List of Belgians
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This is a list of Belgian people, and more precisely of notable people who (1) were Belgian citizens at least during one period of their life, or (2) are Belgian citizens, as well as of notable people (3) born in Belgium or in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but who were not or are not Belgian citizens (either because Belgium did not exist at the time of their life or because they had or have another citizenship). The names of people of the last category (3) are italicized.
The list also comprises (4) fictional characters who are undisputedly Belgians, and (5) important ones whose citizenship is unknown or not Belgian and with Belgian creators. The names of fictional characters of the last category (5) are italicized.
The same person may appear under several headings.
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Architects
- Stéphane Beel
- Hilde Daem
- Xaveer De Geyter
- Paul Hankar
- Victor Horta
- Eugeen Liebaut
- Paul Robbrecht
- Paul Saintenoy
- Henry Van de Velde
- Bob Van Reeth
- Marie-José Van Hee
Authors
- Pieter Aspe
- Henry Bauchau
- Louis Paul Boon
- Herman Brusselmans
- Cyriel Buysse
- Emile Cammaerts
- Ernest Claes
- Hugo Claus
- Hendrik Conscience
- Fernand Crommelynck
- Herman de Coninck
- Charles De Coster
- Michel De Ghelderode
- Georges Eekhoud
- Willem Elsschot
- Jef Geeraerts
- Guido Gezelle
- Jacqueline Harpman
- Kristien Hemmerechts
- Tom Lanoye
- Camille Lemonnier
- Suzanne Lilar - essayist, novelist, and playwright
- Jacob van Maerlant
- Maurice Maeterlinck - Nobel Prize in Literature 1911
- Marcel Mariën - surrealist
- Hugo Matthysen
- Pierre Mertens
- Henri Michaux - poet and painter
- Ivo Michiels
- Tom Lanoye
- Erwin Mortier - novelist, essayist, poet.
- Amélie Nothomb
- Paul Nougé - surrealist
- Octave Pirmez
- Anne Provoost
- Jean Ray
- Albrecht Rodenbach
- Georges Rodenbach - Symbolist poet and novelist
- Georges Simenon
- Stijn Streuvels
- Herman Teirlinck
- Felix Timmermans
- Karel van de Woestijne
- Raoul Vaneigem
- Paul Van Ostayen
- Emile Verhaeren
- Peter Verhelst
- Baron Gerard Walschap
- Marguerite Yourcenar, French novelist born in Belgium
Businessmen and economists
- Silvio Gesell
- Alfred Lowenstein (1877-1928), soldier, aviator, sportsman, entrepreneur
- Gustave de Molinari - economist
- Albert Frère - self made businessman
Cartoonists
See also: List of authors of Franco-Belgian comics.
- Gilbert Delahaye
- Hergé (Georges Remi)
- Hermann Huppen
- Kamagurka
- Marcel Marlier
- Peyo (Pierre Culliford)
Criminals
- Nordine Ben Allal - multiple escapes
- Madani Bouhouche
- Pierre Carette - terrorist
- Marc Dutroux - rapist and serial killer
- Patrick Haemers
- Murat Kaplan
Fictional characters
- Dr. Evil -- main villain in the Austin Powers films.
- Jo, Zette and Jocko -- Belgian by their creator at least (Hergé)
- Milo Perrier - the character based on Hercule Poirot in the film Murder by Death
- Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie) -- a private detective.
- Tintin -- reporter -- Belgian by its creator at least (Hergé)
- Samson en Gert -- characters from a popular Flemish televsion series.
- Suske en Wiske
- Largo Winch -- Belgian by its creator at least
- XIII -- Belgian by its creator at least
- Gaston Lagaffe -- cartoon character by (Franquin)
Historians
Humorists
- Laurence Bibot
- Bruno Coppens
- Raymond Devos
- Philippe Geluck
- Stéphane Steeman
- Manu Thoreau
- Urbain Joseph Servranckx (Urbanus)
Military figures
- Ambiorix - Celtic warlord
- Frank De Winne - astronaut
- Dirk Frimout - astronaut
- Godfrey of Bouillon - Crusader
- Baldwin I of Jerusalem - Crusader
Models
- Delfine Bafort
- Brigitta Callens
- Elise Crombez
- Véronique De Kock
- Joyce De Troch
- Tanja Dexters
- Zsofi Horvath
- Phaedra Hoste
- Hannelore Knuts
- Anouk Lepère, Belgian supermodel (born in Antwerp).
- Stephanie Meire
- Aurélie Neukens
- Tom Nuyens, Belgian supermodel from Antwerp, first Mister World (1996).
