The Most Famous Missing Person, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the missing person you think is the most famous!

Updated on May 9, 2024 07:12

Ranking famous missing persons helps shed light on cases that have puzzled and intrigued the public for years. By highlighting these cases, the list serves as a reminder of ongoing mysteries and the importance of continued attention. Such rankings not only maintain public interest but also encourage new information and tips that could be crucial in solving these disappearances. When you participate by voting, you contribute to raising awareness about each case. Each vote can potentially reignite interest and conversation around lesser-known disappearances, helping communities and families hold onto hope. This dynamic list reflects current public interest and serves as a barometer for which cases still capture the heart and mind of people around the world.

Who Is the Most Famous Missing Person?

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63
votes
Underwood & Underwood (active 1880 – c. 1950)[1] · Public domain

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart - an American aviator and the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She disappeared during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 1937.
Amelia Earhart in other rankings
- Position 1 of 10 in Most famous female aviator
- Position 1 of 10 in Most famous pilot
- Position 2 of 10 in Most famous person born in Kansas
- Position 3 of 10 in Most famous adventurer
- Position 5 of 10 in Most famous alumnus from Columbia University
- Position 6 of 10 in Most famous tomboy
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27
votes

Garam · CC0

Jimmy Hoffa

Jimmy Hoffa is an American labor union leader who disappeared in 1975 and was declared legally dead in 1982. His disappearance remains a mystery and has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories.
3

29
votes
Mary Thompson · CC BY-SA 2.0

Natalee Holloway

Natalee Holloway is an American teenager who vanished while on a high school graduation trip to Aruba in 2005. Her disappearance and presumed death have received extensive media coverage.
Natalee Holloway refers to the highly publicized case of a missing American teenager who disappeared during a high school graduation trip to Aruba in 2005. Her disappearance gained international attention and became one of the most famous missing child cases in recent history.

Location: Aruba

Year: 2005

Age: 18

Nationality: American

Status: Missing
Natalee Holloway in other rankings
- Position 6 of 10 in Most famous missing child case
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16
votes
Madeleine McCann

Madeleine McCann is a British girl who disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Portugal in 2007. Her case has been widely publicized and remains unsolved.
Madeleine McCann is one of the most famous missing child cases that occurred in 2007. Madeleine, a 3-year-old British girl, disappeared while on a family vacation in Praia da Luz, Portugal. The case gained extensive media coverage and international attention, remaining unsolved for years.

Date: Disappearance occurred on May 3, 2007.

Location: Praia da Luz, Portugal.

Victim: Madeleine McCann, a 3-year-old British girl.

Circumstances: Disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in a resort complex while her parents were dining at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Investigation: The case has been investigated by various law enforcement agencies, including Portuguese and British authorities.
Madeleine McCann in other rankings
- Position 2 of 10 in Most famous missing child case
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17
votes
Stanleykpatz · CC BY 3.0

Etan Patz

Etan Patz - an American six-year-old who disappeared while walking to his school bus stop in New York City in 1979. His case is considered one of the most high-profile missing child cases in U.S. history.
Etan Patz is one of the most famous missing child cases in American history. It refers to the disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz on May 25, 1979, in New York City. The case garnered significant media attention and led to changes in how missing children cases are handled.

Date of disappearance: May 25, 1979

Location: New York City

Age of Etan Patz: 6 years old

Media attention: The case gained significant media attention

Impact: Led to changes in how missing children cases are handled
Etan Patz in other rankings
- Position 1 of 10 in Most famous missing child case
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13
votes

Lord Lucan

Lord Lucan is a British aristocrat who disappeared after being suspected of murdering his children's nanny in 1974. He has never been found and remains a subject of public fascination in the UK.
7

15
votes
U.S. Federal Government · Public domain

D.B. Cooper

D.B. Cooper is a man who hijacked a Northwest Orient Airlines flight in 1971 and then parachuted out of the plane with $200,000 in ransom money. He has never been identified or captured, and his case remains one of the most famous unsolved crimes in U.S. history.
D.B. Cooper in other rankings
- Position 5 of 10 in Most famous thief of all time
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9
votes

Masao Nakagami · CC BY-SA 2.0

Richey Edwards

Richey Edwards is a Welsh musician and lyricist who disappeared in 1995 and was declared legally dead in 2008. His disappearance remains a mystery, and he has become a cult figure in the music world.
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8
votes

Steven Stayner

Steven Stayner is an American boy who was kidnapped and held captive for seven years before escaping in 1980. He became a public figure and advocate for child safety before being killed in a motorcycle accident in 1989.
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3
votes

Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain

Dorothy Arnold

Dorothy Arnold is an American socialite who disappeared while walking to a dress fitting in New York City in 1910. Her disappearance was widely publicized at the time and remains a subject of interest among true crime enthusiasts.

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Ranking factors for famous missing person

The level of media coverage

How much coverage did the case receive? Was it covered by national/international media outlets?
The public interest level

How much interest did the public show in the case? Was it the subject of trending internet searches and social media shares?
The circumstances of the disappearance

Was the person a high-profile individual, such as a politician or celebrity? Was the disappearance suspicious or mysterious in nature?
The length of time since the disappearance

Has the case been ongoing for a long period of time? Was there a significant amount of time before the person was reported missing?
The impact on society and culture

Did the case have a profound impact on society, culture, or the legal system? Did it inspire new laws or regulations?

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most famous missing person. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or missing person is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

4252 views
178 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each missing person once every 24 hours. The rank of each missing person is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most famous missing person

When someone goes missing, it can be a devastating experience for their loved ones. Unfortunately, there are many cases where people simply vanish without a trace, leaving behind a trail of questions and uncertainty. Over the years, there have been numerous high-profile missing person cases that have captured the attention of the public. From celebrities to ordinary citizens, the stories of these missing individuals have become a part of our collective consciousness. In this article, we'll explore some of the most famous missing persons cases in history and try to shed light on what may have happened to these individuals.