This list of prostitutes and courtesans includes famous persons who have engaged in prostitution and courtesan work.
Historical
Ancient world
Rahab of Jericho
Aspasia, Greek hetaera, companion of Pericles
Phryne, Greek hetaera
Thaïs, Greek hetaera who lived during the time of Alexander the Great
Theodora, empress of Byzantium
Su Xiaoxiao, Chinese courtesan of the 5th century
Early Modern era
Imperia Cognati, the "first courtesan" in Europe
Isabella de Luna, Italian (originally Spanish) courtesan of Renaissance-era Rome. Hwang Jini, the most famous Korean gisaeng Chica da Silva, famous eighteenth-century slave courtesan in Brazil, subject of the movie Xica Madame du Barry, mistress to Louis XV of France Veronica Franco, Venetian courtesan and poet Nell Gwyn, courtesan to Charles II of England
19th century
Laura Bell, the "Queen of London whoredom" Theresa Berkeley, dominatrix Jeanne Brécourt, born 1837, one of France's most notorious courtesans Annie Chapman, one of the "canonical five" victims of Jack the Ripper Mary Jane Kelly, one of the "canonical five" victims of Jack the Ripper Lizzie Lape, mid-Ohio madam, operator of multiple bordellos, 1880s-1900s Mary Ann Nichols, one of the "canonical five" victims of Jack the Ripper Shady Sadie (Josephine Marcus), courtesan who had an affair with Wyatt Earp Elizabeth Stride, one of the "canonical five" victims of Jack the Ripper Martha Tabram, a possible victim of Jack the Ripper Libby Thompson, "Squirrel Tooth Alice," madam of a brothel in Sweetwater, Texas Julia Bulette, American prostitute in Virginia City, Nevada
20th century
Elizabeth Adams, (1933 or 1934–July 8, 1995), also known as Madam Alex, Hollywood madam Polly Adler, New York madam, 1920s to 1940s Air Force Amy, a legal prostitute in Nevada, pornographic actress, and adult model, who starred in the HBO television documentary series Cathouse: The Series. MSNBC has called her "a living legend in the world of sex." Josie Arlington, madam in Storyville, New Orleans Caridad la Negra (María de la Caridad Norberta Pacheco Sánchez) Spanish prostitute and madam, early to mid-20th century Suzy Favor-Hamilton, 3 time Olympian for Track and Field, and the subject of intense publicity when her activities as an escort became public. Heidi Fleiss, a.k.a. the "Hollywood Madam", ran an upscale prostitution ring based in Los Angeles during the 1990s Mata Hari (born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle), Dutch spy Xaviera Hollander, author of the memoir The Happy Hooker: My Own Story La Macorina, Cuban courtesan, 1910s to 1930s Carol Leigh, a.k.a. Scarlot Harlot, coined the term "sex worker" Brooke Magnanti, blogger and scientist who wrote as Belle de Jour and was the inspiration for Billie Piper's character in Secret Diary of a Call Girl Barbara Payton, American actress turned prostitute Charlotte Rose, an English sex worker, dominatrix, sexual trainer and political candidate Annie Sprinkle, American sex worker, porn star, and sex educator and writer Valérie Tasso, French author Sheila Vogel-Coupe, at 85+ the oldest prostitute in the United Kingdom and, possibly, the world Gangubai Harjeevandas, a prostitute, an Indian social activist and madam of a brothel in the Kamathipura area of Mumbai during the 1960s Clara Ward, Princesse de Caraman-Chimay, daughter of a Michigan lumberman who spent most of her life in Europe Lulu White, madam in Storyville, New Orleans Estella Marie Thompson, also known as Divine Brown, an American and former prostitute who gained public attention in 1995 when actor Hugh Grant was caught receiving oral sex from her in his car Kimberly Daniels, former sex worker and drug addict who became a prolific author, religious minister and member of the Florida House of Representatives; introduced successful legislation to put In God we trust in Florida school classrooms Domenica Niehoff, German prostitute, dominatrix, sex worker rights activist and television personality Molly Luft, German prostitute, brothel owner and television personality Margo St. James, activist and sex worker
21st century
Liara Roux, American prostitute, sex worker rights activist and author in New York Sexy Cora, German former prostitute, pornographic actress and reality show participant