List of U.S. state governors born outside the United States

Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon since February 2015, is the only current U.S. governor who was born outside the United States.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California from 2003 to 2011, is the second most recent U.S. governor to have been born outside the country.

Jennifer Granholm, Governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2011, is the third most recent U.S. governor to have been born outside the country.

In total, 71 governors of a U.S. state have been born outside the current territory of the United States. Kate Brown of Oregon, born in Spain, is the only current governor born outside the country. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Jennifer Granholm of Michigan (whose terms both ended in January 2011) are the other two most recent foreign-born governors.

Of the fifty U.S. states, thirty (or 60 percent) have had at least one governor born outside the United States. Nineteen states have had multiple governors who were not U.S.-born. Georgia has had six foreign-born governors, although all of them held office during the 18th century. The other states with the most foreign-born governors are Wisconsin (five), Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, and Oregon (four each). Additionally, from 1905 to 1921 Utah had three consecutive foreign-born governors (John Cutler, William Spry, and Simon Bamberger).

Of the 71 foreign-born governors, 58 were born in Europe and thirteen were born in North America. A total of 29 U.S. governors have been born in the United Kingdom (fifteen in England, seven in Scotland, six in Northern Ireland, and one in Wales). Nine have been born in Canada, seven born in Germany, five born in Norway, and five born in Sweden.

Only three foreign-born women have served as U.S. governors – Madeleine Kunin of Vermont, who was born in Switzerland; Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, who was born in Canada; and Kate Brown of Oregon, who was born in Spain.

List

Governors who were succeeded by another foreign-born governor are marked with a dagger (†). Governors who were preceded by another foreign-born governor are marked with a section sign (§).

By birthplace

By state

State	No. of governors	First foreign-born governor (place)	Date
Alabama	1	Lindsay, Robert B.Robert B. Lindsay (Scotland)	000000001870-11-26-0000November 26, 1870
Arizona	1	Castro, Raúl HéctorRaúl Héctor Castro (Mexico)	000000001975-01-06-0000January 6, 1975
California	2	Downey, John G.John G. Downey (Ireland)	000000001860-01-14-0000January 14, 1860
Connecticut	2	Dempsey, John N.John N. Dempsey (Ireland)	000000001961-01-21-0000January 21, 1961
Delaware	1	McKinly, JohnJohn McKinly (Northern Ireland)	000000001777-02-12-0000February 12, 1777
Georgia	6	Gwinnett, ButtonButton Gwinnett (England)	000000001777-03-04-0000March 4, 1777
Idaho	3	Gooding, Frank R.Frank R. Gooding (England)	000000001905-01-02-0000January 2, 1905
Illinois	2	Altgeld, John PeterJohn Peter Altgeld (Germany)	000000001893-01-10-0000January 10, 1893
Louisiana	2	Derbigny, PierrePierre Derbigny (France)	000000001828-12-15-0000December 15, 1828
Massachusetts	1	Greenhalge, Frederic T.Frederic T. Greenhalge (England)	000000001894-01-04-0000January 4, 1894
Michigan	4	Warner, Fred M.Fred M. Warner (England)	000000001905-01-01-0000January 1, 1905
Minnesota	4	Nelson, KnuteKnute Nelson (Norway)	000000001893-01-04-0000January 4, 1893
Montana	3	Cooney, Frank HenryFrank Henry Cooney (Canada)	000000001933-03-13-0000March 13, 1933
Nebraska	1	Boyd, James E.James E. Boyd (Northern Ireland)	000000001891-01-08-0000January 8, 1891
Nevada	2	Bell, FrankFrank Bell (Canada)	000000001890-09-21-0000September 21, 1890
New Hampshire	2	McLane, JohnJohn McLane (Scotland)	000000001905-01-05-0000January 5, 1905
New Jersey	1	Paterson, WilliamWilliam Paterson (Northern Ireland)	000000001790-10-29-0000October 29, 1790
New Mexico	1	Larrazolo, OctavianoOctaviano Larrazolo (Mexico)	000000001919-01-01-0000January 1, 1919
North Carolina	3	Burke, ThomasThomas Burke (Ireland)	000000001781-06-26-0000June 26, 1781
North Dakota	4	Allin, RogerRoger Allin (England)	000000001895-01-10-0000January 10, 1895
Ohio	4	Tiffin, EdwardEdward Tiffin (England)	000000001803-03-03-0000March 3, 1803
Oregon	4	West, OswaldOswald West (Canada)	000000001911-01-11-0000January 11, 1911
Pennsylvania	2	Bryan, GeorgeGeorge Bryan (Ireland)	000000001778-05-23-0000May 23, 1778
Rhode Island	2	Wetmore, George P.George P. Wetmore (England)	000000001885-05-26-0000May 26, 1885
South Dakota	1	Anderson, SigurdSigurd Anderson (Norway)	000000001951-01-02-0000January 2, 1951
Utah	3	Cutler, JohnJohn Cutler (England)	000000001905-01-02-0000January 2, 1905
Vermont	2	Johnson, Joseph B.Joseph B. Johnson (Sweden)	000000001955-01-06-0000January 6, 1955
Virginia	1	Fleming, WilliamWilliam Fleming (Scotland)	000000001781-06-04-0000June 4, 1781
Washington	1	Hartley, Roland H.Roland H. Hartley (Canada)	000000001925-01-12-0000January 12, 1925
Wisconsin	5	MacArthur Sr., ArthurArthur MacArthur Sr. (Scotland)	000000001856-03-21-0000March 21, 1856

See also

• List of current United States governors
• List of female governors in the United States
• List of minority governors and lieutenant governors in the United States
• List of oldest living United States governors
• List of United States Senators born outside the United States