Attention Deficit is nothing new. I am descended from a family of well-known painters, many of whom showed classic traits of ADD. My great-great-great-great grandfather, Raphaelle Peale, particularly showed traits of ADD, including procrastination, mood swings, hyperfocus, inattention, disorganization, trouble managing money, and susceptibility to addiction. Since ADD/ADHD is hereditary, it is very likely that the disability has been passed down through the generations to me.
Below is a list of some very well known people who it is very likely had ADD/ADHD. OneADDPlace has a list of people who display ADD/ADHD characteristics, but no proof is offered. The links below will take you to an excellent site on about.com that does a trait-by-trait evaluation of the person. This is truly fascinating to read. I also enjoy showing this to my students...it proves that even people with disabilities can be successful.
A really cool page full of people with ADD