- Kim Peers
- Ellen Petri
- Kelly Pfaff
- Ingrid Seynhaeve
- Joke Van De Velde
- Ann Van Elsen
Monarchs
Main article: List of Belgian monarchs.
- Albert I of Belgium
- Albert II of Belgium
- Baudouin I of Belgium
- Leopold I of Belgium
- Leopold II of Belgium
- Leopold III of Belgium
- Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, not a King of Belgium, but born in Flanders, now part of Belgium.
Performing artists
Actors and actresses
- Patrick Bauchau
- Bernard Cogniaux
- Antje De Boeck
- Jan Decleir
- Isabelle Defossé
- Émilie Dequenne
- Marie Gillain
- Olivier Gourmet
- Audrey Hepburn, British actress born in Belgium
- Christian Labeau
- Olivier Massart
- Yolande Moreau
- Michael Pas
- Ann Petersen
- Luc Philips
- Benoît Poelvoorde
- Natacha Régnier
- Jérémie Renier
- Jean Claude Van Damme
- Dora van der Groen
- Benoît Van Dorslaer
- Philippe Volter
Choreographers
Composers
- Jean Absil
- Florent Alpaerts
- Peter Benoit
- Gilles Binchois
- Jacob Clemens non Papa
- Cypriano de Rore
- Josquin des Prez
- François Joseph Fétis
- César Franck, Belgian composer who worked in Paris
- Karel Goeyvaerts
- Nicolas Gombert
- François Joseph Gossec
- André Grétry
- Joseph Jongen
- Léon Jongen
- Orlande de Lassus (a.k.a. Orlandus Lassus/Orlando di Lasso), born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Guillaume Lekeu
- Wim Mertens
- Vidna Obmana -- the pseudonym of Dirk Serries
- Johannes Ockeghem
- Henri Pousseur
- Henri Vieuxtemps
- Giaches de Wert
- Adrian Willaert
Filmmakers
- Chantal Akerman
- Tom Barman
- Jan Bucquoy
- Stijn Coninckx
- Gérard Corbiau
- Jean-Pierre Dardenne
- Luc Dardenne
- Robbe De Hert
- André Delvaux
- Dominique Deruddere
- Marc Didden
- Jonas Geirnaert
- Harry Kümel
- Stefan Liberski
- Benoît Mariage
- Raoul Servais - maker of animated films
- Erik Van Looy
- Jan Verheyen
- Julien Vrebos
Musicians and singers
See also: List of Belgian bands and artists.
- Salvatore Adamo
- Geike Arnaert - Hooverphonic
- Natacha Atlas
- Tom Barman - dEUS
- Claude Barzotti
- Guido Belcanto
- Plastic Bertrand (Roger Jouret)
- Julos Beaucarne
- Sarah Bettens - K's Choice
- Jean Blaute - producer
- Jeff Bodart
- Sandy Boets - Touch of Joy, Xandee
- Jo Bogaert - Technotronic
- Jacques Brel
- Alex Callier - Hooverphonic
- Stef Kamil Carlens - Zita Swoon
- Philippe Catherine
- Charles Cluytens - conductor
- Miel Cools
- Annie Cordy
- Suzanne Danco - soprano
- Kris de Bruyne
- Jeanine Deckers, a.k.a. The Singing Nun or Soeur Sourire
- Wim Decraene
- Arthur De Greef - pianist and composer
- Luc De Vos - Gorki
- David Dewaele - Soulwax
- Stephen Dewaele - Soulwax
- Jan De Wilde
- Maurice Engelen - Praga Khan, Lords of Acid
- Lara Fabian
- Jean-Luc Fonck
- Frédéric François
- Stéphane Galland
- Ferre Grignard
- Piet Goddaer - Ozark Henry
- Rita Gorr - mezzo soprano
- Arthur Grumiaux - violinist
- Philippe Herreweghe - conductor
- Arno Hintjens - TC Matic
- Sandra Kim
- Danni Klein - Vaya Con Dios
- Steven Kolacny
- Stijn Kolacny
- Flip Kowlier
- Sigiswald Kuijken - violinist and conductor
- Philippe Lafontaine
- Fred Lani - Fred and the Healers
- Victor Lazlo
- Jo Lemaire
- Lio
- Helmut Lotti
- Maurane
- Wim Mertens
- Stijn Meuris - Noordkaap, Monza
- Marc Moulin - Telex
- Deborah Ostrega - Lords of Acid
- Mauro Pawlowski - Evil Superstars, dEUS
- Bart Peeters - The Radios
- Axl Peleman - Ashbury Faith, Camden
- Belle Perez
- Pierre Rapsat
- Axelle Red
- Django Reinhardt
- Jasper Steverlynck - Arid
- Daan Stuyven - Dead Man Ray
- Toots Thielemans
- Rudy Trouvé
- Will Tura
- Urbanus van Anus
- Frank Van Der Linden - De Mens
- Raymond van het Groenewoud
- Marcel Vanthilt - Arbeid Adelt!
