Politics and law

• A. A. Adams (1900–1985), American politician
• Abigail Adams (1744–1818), second First Lady of the United States and mother of John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the United States
• Alma Adams (born 1946), U.S. representative from North Carolina
• Annette Abbott Adams (1877–1956), judge of the California Court of Appeal
• Arlin Adams (1921–2015), judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• Barbara Adams (born 1962), Canadian politician
• Benjamin F. Adams (1822–1902), American politician
• Brock Adams (1927–2004), U.S. representative and U.S. senator from Washington
• Bryan Adams (politician) (born 1963), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Jefferson Parish
• Campbell W. Adams (1852–1930), New York state engineer and surveyor
• Charles C. Adams Jr. (born 1947), American international arbitration lawyer, civic activist
• Charles Francis Adams Sr. (1807–1886), U.S. congressman, ambassador
• Dick Adams (politician) (born 1951), Australian politician
• Dorothy Adams, later known as Dorothy Williams (activist) (1928–2011), South African anti-apartheid activist
• Elmer B. Adams (1842–1916), United States District Court judge
• Elmer Ellsworth Adams (1861–1950), American newspaper editor and politician
• Eric Adams (born 1960), Mayor of New York City (2022–present)
• Floyd Adams Jr. (1945–2014), American politician
• Fraser L. Adams (1891–1979), mayor of Huntsville, Alabama
• Gabriel Adams (1790–1864), mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Gerry Adams (born 1948), Irish republican politician, leader of Sinn Féin 1983–2018
• Grantley Herbert Adams (1898–1971), Barbadian politician
• Hank Adams (1943–2020), Native American rights activist
• Henry Cullen Adams (1850–1906), U.S. representative from Wisconsin
• Irene Adams, Baroness Adams of Craigielea (born 1947), Scottish politician
• Isaac Adams (inventor) (1802–1883), American inventor and politician
• Isaac Adams (Maine politician) (1773–1834), American politician
• Isaac Adams (Wisconsin politician) (1825–1879), American politician
• Jed C. Adams (1876–1935), judge of the United States Board of Tax Appeals
• John Donley Adams (born 1973), American lawyer and politician
• John Adams (1735–1826), one of the Founding Fathers, first Vice President of the United States and second President of the United States
• John Adams (Canadian general) (born 1942), Chief of the Canadian Security Establishment
• John Adams (New York politician) (1778–1854), U.S. congressman from New York
• John Adams (Virginia politician) (1773–1825), American politician
• John Quincy Adams (1767–1848), sixth president of the United States and son of John Adams, second president of the United States
• Judith Adams (1943–2012), Australian senator
• Jüri Adams (born 1947), Estonian politician
• Leo G. Adams (born 1937), American politician
• Mumuni Adams (born 1907), Ghanaian politician
• Natalie Adams (born 1965), Australian judge
• Nigel Adams (born 1966), British politician
• Philip Adams (1915–2001), British diplomat
• Platt Adams (politician) (1792–1887), New York politician
• Robert Adams Jr. (1849–1906), U.S. representative from Pennsylvania
• Robert H. Adams (1792–1830), U.S. senator from Mississippi
• Salisbury Adams (1925–2004), American lawyer and politician
• Samuel Adams (1722–1803), American revolutionary
• Samuel Adams (Arkansas politician) (1805–1850), governor of Arkansas
• Thomas Adams (politician) (1730–1788), American Continental Congressman
• Tom Adams (politician) (1931–1985), Barbadian politician, the prime minister of Barbados
• Washington Adams (1814–1883), justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri

Sports

• Alvan Adams (born 1954), American basketball player
• Amos Adams (footballer) (1880–1941), English footballer
• Andre Adams (born 1975), New Zealand cricketer
• Austin Adams (baseball, born 1986), American baseball player
• Austin Adams (baseball, born 1991), American baseball player
• Babe Adams (1882–1968), American baseball pitcher
• Blair Adams (born 1991), English footballer
• Bob Adams (1920s pitcher) (1901–1996), American National League baseball pitcher
• Bob Adams (1930s pitcher) (1907–1970), American National League baseball pitcher
• Bob Adams (American football) (born 1946), US American football player
• Bobby Adams (1921–1997), American Major League Baseball infielder
• Boyd Adams (born 1934), American racing driver
• Bud Adams (1923–2013), owner of American professional football team, Tennessee Titans
• Carl Adams (born 1942), American racing driver
• Charles Adams (1876–1947), American businessman and Boston Bruins founder
• Ché Adams (born 1996), English footballer who plays for Scotland
• Chris Adams (cricketer) (born 1970), English cricketer
• Chris Adams (footballer) (1927–2012), English footballer
• Chris Adams (rugby league) (born 1986), Australian rugby league footballer
• Chris Adams (wrestler) (1955–2001), English judoka and professional wrestler
• Chuck Adams (born 1971), American tennis player
• Danesha Adams (born 1986), American footballer (soccer)
• Danielle Adams (born 1989), American basketball player
• Darren Adams (born 1974), English footballer
• Davante Adams (born 1992), American football player
• Davey Adams (1883–1948), Scottish footballer
• Dennis Adams (1934–1971), South African boxer of the 1950s and 1960s
• Derek Adams (born 1975), Scottish footballer and manager
• Diane Adams, Canadian curler, World champion
• Doc Adams (1814–1899), American baseball player and executive, credited with inventing the shortstop position
• Don Adams (basketball) (1947–2013), American basketball player
• Eddie Adams, American racing driver
• Eli Adams (born 2002), Australian footballer
• Emery Adams (1911–1960), American baseball player
• Ernie Adams (footballer, born 1922) (1922–2009), English footballer
• Ernie Adams (footballer, born 1948) (born 1948), English footballer
• Gaines Adams (1983–2010), American football player
• Gary Adams (baseball) (born 1939), American college baseball coach
• Georgia Adams (born 1993), English women's cricketer
• Harry Adams (baseball umpire) (1863–1941), American Major League Baseball umpire
• Hassan Adams (born 1984), American basketball player
• Jack Adams (1894–1968), National Hockey League player, coach, and manager
• Jalen Adams (born 1995), American basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Jamal Adams (born 1995), American football player
• Jamie Adams (born 1987), Scottish footballer
• Jen Adams (born 1980), Australian lacrosse coach and former player
• Jeff Adams (born 1970), Canadian wheelchair racer
• Jimmy Adams (racing driver) (born 1972), US racecar driver
• Jordan Adams (born 1994), American basketball player
• Jordyn Adams (born 1999), American baseball player
• Josh Adams (American football) (born 1996), American football player
• Junior Adams (born 1979), American football coach
• Katrina Adams (born 1968), American professional tennis player
• Keion Adams (born 1995), American football player
• Kevyn Adams (born 1974), American ice hockey player
• Marcus Adams (footballer) (born 1993), Australian rules footballer
• Martin Adams (born 1956), English darts player, 2007 British Darts Organisation World Champion
• Matt Adams (born 1988), American baseball player
• Matthew Adams (American football) (born 1995), American football player
• Michael Adams (basketball) (born 1963), American NBA basketball player, college basketball
• Michael Adams (chess player) (born 1971), English chess grandmaster
• Micky Adams (born 1961), English football (soccer) manager
• Mike Adams (born 1974), professional American football player
• Montravius Adams (born 1995), American football player
• Myles Adams (born 1998), American football player
• Neil Adams (born 1958), British judoka
• Neil Adams (born 1965), English football (soccer) player
• Nick Adams (born 1948), British racing driver
• Nicola Adams (born 1982), English boxer
• Ondigui Adams (born 1987), Cameroonian football (soccer) player
• Philippe Adams (born 1969), Belgian Formula One driver
• Phillip Adams (American football) (1988–2021), American football player
• Rex Adams (1928–2014), English footballer
• Riley Adams (born 1996), American baseball player
• Rodney Adams (born 1994), American football player
• Ronnie Adams (1916–2004), British rally driver
• Roosevelt Adams (born 1994), Filipino-American basketball player
• Russ Adams (born 1980), American baseball player with the Toronto Blue Jays
• Sadick Adams (born 1990), Ghanaian footballer
• Sam Adams (born 1973), US American football player
• Sam Adams Sr. (1948–2015), US American football player
• Shawn Adams (born 1974), Canadian curler
• Sidney Adams (1904–1945), English cricketer
• Spencer Adams (1898–1970), American Baseball player
• Stephen Adams (born 1989), Ghanaian football player
• Steven Adams (born 1993), New Zealand basketball player; half-brother of Valerie Adams (below)
• Stewart Adams (ice hockey) (1904–1978), Canadian ice hockey player
• Taeyanna Adams (born 2002), Micronesian swimmer
• Tony Adams (born 1966), English footballer and manager
• Trey Adams (born 1997), American football player
• Tyler Adams (born 1999), American soccer player
• Valerie Adams (born 1984), New Zealand shot putter
• Vicki Adams (born 1989), Scottish curler
• Vicki Adams (trick rider) (born 1951), rodeo performer
• W. Adams, English football manager of Shrewsbury Town Football Club between 1905 and 1912

