wojna, baseball player
- Carl Yastrzemski, baseball player
- Robert Zupcic, baseball player
- Vince Boryla
- Carol Blazejowski
- Mike Gminski
- Tom Gola
- Mike Krzyzewski, coach of the Duke University men's basketball team
- Mitch Kupchak
- Bob Kurland
- Red Mihalik
- John Payak
- Eric Piatkowski, player of the Chicago Bulls NBA team
- Joel Przybilla, player for the Portland Trail Blazers
- Kelly Tripucka
- Steve Wojciechowski, assistant coach of the Duke University men's basketball team
- Bobby Czyz, boxer
- Andrew Golota, boxer
- Stanley Ketchel, boxer
- Stanley Poreda, boxer
- Teddy Yarosz, boxer
- Tony Zale, boxer
- Tonia Kwiatkowski, figure skater
- Tara Lipinski, figure skater
- Janet Lynn, figure skater
- Christine Zukowski, figure skater
- Danny Abramowicz
- Pete Banaszak
- Steve Bartkowski
- Zeke Bratkowski
- Bob Brudzinski
- Lou Creekmur
- Ziggy Czarobski
- Mike Ditka
- Forest Evashevski
- Frank Gatski
- Jim Grabowski
- Jack Ham
- Leon Hart
- Vic Janowicz
- Ron Jaworski
- Joe and Dan Klecko
- Ed Klewicki
- Frank Kush
- Ted Kwalick
- Johnny Lujack
- John Matuszak
- Ted Marchibroda
- Lou Michaels
- Walt Michaels
- Dick Modzelewski
- Mike Munchak
- Bill Osmanski
- Frank Piekarski
- Bob Skoronski
- Hank Stram
- Dick Szymanski
- Frank Szymanski
- Frank Tripucka
- Steve Wisnewski
- Alex Wojciechowicz
- Walter Broda
- Len Ceglarski
- Ed Olczyk, currently head coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins
- Pete Stemkowski
- Wojtek Wolski <- Canadian Citizen not an American
Sports journalism
Track & Field
- Ole Anderson
- Moose Cholak
- The Crusher
- Walter "Killer" Kowalski
- "Polish Power" Ivan Putski
- Scott Putski
- Stan Stasiak, professional wrestler
- Rob Szatkowski, professional wrestler (better known by his stage name of Rob Van Dam)
- Stanley Zbyszko, professional wrestler
- "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko
Others
- Benjamin Adamowicz and Joseph Adamowicz, amateur aviators who flew across the Atlantic
Military
- Leon Czolgosz,was the assassin of U.S. President William McKinley, half Polish and half Russian.
- Francis S. "Gabby" Gabreski, fighter ace in World War II
- Tadeusz Kosciuszko, general
- Wlodzimierz Krzyzanowski, general and politician
- Donald J. Kutyna, U.S. general
- Kazimierz Pulaski, general
- Hyman G. Rickover, U.S. Navy Admiral, Father of the Nuclear Navy
- John M. Shalikashvili, U.S. general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Philip Streczyk, U.S. Army sergeant
- Matt Urban, U.S. Army officer
Politics and diplomacy
- Jackie Biskupski, politician
- Zbigniew Brzezinski, political scientist, former US National Security Advisor
- John Dingell, politician
- John Gronouski, politician
- Leon Jaworski, special prosecutor during the Watergate Scandal
- Marcy Kaptur, politician
- Jerry Kleczka, politician
- Paul E. Kanjorski, politician
- Ted Kulongoski, politician
- Bill Lipinski, politician
- Dan Lipinski, politician
- Don Mazankowski, politician
- Barbara Mikulski, politician/ US Senator
- Frank Murkowski, politician/ Alaskan Governor and US Senator
- Lisa Murkowski, politician/ US Senator
- Edmund Muskie, politician
- Marian P. Opala, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice
- Tim Pawlenty, politician
- Gene Pelowski, educator and politician
- Dan Rostenkowski, politician
Religion
- Joseph Dabrowski, Catholic priest
- John Cardinal Krol, Archbishop of Philadelphia
- Edmund Cardinal Szoka, Archbishop emeritus of Detroit, Michigan
- Adam Cardinal Maida, current Archbishop of Detroit, Michigan
Controversial persons
- Leon Czolgosz, assassin of U.S. President William McKinley
- Theodore Kaczynski, the Unabomber
- Meyer Lansky, mobster
- Bugs Moran, mobster
- Hymie Weiss, mobster
Others
- George Adamski, one of the first people to publicly claim to have seen and photographed UFOs.
- Paul Wolfowitz,president of World Bank
- Mary Stachowicz, anti-Catholic hate crime victim
- Jacob Wolfowitz, statistician and information theorist.