- Eddy Wally
- Koen Wauters - Clouseau
- Kris Wauters - Clouseau
- Eugène Ysaÿe - violinist and composer
- Front 242
Politicians
- Magda Aelvoet
- Bert Anciaux
- Vic Anciaux
- William Ancion
- Jules Joseph d'Anethan
- Bernard Anselme
- André Antoine
- Marie Arena
- Auguste Beernaert - Nobel Peace Prize 1908
- André Bertouille
- Luc Beyer de Ryke
- Jules de Burlet
- Willy Burgeon
- Philippe Busquin
- Charles de Broqueville
- Henri de Brouckere
- Henri Carton de Wiart
- Jos Chabert
- Marcel Cheron
- Willy Claes
- Georges Clerfayt
- Guy Coëme
- Robert Collignon
- André Cools
- Gerhard Cooreman
- Anne-Marie Corbisier
- Guy Cudell
- Michel Daerden
- Amand Dalem
- André Damseaux
- José Daras
- Norbert De Batselier
- Stefaan De Clerck
- Willy Declercq
- Herman De Croo
- Armand De Decker
- Philippe Defeyt
- Magda De Galan
- Léon Degrelle
- Karel De Gucht
- Jean-Marie Dedecker
- Léon Defosset
- Jean Defraigne
- Jean-Luc Dehaene
- Jean-Maurice Dehousse
- Leon Delacroix
- Olivier Deleuze
- Francis Delpérée
- Hendrik De Man
- Rudy Demotte
- Gérard Deprez
- Erik Derycke
- Claude Desama
- Georges Désir
- Alain Destexhe
- Jean-Pierre Detremmerie
- Patrick Dewael
- Filip Dewinter
- Paula D'Hondt
- Karel Dillen
- Elio Di Rupo
- Didier Donfut
- François-Xavier de Donnea
- Vera Dua
- Abel Dubois
- Daniel Ducarme
- Germain Dufour
- Antoine Duquesne
- Isabelle Durant
- Jean-Pierre Duvieusart
- Claude Eerdekens
- Gaston Eyskens
- Mark Eyskens
- Valmy Féaux
- Michel Foret
- Richard Fournaux
- Walthère Frère-Orban
- Jaak Gabriëls
- Gaston Geens
- Count Goblet d'Alviella
- Jean Gol
- Didier Gosuin
- Jean-Pierre Grafé
- Brigitte Grouwels
- Michel Hansenne
- Jean-Marie Happart
- José Happart
- Pierre Harmel
- Hervé Hasquin
- Arthur Haulot
- Pierre Hazette
- Camille Huysmans
- Evelyne Huytebroeck
- Victor Jacobs
- Paul-Emile Janson
- Henri Jaspar
- Serge Kubla
- Henri La Fontaine - Nobel Peace Prize 1913
- Roger Lallemand
- Karl-Heinz Lambertz
- Raymond Langendries
- Paul Lannoye
- Joseph Lebeau
- Edmond Leburton
- Theodore Lefevre
- Yves Leterme
- Anne-Marie Lizin
- Benoît Lutgen
- Guy Lutgen
- Olivier Maingain
- Philippe Mahoux
- Jules Malou
- Jean-Claude Marcourt
- Wilfried Martens
- Guy Mathot
- Philippe Maystadt
- Charles Michel
- Louis Michel
- Richard Miller
- Joëlle Milquet
- Philippe Monfils
- Jacky Morael
- Patrick Moriaux
- Philippe Moureaux
- Serge Moureaux
- Felix Amand de Muelenare
- Annemie Neyts
- Jean-Marc Nollet
- Jean-Baptiste Nothomb
- Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb
- Laurette Onkelinx
- Joseph Pholien
- Charles Picqué
- Hubert Pierlot
- Prosper Poullet
- Jules Renkin
- Didier Reynders
- Charles Latour Rogier
- Hugo Schiltz
- Frans Schollaert
- Jacques Simonet
- Miet Smet
- Paul de Smet de Nayer
- Bart Somers
- Antoinette Spaak
- Paul-Henri Spaak
- Guy Spitaels
- Steve Stevaert
- Frank Swaelen
- Willy Taminiaux
- George Theunis
- Bartholemy Théodore de Theux
- Leo Tindemans
- Bruno Tobback
- Louis Tobback
- Jules de Trooz
- Nathalie de T'Serclaes
- Robert Urbain
- Achille van Acker
- Jacob van Artevelde
- Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe
- Johan Vande Lanotte
- Paul Vanden Boeynants
- Freya Van den Bossche
- Luc Van den Bossche
- Luc Vandenbrande
- Frank Vandenbroucke
- Jules Vandenpeerebom
- Alain Van der Biest
- Marleen Vanderpoorten
- Emile Vandervelde
- Alois van de Vyvere
- Jean-Sylvain van de Weyer
- Frank Vanhecke
- Johan Van Hecke
- Jean van Houtte
- Pierre-Edouard van Humbeeck
- Karel Van Miert
- Marc Van Peel
- Vincent Van Quickenborne
- Eric Van Rompuy
- Herman Van Rompuy
- Jean-Pierre Van Rossem
- Paul Van Zeeland
- Guy Verhofstadt
- Melchior Wathelet
