List of People From Minnesota - W

W

• Kevin Wacholz (born 1958) – wrestler
• James Wakefield § (1825–1910) – 8th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota; member of U.S. Congress
• DeWitt Wallace (1889–1981) – publisher, founder of Reader's Digest, philanthropist
• Harriet G. Walker § (1841–1917), president of Northwestern Hospital
• T. B. Walker § (1840–1928), lumberman, founded Minneapolis Public Library, founded Walker Art Center
• Steve Walsh (born 1966) – football player
• Sean Waltman (born 1972) – wrestler
• Tim Walz – politician
• Lou Wangberg (born 1941) – 41st Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
• John Warne (born 1979) – musician
• Lonnie Warwick – football player
• Cadwallader Washburn § (1818–1882) – businessperson, founder of Washburn Mills
• William D. Washburn § (1831–1912) – U.S. Senator; member of U.S. Congress
• Gene Washington § (born 1947) – football player
• Vin Weber (born 1952) – member of U.S. Congress
• Jon Wefald (born 1937) – educator
• Knud Wefald § (1869–1936) – member of U.S. Congress
• Mark Weigle (born 1967) – singer, songwriter
• Chris Weinke (born 1972) – football player
• Jeff Weise (1988–2005) – high school student who committed murder/suicide
• Paul Wellstone § (1944–2002) – U.S. Senator
• Sheila Wellstone (1944–2002) – advocate for human rights, the environment, and peace; wife of Paul Wellstone
• Carl L. Weschcke (born 1930) – businessperson, president/owner of Llewellyn Worldwide
• Paul Westerberg (born 1959) – musician
• Wes Westrum (1922–2002) – baseball player
• Jacob Wetterling (born 1978) – kidnapped in 1989; still missing as of 2009
• Patty Wetterling § (born 1949) – politician, advocate of children's safety
• Friedrich Weyerhäuser – businessperson
• Lindsay Whalen (born 1982) – WNBA player
• David Wheaton (born 1969) – tennis player
• Blake Wheeler (born 1986) – hockey player
• Ed White – football player
• Milo White § (1833–1912) – member of U.S. Congress
• Minor White (1908–1976) – photographer
• Sammy White § (born 1954) – football player
• Benson Whitney – United States Ambassador to Norway
• Richard Widmark (1914–2008) – actor
• Roy Wier § (1888–1963) – member of U.S. Congress
• James Russell Wiggins (1903–2000) – editor, ambassador
• Jermaine Wiggins (born 1975) – football player
• Laura Ingalls Wilder § (1867–1957) – novelist
• Zygi Wilf § (born 1950) – football team owner
• Roy Wilkins § (1901–1981) – civil rights leader
• Bud Wilkinson (1916–1994) – football player, coach, and broadcaster
• Morton S. Wilkinson § (1819–1894) – U.S. Senator; member of U.S. Congress
• Warren William (Warren William Krech) (1894–1948) – actor
• Auburn Williams (born 1990) – singer
• Brian Williams (born 1979) – football player
• Kevin Williams (born 1980) – football player
• Moe Williams (born 1974) – football player
• Pat Williams (born 1972) – football player
• Stokley Williams (born 1967) – musician
• Tom Williams (1940–1992) – hockey player
• Troy Williamson (born 1983) – football player
• Paul Willson (born 1945) – actor
• August Wilson § (1945–2005) – Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
• Dan Wilson – musician
• Eugene McLanahan Wilson § (1833–1890) – member of U.S. Congress
• Rainn Wilson § (born 1966) - actor; Guthrie Theater alumnus
• Sheree J. Wilson (born 1958) – actor
• Thomas Wilson § (1827–1910) – member of U.S. Congress
• Wade Wilson § (born 1959) – football player
• Harold Windingstad (1929–2006) – political activist, farmer
• William Windom § (1827–1891) – U.S. Senator; member of U.S. Congress
• Antoine Winfield (born 1977) – football player
• Dave Winfield (born 1951) Baseball Hall of Fame
• Eliza Winston § (born 1830) – freed slave
• Roy Winston – football player
• Max Winter § (1903–1996) – football team owner
• Ted Winter (born 1949) – politician, farmer, insurance agent
• Theodore Wirth § (1863–1949) – horticulturalist, Minneapolis Superintendent of Parks, civic planner
• Cory Withrow – football player
• Wally Wood (1927–1981) – comic-book writer, artist, and independent publisher
• Wolfman Jack (Robert Weston Smith) §
• Jerome J. Workman, Jr. (born 1952), American spectroscopist, editor, author
• Bryan Thao Worra (born 1973) – poet, writer, and journalist
• Al Worthington § (born 1929) – baseball player
• John Wozniak (born 1971) – musician
• Donald O. Wright (1892–1985) – 35th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
• Michael Wuertz (born 1978) – baseball player
• Irma Wyman – § (born 20th century) first CIO for Honeywell