List of Famous people born in Tartu County, Estonia

Georg Karl Julius Hackenschmidt was an early 20th-century Estonian strongman, professional wrestler, author, and sports philosopher who is recognized as professional wrestling's first world heavyweight champion.

Lionel Adalbert Bagration Felix Kieseritzky was a Baltic German chess master and theoretician, famous for his contributions to chess theory, as well for a game he lost against Adolf Anderssen, which because of its brilliance was named "The Immortal Game". Kieseritzky is the namesake of several openings and opening variations, such as the Kieseritzky Gambit, Kieseritzky attack, and the Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit.

Jaan Kaplinski was an Estonian poet, philosopher, and culture critic, known for his focus on global issues and support for left-wing/liberal thinking. He was influenced by Eastern philosophical schools.

Joachim Cronman was an owner of estates in Livonia and a colonel for the Swedish Empire. He was the Commandant of the Neumünde redoubt/fortlet.

Carl Gustav Adolf von Harnack was a Baltic German Lutheran theologian and prominent Church historian. He produced many religious publications from 1873 to 1912. He was ennobled in 1914.

Käbi Alma Laretei was an Estonian-Swedish concert pianist.

Otto Wilhelm von Struve was a Baltic German astronomer. In Russian, his name is normally given as Otto Vasil'evich Struve. Together with his father, Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, Otto Wilhelm von Struve is considered a prominent 19th century astronomer who headed the Pulkovo Observatory between 1862 and 1889 and was a leading member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Karl Khristoforovich Friedrich Knorre; Russian: Карл Христофорович Кнорре was a Russian astronomer of Baltic German ethnic origin who is best known for founding the Nikolayev Astronomical Observatory in 1827. Knorre's father, Ernst Friedrich Knorre, and his son, Viktor Knorre, were also prominent astronomers. Recently NASA named an asteroid in honor of the three generations of Knorre astronomers.

Raimo Kangro was an Estonian composer. He composed mainly instrumental works and operas.

Jaan Einasto is an Estonian astrophysicist and one of the discoverers of the large-scale structure of the Universe.