Famous People Who Have or Had Dwarfism

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2024/01/08 - Updated: 2024/01/10
Publication Type: Informative
Topic: Famous Disabled People - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: List of well known and famous people with dwarfism typically defined as an adult with a height of 147 cm (4 ft. 10 in) or less. 80% of people with dwarfism have average height parents and siblings.

Introduction

Dwarfism itself is not a disease and, as a result, it has no single medical definition. The terms usually preferred by people with this condition are "short-statured" or "little person" rather than "dwarf." The term "midget" is considered to be offensive by many people.

Main Item

Dwarfism is typically defined as an adult with a height of 147 cm (4 ft. 10 in) or less. 80% of people with dwarfism have average height parents and siblings. There are an estimated 65,000 people with dwarfism in the United States, and 651,700 in the world.

Many different medical conditions cause dwarfism. In general, the disorders are divided into two broad categories, Proportionate Dwarfism and Disproportionate Dwarfism.

Proportionate dwarfism results from medical conditions present at birth or appearing in early childhood that limit overall growth and development. So the head, trunk and limbs are all small, but they're proportionate to each other. Because these disorders affect overall growth, many of them result in poor development of one or more body systems. Growth hormone deficiency is a relatively common cause of proportionate dwarfism.

Disproportionate Dwarfism: Most people with dwarfism have disorders that cause disproportionately short stature. Meaning a person has an average-size trunk and very short limbs, but some people may have a very short trunk and shortened (but disproportionately large) limbs. In these disorders, the head is disproportionately large compared with the body.

There are approximately 400 types of dwarfism. Below is a list of some of them.

Types of Dwarfism

NOTE: The list below does not include every prominent person with dwarfism. You can help by sending us the names of people with dwarfism (from reliable sources) missing from this list.

List of Famous People Who Have or Had Dwarfism

NOTE: If you notice any inaccuracies in this list, please reach out to us so we can correct it. Additionally, if you believe someone should be added to this list, please provide us with their name and any information to verify their disability. We value your help, and you can contact us here.

You can also view our other lists of famous and well-known people with various disabilities and conditions, including actors, politicians, and writers who contributed to society.

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Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, .

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Citing and References

Founded in 2004, Disabled World (DW) is a leading resource on disabilities, assistive technologies, and accessibility, supporting the disability community. Learn more on our About Us page.

Cite This Page: Disabled World. (2024, January 8 - Last revised: 2024, January 10). Famous People Who Have or Had Dwarfism. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved March 16, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/awareness/famous/famous-dwarfism.php

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