List of Famous people born in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Thomas Fothen is a German former professional racing cyclist. He is the younger brother of Markus Fothen. He rode in three editions of the Giro d'Italia.

Wolfgang Karl Ernst Finkelnburg was a German physicist who made contributions to spectroscopy, atomic physics, the structure of matter, and high-temperature arc discharges. His vice-presidency of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft 1941-1945, was influential in that organization’s ability to assert its independence from National Socialist policies.

Peter Wittig is a former German diplomat and has been Germany's Ambassador to the Court of St. James in the United Kingdom from July, 2018, to April, 2020, after having served as Ambassador to the United States from April 30, 2014, to June 20, 2018 and Permanent Representative at the United Nations in New York from 2009 to 2014.

Franz-Ulrich Hartl is a German biochemist and Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry. He is known for his pioneering work in the field of protein-mediated protein folding and is a recipient of the 2011 Lasker Award along with Arthur L. Horwich.