List of Belgians

Artists

Nicolas Ancion (born 1971)

Gentil Theodoor Antheunis (1840–1907)

Pieter Aspe (born 1953)

Henry Bauchau (1913–2012)

Jean-Marie Berckmans

Anton Bergmann (1835–1874)

Hendrik Beyaert (1823–1894)

Philipp Blommaert (1809–1871)

Louis Paul Boon (1912–1979)

Elisa Brune (born 1966)

Herman Brusselmans (born 1957)

Cyriel Buysse (1859–1932)

Emile Cammaerts (1878–1953)

Ernest Claes (1885–1968)

Hugo Claus (1929–2008)

Hendrik Conscience (1812–1883)

Julio Cortázar – Argentinian writer born in Brussels

Joanna Courtmans (1811–1890)

Fernand Crommelynck

Johan Daisne

Jacques Danois (1927–2008)

Johan Michiel Dautzenberg (1808–1869)

Herman de Coninck (1944–1997)

Charles De Coster (1827–1879)

Julius de Geyter (1830–1905)

Xaveer De Geyter (born 1957)

Michel De Ghelderode (1898–1962)

Michel de Kemmeter (born 1964)

Lodewijk de Koninck (1838–1924)

Gilbert Delahaye

Patricia de Martelaere

Pol de Mont (1857–1931)

Filip De Pillecyn (1891–1962)

Paul De Wispelaere

Christine D'Haen

Neel Doff (1858–1942)

Maria Doolaeghe (1803–1884)

Gaston Durnez (1928– )

Georges Eekhoud

Willem Elsschot

Jef Geeraerts

Guido Gezelle

Marnix Gijsen (1899–1984)

Maurice Gilliams

Paul Hankar (1859–1901)

Jacqueline Harpman

Kristien Hemmerechts

Stefan Hertmans

Victor Horta (1861–1947)

Henry Kistemaeckers – novelist, and playwright (1872–1938)

Hubert Lampo

Tom Lanoye

Karel Lodewijk Ledeganck (1805–1847)

Camille Lemonnier

Suzanne Lilar – essayist, novelist, and playwright (1901–1992)

Rosalie Loveling (1834–1875)

Virginie Loveling (1836–1923)

Maurice Maeterlinck – Nobel Prize in Literature 1911

Marcel Mariën – surrealist

Bob Mendes

Pierre Mertens

Henri Michaux – poet and painter

Ivo Michiels

Erwin Mortier – novelist, essayist, poet

Alice Nahon

Leonard Nolens

Amélie Nothomb

Pierre Nothomb

Paul Nougé – surrealist

Octave Pirmez

Charles Plisnier – Prix Goncourt 1937

Sophie Podolski (1953–1974)

Anne Provoost

Jean Ray (pseudonym for Raymundus Joannes de Kremer) (1887–1964)

Frans Rens (1805–1874)

Albrecht Rodenbach

Georges Rodenbach – Symbolist poet and novelist

Maria Rosseels (1916–2005)

Ward Ruyslinck

Paul Saintenoy (1862–1952)

Georges Simenon

Jan Lambrecht Domien Sleeckx (1818–1901)

Ferdinand Augustijn Snellaert (1809–1872)

August Snieders (1825–1904)

Jan Renier Snieders (1812–1888)

Reimond Stijns (1850–1905)

Gustave Strauven (1878–1919)

Stijn Streuvels

Herman Teirlinck

Isidoor Teirlinck (1851–1934)

Jotie T'Hooft

Felix Timmermans

Jan van Beers (1852–1927)

Jos Vandeloo

Walter van den Broeck

Henry Van de Velde (1863–1957)

Karel van de Woestijne

Prudens van Duyse (1804–1859)

Raoul Vaneigem

Peter Frans Van Kerckhoven (1818–1857)

Jacob van Maerlant

Paul Van Ostaijen

Bob Van Reeth (Born 1943)

Jan Theodoor van Rijswijck (1811–1849)

Anton van Wilderode (1918–1998)

Emile Verhaeren

Peter Verhelst

Dimitri Verhulst

August Vermeylen (1872–1945)

Jules Wabbes (1919–1974)

Gerard Walschap

Francois Weyergans

Jan Frans Willems (1793–1846)

