List of Kentucky Colonels

The "List of Kentucky Colonels" is a non-exhaustive list that enumerates the most prominent 1% of honorees identified within the Kentucky Colonel Class. The list represents those who are celebrated, recognized by the media, or become popular in other ways through their designation with a Kentucky Colonel Commission. Those who are listed here are colonels that managed to garner publicity locally, nationally, or internationally; as well as those who intentionally use their title in their everyday careers and occupations (such as doctors, lawyers and professionals that prefer the title COLONEL over use of their academic titles); the list also includes those that manage to become recognized using the moniker "Colonel" among their friends, family, in business, or among admirers. One of the biggest benefits of being a Kentucky Colonel is the subject's right to publicity and making them a public figure.

Kentucky Colonel Title, Mark of a Living Legacy

The Kentucky Colonel Commission, bestowed by the Governor, is the highest honorific title awarded by the Commonwealth based on recognizing a person's abilities, accomplishments, and deeds. Since 1775, there have been over 500,000 individuals recognized civilly as colonels indiscriminately and without regard for their educational background, yet the true meaning and historical context of this title has often been obscured through pseudo-history, folklore, and actual military roles since the Kentucky Colonelcy began.

An Exclusive Showcase: 1 in 1,000 Opportunity

This meticulously curated list features a select group of Kentucky Colonels whose appointments are publicly documented through Wikipedia, news media, or mainstream social media. It represents a mere fraction (one in one thousand) of the total number of commissioned Colonels, highlighting the exclusivity and prestige of this honor. We recognize all those who voluntarily postulate themselves as "public figures" based on them becoming a colonel that is recognized as a "Goodwill Ambassador of Kentucky".

Be Part of a Living History

Do you hold the esteemed title of Kentucky Colonel? Share your pride and contribute to our ongoing research by submitting your information for inclusion in this list and our upcoming books: "New Kentucky Colonels Handbook - Historical Edition" and "Kentucky Colonels: Forefathers and Founders", scheduled completion dates in 2026/2027.

Preserving Privacy and Honoring Legacy

Due to privacy laws, we cannot publish the complete list of all commissioned Kentucky Colonels. This project aims to showcase a diverse and representative sample of individuals who have received this honor.

The Kentucky Colonel List is not a registry, but rather a curated collection of individuals who have publicly embraced their Colonelcy or whose contributions have been recognized in the public and private sectors.

Join the Movement

By participating in this project, you'll help preserve the authentic legacy of the Kentucky Colonel and ensure that future generations understand the true significance of this historic title. Contact us today to be part of this landmark endeavor!

Join the Movement

The Kentucky Colonels List

Submission Instructions

The Kentucky Colonels List

During 2026 we are diversifying our "Kentucky Colonels List" to include multiple indexing options based on a number of variables and factors, this will result in a number of new pages being introduced that will be connected here. Our most exclusive page and authoritative URL connected to the phrase and idea of Kentucky Colonels List or List of Kentucky Colonels will remain this page and navigation will be added for the other pages. Users are also reminded they can use the website search tool to find a particular individual.

We are also converging other popular known lists that have been assembled by past and present organizations which have been published in the Creative Commons, such as the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels' listing of "Famous Colonels" as "Celebrities that became Colonels". Users have requested: a list of living colonels, a list of famous colonels, a list of the most noteworthy colonels, a list of celebrities who became colonels, a list of people from India that are Kentucky colonels, and a list of colonels 'who do not want to be' or 'are no longer colonels'.

A

Col. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson

Edmund Lincoln Anderson (1905–1977) was an American comedian and actor. To a generation of early radio and television comedy he was known as "Rochester" on the Jack Benny Show. He was also a horseman and won several races.

B

D

E

F

G

H

I

Christian Ingebrigtsen

J

K

L

N

O

P

Q

Lubna Khalid Al Qasimi

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Irene M. Zoppi
Frank Zappa

Submission Instructions

The photo may also contain the geolocation, the camera data, date, time, etc; some of these settings can only be edited using the camera or a photo editing app. You can edit the photo in Google Photos or you can use the Online Image Editor that we use. Adding important (hidden) indexable meta tags such as the term "Honorable", "Kentucky Colonel", "your full name" and a "description" are highly recommended.

To be considered for this exclusive list, please email us:

A high-resolution portrait-style photograph (800-1600 pixels wide) of yourself holding your commission. The photo must not be previously published or shared in social media platforms or other websites unless it is your own. You can send the photo itself or provide a publicly viewable link using Google Photos.
Your full name as it appears on the commission.
The date you were commissioned.
The name of the Governor who commissioned you.
A link to your own website, Facebook profile, or other social media account.

Alternatively, you can provide a link to a static profile page or a scan of a relevant news article. kycolonelcy@gmail.com

Disclaimer: This list is based on the original list of Kentucky Colonels that were on Wikipedia in 2020-2022. Requests to be added to the list of Kentucky colonels are now handled by members working on the Kentucky Colonels Handbook. This list is more representative of the type and style of list that will be displayed.