- Freddy Willockx
- Charles Woeste
- Yvan Ylieff
Religious figures
Saints
- St. Gertrude of Nivelles
- St. Gudula from Brussels and Eibingen - National Saint of Belgium and Patroness of Brussels
- St. John Berchmans
Theologians and clergymen
- Jean Bolland - hagiographer
- Blessed Father Damien (Pater Damiaan)
- Godfried Danneels - cardinal
- Jacques Dupuis - jesuit priest
- Cornelius Jansen - theologian
- Gustaaf Joos - cardinal
- André-Mutien Léonard - bishop
- Georges Pire - Dominican priest, Nobel Peace Prize 1958
- Blessed John Ruysbroeck - mystic
- Jan Pieter Schotte - cardinal
- Brother René Stockman - Superior General of the Congregation of the Brothers of Charity
- Leo Jozef Suenens - cardinal
- Ferdinand Verbiest - Jesuit missionary to China
Resistance workers
- Henri Gaillot
- Albert Guerisse (1911-1989)
- Arthur Haulot (born 1913)
- Andrée "Dédée" de Jongh (born 1916)
- Georges Piron (1888-1943)
- Edgard Potier (1903-1944)
- Suzanne Spaak (c.1905-1944)
- Gabrielle Weidner (1914-1945)
- Johan Hendrik Weidner (1912-1994)
Scientists, mathematicians, engineers and inventors
- Francois d'Aguilon - mathematician and physicist
- Leo Hendrik Baekeland - inventor of bakelite
- Gaston Briart - geologist
- Jules Bordet - Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1919
- Jean Bourgain - mathematician
- Robert Cailliau - information and control engineer
- Eugène Charles Catalan - mathematician
- Albert Claude - Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1974
- Christian De Duve - Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1974 (born in Britain of Belgian parents)
- Pierre Deligne - mathematician
- Jean-Charles de la Faille - mathematician
- Dirk Frimout - first Belgian astronaut
- Adrien de Gerlache - explorer
- Zénobe Gramme - electrical engineer
- Corneille Heymans - Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1938
- Victor d'Hondt - lawyer and mathematician
- Albert Hustin - medical doctor, the first to practice non-direct blood transfusion
- Paul Janssen
- Georges Lemaître - astronomer
- Constantin Le Paige - mathematician
- Claude Lévi-Strauss, French scientist born in Belgium
- Justus Lipsius - classical philologian
- Michel Louette - ornithologist
- Gerardus Mercator - geographer
- Abraham Ortelius - geographer
- Paul Otlet - information architect
- Joseph Plateau - physicist
- Ilya Prigogine - Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1977 (born in Russia)
- Adolphe Quetelet - mathematician and statistician
- Gregory of Saint-Vincent
- Adolphe Sax - inventor of the saxophone
- Louis-Joseph Seutin - surgeon
- Ernest Solvay - chemist
- Jean Stas - chemist
- Simon Stevin - mathematician
- André Tacquet - mathematician
- Joseph Tilly - mathematician
- Jacques Tits - mathematician
- Charles Jean de la Vallée-Poussin - mathematician
- Adriaan van Roomen - mathematician
- Andreas Vesalius - anatomist
- Marc Waelkens - archeologist
- Egide Walschaerts - engineer and inventor
Sports
- Sabine Appelmans - tennis player
- Walter Baseggio - football player
- Brigitte Becue - swimmer
- Ingrid Berghmans - judoka
- Tom Boonen - cyclist
- Thierry Boutsen - racing driver
- Jan Ceulemans - football player
- Raymond Ceulemans - billiards player
- Kim Clijsters - tennis player, 2-time WTA Masters champion and former world no. 1
- Fred Deburghgraeve - swimmer
- Stefan Everts - motorcrosser
- Bertrand Gachot - racing driver
- Olivier Gendebien - race car driver
- Kim Gevaert - athlete
- Raymond Goethals - football coach
- Justine Henin-Hardenne - tennis player, 4-time Grand Slam winner and former world no. 1
- Ilse Heylen - judoka, former Olympic champion.