Marguerite Yourcenar – French novelist born in Belgium

Businesspeople and economists

Luc Bertrand

Philippus Jacobus Brepols (1778–1845)

Marc Coucke

Étienne Davignon

Michel de Kemmeter (born 1964)

Gustave de Molinari – economist

Édouard-Jean Empain

George Arthur Forrest

Albert Frère – self made businessman

Alexandre Galopin (1879–1944) – director of the Société Générale de Belgique

Silvio Gesell

Lieven Gevaert

Eric Ghysels

Jean-Pierre Hansen (born 1948) – CEO of Electrabel

Rob Heyvaert – founder of Capco

Georges Jacobs

André Leysen and his sons Christian Leysen and Thomas Leysen

Maurice Lippens

Alfred Lowenstein (1877–1928), soldier, aviator, sportsman, entrepreneur

Georges Nagelmackers

Gerdi Staelens – CEO of Winking

Philippe van Parijs

Bruno van Pottelsberghe (born 1968)

Criminals

Nordine Ben Allal – multiple escapes

Madani Bouhouche - police officer, accused of being a member of the Brabant killers

Pierre Carette – terrorist, member of the Communist Combatant Cells

Kim De Gelder - murdered several babies in a babycare center.

Muriel Degauque - Belgian woman who committed a suicide terrorist attack in Bagdad in 2005.

Marc Dutroux – rapist and serial killer

Bert Eriksson - head of the extreme-right organisation Vlaamse Militanten Orde, convicted for founding a private army.

Denis L. Feron – former CEO of Chemetco who fled the United States to avoid environmental charges

Patrick Haemers - kidnapper of former Prime Minister Paul Vanden Boeynants

Murat Kaplan - co-member of Patrick Haemers' gang.

Jean-Baptiste Sipido - tried to assassinate Edward VII of the United Kingdom (still Crown Prince back then) during a 1900 visit to Brussels.

Jean-Pierre Van Rossem - convicted of million fraud.

Hans Van Themsche - teenager with far-right sympathies who went on a killing spree and murdered three people in the street.

Robert Jan Verbelen – Nazi collaborator and murderer of businessman Alexandre Galopin

Hippolyte Visart de Bocarmé - nobleman who poisoned his brother-in-law with nicotine.

Fictional characters

Dr. Evil – main villain in the Austin Powers films

Jo, Zette and Jocko – Belgian by their creator at least (Hergé)

Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie) – private detective

Tintin – reporter

Samson en Gert – characters from a popular Flemish television series

Suske en Wiske

Gaston Lagaffe – cartoon character by André Franquin

Spirou et Fantasio – cartoon character by André Franquin

Achilles de Flandres – antagonist in Orson Scott Card's Shadow series

Nero from Nero – comic book character by Marc Sleen

Adhemar from Nero – comic book character by Marc Sleen

Jommeke – comic book character by Jef Nys

De Kiekeboes – characters in comic book (Marcel Kiekeboe and his family) by Merho

Les Schtroumpfs – cartoon characters in a series of graphic novels by Peyo

Historians

Philippe de Commines

Victor Amédée Jacques Marie Coremans (1802–1872)

François-Louis Ganshof

Xavier Mabille

Ludo Martens

Anne Morelli

Henri Pirenne

Pierre François Xavier de Ram

Jan Vansina

Humorists

Alex Agnew – also the lead singer of Diablo Blvd

Gaston Berghmans

Jan Bucquoy

Annie Cordy

Wouter Deprez

Raymond Devos

Bert Gabriëls

Philippe Geluck – best known for his comic strip Le Chat

Noël Godin – "l'entarteur", aka Monsieur Gloup-Gloup

Geert Hoste

Kamagurka

Hugo Matthysen

Lieven Scheire

Les Snuls

Mark Uytterhoeven

Urbain Servranckx (Urbanus)