Literature and journalism

• Bristow Adams (1875–1957), American journalist, forester, professor, illustrator
• Brooks Adams (1848–1927), American historian and a critic of capitalism
• Carol J. Adams (born 1951), American writer, feminist, and animal rights advocate
• Cecil Adams, pseudonym of author(s) of a syndicated question-and-answer column, The Straight Dope
• Douglas Adams (1952–2001), British comic radio dramatist and writer, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series
• Eddie Adams (1933–2004), American photojournalist
• Francis Adams (writer) (1862–1893), Australian essayist, poet, dramatist, novelist and journalist
• Franklin P. Adams (1881–1960), American columnist (under the pen name F.P.A.), writer, and wit
• Hannah Adams (1755–1831), American historian and theologian
• Harriet Adams (1892–1982), American novelist and publisher
• Henry Adams (1838–1918), American historian, journalist, and novelist
• Kay Adams (sportscaster) (born 1986), American sportscaster and television personality
• Lois Bryan Adams (1817–1870), American writer, journalist, newspaper editor
• Mary Hall Adams (1816–1860), American editor, letter writer
• Mary Mathews Adams (1840–1902), American writer, philanthropist
• Phillip Adams (born 1939), Australian broadcaster, columnist
• Poppy Adams, British television director/producer and novelist
• R. J. Q. Adams (born 1943), American historian and professor
• Richard Adams (1920–2016), British novelist, author of Watership Down and The Plague Dogs
• Roy Adams (born 1940), Canadian author, newspaper columnist, human rights activist, and academic
• Samuel Hopkins Adams (1871–1958), American journalist and short story writer
• Sarah Fuller Flower Adams (1805–1848), English poet, hymn writer

Music

• Ben Adams (born 1981), British singer, businessman
• Bryan Adams (born 1959), Canadian singer, guitarist, and songwriter
• Charlie Adams (drummer) (born 1954), American musician
• Dave Adams (1938–2016), English musician and songwriter
• Derroll Adams (1925–2000), American folk musician
• India Adams (1927–2020), American singer
• Jim Adams (musician) (born 1967), American, songwriter, heavy-metal guitarist with the band Defiance
• John Adams (composer) (born 1947), American minimalist composer
• John Luther Adams (born 1953), American composer
• Louise Adams (born 1983), Australian musician
• Oleta Adams (born 1962), American soul and jazz singer
• Pepper Adams (1930–1986), American jazz saxophonist and composer
• Pierrette Adams (born 1962), singer from the Republic of the Congo
• Ryan Adams (born 1974), American alternative-country and rock and roll singer/songwriter
• Ryan Adams (born 1993), American rapper
• Suzanne Adams (1872–1953), American operatic soprano
• Victoria Adams (born 1974), birth name of British pop singer Victoria Beckham, known as "Posh Spice"
• William James Adams Jr. (born 1975), birth name of will.i.am, American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer
• Yolanda Adams (born 1961), American gospel singer

Art and photography

• Ansel Adams (1902–1984), American photographer
• Arthur Adams (comics) (born 1963), American comic book artist
• Clinton Adams (1918–2002), American painter and lithographer
• Elinor Proby Adams (1885–1945), English painter
• Gina Adams (born 1965), Ojibwe-American cross-media artist and activist
• Harriet Isabel Adams (1863–1952), British artist and scientific illustrator
• Herbert Adams (sculptor) (1858–1945), American sculptor
• J. Ottis Adams (1851–1927), American Impressionist painter
• JJ Adams (born 1978), British mixed media artist
• Mark Adams (artist) (1925–2006), American artist
• Mark Adams (photographer) (born 1949), New Zealand photographer
• Neal Adams (1941–2022), American comic book artist
• Phoebe Adams (born 1953), American visual artist
• Robert Adams (photographer) (born 1937), American photographer
• Scott Adams (born 1957), cartoonist and creator of the Dilbert comic strip
• Theo Adams (born 1989), British performance artist
• Tracey Adams (born 1954), American expressionist painter
• Wayman Elbridge Adams (1883–1959), American portrait painter

Dance

• Precious Adams, American ballet dancer

Drama and television

• Abel Adams (1879–1938), Finnish film producer
• Amy Adams (born 1974), American actress
• Beverly Adams (born 1945), Canadian-born actress
• Brian Adams (wrestler) (1964–2007), American professional wrestler
• Brooke Adams (born 1949), American actress
• Carol Adams (1918–2012), American actress
• Cecily Adams (1958–2004), American actress, daughter of Don Adams
• Chris Adams (1955–2001), English model and professional wrestler
• CJ Adams (born 2000), American actor
• Don Adams (1923–2005), American actor, comedian and director
• Edie Adams (1927–2008), American comedienne, actress, singer and businesswoman
• Fran Adams, American actress
• Jane Adams (born 1965), American actress
• Joey Adams (1911–1999), American author and comedian
• Joey Adams (born 1968), American actress
• Julie Adams (1926–2019), American actress
• Kathryn Adams (1893–1959), American silent film actress
• Kelly Adams (born 1979), English actress
• Mary Kay Adams (born 1962), American actress
• Maud Adams (born 1945), Swedish model and actress
• Maude Adams (1872–1953), American stage actress
• Nick Adams (1931–1968), American actor and screenwriter
• Patrick J. Adams (born 1981), Canadian actor
• Ryland Adams (born 1991), American YouTuber
• Stanley Adams (1915–1977), American actor and film writer
• Stella Adams (1883–1961), American actress
• Toni Adams (1964–2010), American professional female wrestler
• Tony Adams (born 1940), Welsh actor
• Trudy Adams, American actress and professional wrestler