- Jacky Ickx - racing driver
- Vincent Kompany - football player
- Bas Leinders - racing driver
- Romain Maes - cyclist
- Filip Meirhaeghe - mountain biker
- Axel Merckx - cyclist
- Eddy Merckx - cyclist, considered by many as the greatest cyclist ever.
- Johan Museeuw - cyclist
- Jean-Marie Pfaff - football goalkeeper
- Michel Preud'homme - football goalkeeper
- Emiel Puttemans - athlete
- Christophe Rochus - tennis player
- Olivier Rochus - tennis player
- Gaston Roelants - athlete
- Jacques Rogge - IOC president
- Jean-Michel Saive - table tennis player
- Philippe Saive - table tennis player
- Alberic Schotte - cyclist
- Enzo Scifo - football player
- Patrick Sercu - cyclist
- Patrick Stevens - athlete
- Thierry Tassin - racing driver
- Guy Thys - football coach
- Paul Van Asbroeck - marksman
- Ivo Van Damme - athlete
- Gella Vandecaveye - judoka
- Robert Van De Walle - judoka
- Paul Van Himst - football player
- Hubert Van Innis - archer
- Rik Van Looy - cyclist
- Rik Van Steenbergen - cyclist
- Bart Veldkamp - speed skater
- Ulla Werbrouck - judoka
Visual artists
Fashion
- Dirk Bikkembergs
- Veronique Branquino
- Liz Claiborne, American designer born in Belgium
- Ann Demeulemeester
- Carine Lauwers
- Martin Margiela
- Raf Simons
- Olivier Strelli
- Walter Van Beirendonck
- Dries Van Noten
- Dirk Van Saene
- Marina Yee
Painters
Main article: List of Belgian painters.
- Pierre Alechinsky - Cobra member
- Boucicaut Master - manuscript illuminator
- Pieter Brueghel the Elder, born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Robert Campin
- Petrus Christus
- Emile Claus - impressionism
- Gerard David, born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Philippe de Champaigne, born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Gaspar De Crayer
- Raoul De Keyser - abstract painter
- Paul Delvaux - surrealist
- Gustave De Smet - expressionism
- James Ensor
- Jacob Jordaens, born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Justus of Ghent
- Fernand Khnopff - symbolist
- Limbourg brothers - manuscript illuminators
- René Magritte - surrealist
- Hans Memling, born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Kwinten Metsys (a.k.a. Quentin Matsys/Quentin Massys), born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Constant Permeke - expressionist
- Pieter Pourbus
- Roger Raveel
- Félicien Rops
- Peter Paul Rubens, born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Victor Servranckx - cubist
- Franz Snyders
- Leon Spilliaert
- David Teniers the Younger
- Luc Tuymans
- Frits Van den Berghe - expressionist
- Hugo van der Goes
- Rogier van der Weyden (a.k.a. Rog(i)er de la Pasture), born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Gustave Van de Woestijne
- Sir Anthony van Dyck (Antoon van Dyck)
- Jan van Eyck, born in the provinces of present-day Belgium, but before Belgium existed
- Eugeen Van Mieghem
- Bernard van Orley
- Theo van Rysselberghe - neo-impressionist
- Fernand Verhaegen - painter of Walloon folklore
- Antoine Joseph Wiertz
Photographers
Sculptors
- François Duquesnoy
- Jan Fabre
- George Grard
- Constantin Meunier
- George Minne
- Olivier Strebelle
- Rik Wouters
Others
Others
- Sabine Dardenne
- Gilbert Delahaye
- Koenraad Elst
- John Massis
- Jean-Baptiste Moens - "The Father of Philately"
- Gerard Mortier
- Dirk Verhofstadt
- Pierre Wynants - chef
- Georges Zicot
Trivia
It should be noted that there is a British parlour game which challenges the participants to come up with the names of "12 famous Belgians", implicitly asserting that Belgian nationals are far less likely to be notable in the United Kingdom than those of other countries.
See also
External links
- Famous Belgians (http://www.famousbelgians.net/)
- A Website on famous Flemish people: http://noosphere.cc/flanders.html
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