Journalists

Paul Beliën

Jacques Danois

Koenraad Elst

Cédric Gerbehaye

Germaine Van Parys (1893–1983) – pioneering female photojournalist

Military figures

Ambiorix – Gaulish warlord

Baldwin I of Constantinople – Crusader, first Latin Emperor

Baldwin I of Jerusalem – Crusader, King of Jerusalem

Jean-Pierre de Beaulieu – Belgian-born Austrian general

Adrian Carton de Wiart – Belgian-born British lieutenant general

Charlemagne – founder of the Frankish Empire

Charles V – Holy Roman Emperor

Clovis I, King of the Franks

Godfrey of Bouillon – Crusader and first King of Jerusalem

Charles Martel – Duke of the Franks, stopped the Muslim expansion at Poitiers

Pepin of Herstal – Duke of the Franks

Pepin the Short – first Carolingian King of the Franks

Edgard Potier – pilot during World War II

Jean Schramme – mercenary

Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly – field marshal

Count Henry Robert Visart de Bury et de Bocarmé C.B.E. – lieutenant colonel (ret'd)

Models

Brigitta Callens

Elise Crombez

Sylvie De Caluwé

Véronique De Kock (born in Antwerp)

Tanja Dexters

Hannelore Knuts

Yumi Lambert

Anouck Lepere– supermodel (born in Antwerp)

Stephanie Meire

Hanne Gaby Odiele

Ellen Petri

Ingrid Seynhaeve

Annelies Törös (born in Antwerp)

Jessica Van Der Steen (from Antwerp)

Ann Van Elsen

Monarchs

Albert I

Albert II

Baudouin I

Charles V of Habsburg – Holy Roman Emperor

Charles VII of Habsburg – Holy Roman Emperor

Charlemagne – Holy Roman Emperor

Clemens August of Bavaria, Archbishop-Elector of Cologne

Leopold I

Leopold II

Leopold III

Actors and actresses

Natacha Amal

Patrick Bauchau

Jey Crisfar

Jan Decleir

André Delvaux

Émilie Dequenne

Els Dottermans

Tim Driesen

Cécile de France

Marie Gillain

Olivier Gourmet

Audrey Hepburn

Christian Labeau

Jacky Lafon

Yolande Moreau

Ann Petersen

Benoît Poelvoorde

Natacha Régnier

Lyne Renée

Jérémie Renier

Matthias Schoenaerts

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Philippe Volter

Titus De Voogdt

Choreographers

Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker

Composers

Jean Absil

Florent Alpaerts

Peter Benoit

Gilles Binchois

Ivan Caryll

Jacob Clemens non Papa

Marie Daulne

Frédéric Devreese

Guillaume Dufay

François Joseph Fétis

César Franck – Belgian composer who worked in Paris

Karel Goeyvaerts

Nicolas Gombert

François Joseph Gossec

André Grétry

Joseph 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

Jacques Loeillet – baroque composer

Jean-Baptiste Loeillet de Ghent – baroque composer

Charles Loos

Wim Mertens

Vidna Obmana – the pseudonym of Dirk Serries

Johannes Ockeghem

Henri Pousseur

Josquin des Prez

Cypriano de Rore

Didier van Damme

Pieter van Maldere

Carl Verbraeken

Henri Vieuxtemps

Giaches de Wert

Adrian Willaert

Filmmakers

Chantal Akerman (Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles)

Jean-Jacques Andrien (Le Grand Paysage d'Alexis Droeven)

Nic Balthazar (Ben X)

Tom Barman (Any Way the Wind Blows)

Lucas Belvaux (Man Bites Dog)

Rémy Belvaux (Man Bites Dog)

Nabil Ben Yadir (The Barons)

Alain Berliner (Ma vie en rose, Le Mur)

Jan Bucquoy (La Vie sexuelle des Belges 1950-1978, Camping Cosmos)

Hugo Claus (The Sacrament)

Stijn Coninx (Daens)

Carl Colpaert (American, born in Belgium)

Gérard Corbiau (The Music Teacher, Farinelli)

Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne (The Promise, The Son, L'Enfant)

Robbe De Hert (Whitey, Blueberry Hill)

André Delvaux (The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short, One Night... A Train)

Armand Denis (Savage Splendor, Below the Sahara)

Dominique Deruddere (Everybody's Famous!)