Models

• Stephanie Adams (1970–2018), American Playboy model and author

Military

• Charles Francis Adams Jr. (1835–1915), Civil War General and president of the Union Pacific Railroad
• Charles Francis Adams III (1866–1954), U.S. Navy secretary
• Donald E. Adams (1921–1952), American pilot and Korean War flying ace
• James Frank Adams (1844–1922), Civil War Medal of Honor recipient
• John G. B. Adams (1841–1900), Civil War Officer and Medal of Honor recipient
• Robert Bellew Adams (1856–1928), Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Samuel Adams (naval officer) (1912–1942), U.S. Navy officer

Science, medicine, and engineering

• Amanda Adams (born 1976), American author and archaeologist
• Arthur Adams (1820–1878), British physician and naturalist
• Charles Hitchcock Adams (1868–1951), U.S. astronomer
• Clarence Raymond Adams (1898–1965), American mathematician
• Douglas Q. Adams, American linguist
• Edward Dean Adams (1846–1931), American engineer, financier, and scientist, Niagara Falls hydroelectric dam engineer, recipient of the 1926 John Fritz Medal
• Edwin Plimpton Adams (1878–1956), American physicist
• Francis Adams (1796–1861), Scottish medical doctor and translator of Greek medical works
• Henry Adams (1858–1929), American architectural engineer
• Henry Percy Adams (1865–1930), English architect
• Johann Friedrich Adam (1780–1838), Russian botanist known by the author abbreviation "Adams"
• John Bodkin Adams (1899–1983), Irish-British physician and suspected serial killer
• John Couch Adams (1819–1892), British mathematician and astronomer
• Karl Adams (mathematician) (1811–1849), Swiss mathematician and teacher
• Matthew Algernon Adams (1836–1913), British medical doctor and chemist
• Michael J. Adams (1930–1967), American aviator and NASA astronaut
• Otto Eugene Adams (1889–1968), American architect
• Patch Adams (born 1945), American physician, social activist and clown
• Raymond Delacy Adams (1911–2008), American neurologist
• Robert Adams (1540–1595), British architect and surveyor
• Robert Adams (1809–1870), British firearms designer
• Robert McCormick Adams Jr. (1926–2018), U.S. anthropologist
• Roger Adams (1889–1971), American organic chemist
• Stewart Adams (chemist) (1923–2019), British chemist
• Thomas Adams (1871–1940), Scottish architect and urban planner
• Walter Sydney Adams (1876–1956), US astronomer
• William Adams (locomotive engineer) (1823–1904), British locomotive engineer
• William Adams (oculist) (1783–1827), British ophthalmic surgeon
• William Bridges Adams (1797–1872), British author, inventor, and locomotive engineer

Other

• Adams baronets, a 17th and 18th century English baronetcy
• Charles Francis Adams IV (1910–1999), American: president of Raytheon Company
• Charles Kendall Adams (1835–1902), American educator and historian
• Charlotte Adams (1859–?), Australian, first European woman to climb to the peak of Mount Kosciuszko
• Clifford Adams (fl. 1990s–2010s), computer programmer
• Eliphalet Adams (1677–1753), American Puritan minister
• Herbert Baxter Adams (1850–1901), American educator and historian
• Jane Kelley Adams (1852–1924), American educator
• John Adams (mutineer) (1766–1829), last survivor of the Bounty mutineers who settled on Pitcairn Island
• Kevin Adams (born 1962), American theatrical lighting designer
• Marcel Adams (1920–2020), Canadian real estate investor, billionaire, and Holocaust survivor
• Margaret Adams (pilot), Australian pilot
• Richard Adams (businessman) (born 1946), British fair trade organisation founder
• Richard Adams (religious writer) (c. 1626–1698), non-conforming English Presbyterian divine
• Robert Merrihew Adams (born 1937), American philosopher
• Samuel Adams, American beer company
• Scott Adams (game designer) (born 1952), American computer game designer and programmer
• Shorland Adams (c1605–1664), British priest
• Thomas William Adams (1842–1919), New Zealand forestry pioneer
• Trudie Adams (born 1959), American woman who has been missing since 1978
• Weaver W. Adams (1901–1963), American chess player
• William Adams (pilot) (1564–1620), English navigator and first Briton to reach Japan
• William Adams (Master of Pembroke) (1706–1789), English Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
• Zabdiel Adams (1739–1801), American minister and writer, cousin of President John Adams

Disambiguation lists