Marc Didden (Brussels by Night)

Jacques Feyder (Carnival in Flanders)

Jonas Geirnaert (Flatlife)

Harry Kümel (Daughters of Darkness, Monsieur Hawarden, Malpertuis)

Roland Lethem

Benoît Mariage

Picha (Tarzoon: Shame of the Jungle)

Michaël R. Roskam (Bullhead)

Raoul Servais (Harpya)

Henri Storck (Misère au Borinage)

Guy Lee Thys (The Pencil Murders, Kassablanka)

Patrice Toye (Rosie)

Jan Vanderheyden - (De Witte)

Jaco Van Dormael - (Toto the Hero, The Eighth Day)

Felix Van Groeningen - (Steve + Sky, De helaasheid der dingen, The Broken Circle Breakdown)

Erik Van Looy (The Alzheimer Case, Loft)

Frank Van Passel (Manneken Pis)

Roland Verhavert (Seagulls Die in the Harbour)

Henry Xhonneux (Marquis)

Thierry Zéno (Vase de Noces, better known as The Pigfucking Movie)

Musicians and singers

Salvatore Adamo (Italian living in Belgium)

Geike Arnaert – Hooverphonic

Natacha Atlas

Wouter de Backer – Gotye (born in Belgium, now lives in Australia)

Tom Barman – dEUS

Claude Barzotti

Plastic Bertrand – Roger Jouret

Sarah Bettens – K's Choice

Sandy Boets – Xandee

Francy Boland – jazz pianist, arranger

Brahim

André Brasseur

Jacques Brel

Tina Bride

Alex Callier – Hooverphonic

Stef Kamil Carlens – Zita Swoon

Philippe Catherine

Ann Christy

André Cluytens – Belgian-born conductor

Annie Cordy

Mathieu Crickboom – violinist

Suzanne Danco – soprano

Marie Daulne – Zap Mama

Jeanine Deckers – Soeur Sourire a.k.a. The Singing Nun

Wim De Craene

Arthur De Greef – pianist and composer

Jean-Luc De Meyer – Front 242

Luc De Vos – Gorki

Tom Dice

Mike Dierickx – Push, M.I.K.E.; trance DJ and producer

Elmore D

Tim Driesen

Maurice Engelen – Praga Khan, Lords of Acid

Peter Evrard – winner of Idool 2003, Belgian edition of Pop Idol

Lara Fabian

Frédéric François

Stéphane Galland

Ferre Grignard

Piet Goddaer – Ozark Henry

Rita Gorr – mezzo soprano

Arthur Grumiaux – violinist

David Guetta – French disc jockey of Belgian descent on mother's side

Hadise

Fanny Heldy – opera soprano

Philippe Herreweghe – conductor

Arno Hintjens – TC Matic

Bobby Jaspar

Ya Kid K – Technotronic

Sandra Kim

Dani Klein – Vaya Con Dios

Flip Kowlier

Sigiswald Kuijken – violinist and conductor

Philippe Lafontaine

Victor Lazlo

Fud Leclerc

Pierre Leemans – conductor and composer

Jo Lemaire

Jan Leyers – Soulsister

Lio

Charles Loos

Helmut Lotti

Machiavel

Maurane

Wim Mertens

Paul Michiels – Soulsister

Brian Molko – Placebo

Marc Moulin – Telex

Mauro Pawlowski – Evil Superstars, dEUS

Bart Peeters

Belle Perez

Frédérique Petrides (née Mayer) – conductor

Pol Plançon – basso

Pierre Rapsat

Axelle Red

Django Reinhardt

Kate Ryan

Liliane Saint-Pierre

Bobbejaan Schoepen

Siouxsie Sioux (Belgian father, English mother)

Jonas Steur – trance DJ and producer

Stromae

Toots Thielemans

René Thomas

Rudy Trouvé

Will Tura

Luc Van Acker – of the Revolting Cocks

Urbanus van Anus

Tim Vanhamel – Evil Superstars, Eagles of Death Metal, Millionaire

Paul Van Haver – Stromae

Raymond van het Groenewoud

Dirk Verbeuren – Soilwork

Peter Verhoyen – flutist

Eddy Wally

Koen Wauters – Clouseau

Kris Wauters – Clouseau

Anne Wolf – pianist

Eugène Ysaÿe – violinist and composer

Theater directors

Bruno Belvaux

Christian Labeau

Stephen Shank

A – C

Frans Ackerman

Magda Aelvoet

Bert Anciaux

Jules Joseph d'Anethan

Gerolf Annemans

Bernard Anselme

Marie Arena

Auguste Beernaert – Nobel Peace Prize 1908

Ivo Belet

Ward Beysen

Fons Borginon

Geert Bourgeois

Frederika Brepoels

Charles de Broqueville

Henri de Brouckere

Jules de Burlet

Bernard du Bus de Gisignies

Philippe Busquin

Henri Carton de Wiart

Marcel Cheron

Willy Claes

Philip Claeys

Guy Coëme

Alexandra Colen

André Cools

Gerhard Cooreman

Hugo Coveliers

D

Rik Daems

Michel Daerden

André Damseaux

José Daras

August De Boodt

Stefaan De Clerck

Willy De Clercq

Herman De Croo

Armand De Decker

Jean-Marie Dedecker

Jean Defraigne

Magda De Galan

Léon Degrelle

Karel De Gucht

Jean Duvieusart

Jean-Luc Dehaene

Jean-Maurice Dehousse

Véronique De Keyser

Leon Delacroix

Francis Delpérée

Hendrik de Man

Rudy Demotte

Gérard Deprez

Erik Derycke

Paul Deschanel

Alain Destexhe

Mia De Vits

Patrick Dewael

Filip Dewinter

Karel Dillen

Koenraad Dillen

Elio Di Rupo

François-Xavier de Donnea

Vera Dua

Daniel Ducarme

Antoine Duquesne

Isabelle Durant

E – K

Lamoral Egmont

Saïd El Khadraoui

Gaston Eyskens

Mark Eyskens

Michel Foret

Richard Fournaux

Walthère Frère-Orban

Jaak Gabriëls

Gaston Geens

Caroline Gennez

Jacques Germeaux

Jean Gol

Mathieu Grosch

Michel Hansenne

Pierre Harmel

Hervé Hasquin

Arthur Haulot

Alain Hutchinson

Camille Huysmans

Paul-Emile Janson

Henri Jaspar

Pierre Jonckheer

L

Henri La Fontaine – Nobel Peace Prize 1913

Julien Lahaut (1884–1950) – chairman of the Communist Party, assassinated.

Roger Lallemand

Auguste Lambermont

Karl-Heinz Lambertz

Renaat Landuyt

Raymond Langendries

Joseph Lebeau

Edmond Leburton

Theodore Lefevre

Yves Leterme

Anne-Marie Lizin

M

Nelly Maes

Philippe Mahoux

Olivier Maingain

Jules Malou

Jean-Claude Marcourt

Ludo Martens

Wilfried Martens

Philippe Maystadt

Charles Michel – current prime minister of Belgium

Louis Michel

Joëlle Milquet

Philippe Monfils

Philippe Moureaux

Felix de Muelenare

N – R

Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck

Jean-Baptiste Nothomb

Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb

Laurette Onkelinx

Joseph Pholien

Charles Picqué

Hubert Pierlot

Prosper Poullet

Jules Renkin

Jean Rey

Didier Reynders

Frédérique Ries

Charles Rogier

Gustave Rolin-Jaequemyns – founder of Institut de Droit International, adviser to Rama V of Thailand

S – U

Hugo Schiltz (1927–2006)

Frans Schollaert

Jacques Simonet

Miet Smet

Paul de Smet de Naeyer

Bart Somers

Antoinette Spaak

Paul-Henri Spaak

Guy Spitaels

Bart Staes

Dirk Sterckx

Steve Stevaert

Frank Swaelen

Marc Tarabella

George Theunis

Bartholemy Théodore de Theux

Freddy Thielemans

Marianne Thyssen

Leo Tindemans

Bruno Tobback

Louis Tobback

Jules de Trooz

V

Achille van Acker

Jacob van Artevelde

Frans Van Cauwelaert

Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe

Johan Vande Lanotte

Hugo Vandenberghe

Paul Vanden Boeynants

Freya Van den Bossche

Luc Van den Bossche

Frank Vandenbroucke

Jules Vandenpeereboom

The family Vanderpoorten: Arthur, Herman and Marleen

Marleen Vanderpoorten

Emile Vandervelde

Frank Vanhecke

Johan Van Hecke

Pierre-Edouard van Humbeeck

Anne Van Lancker

Dirk Van Mechelen

Karel Van Miert

Vincent Van Quickenborne

Eric Van Rompuy

Herman Van Rompuy

Jean-Pierre Van Rossem

Paul Van Zeeland

Guy Verhofstadt

Inge Vervotte

W – Y

Melchior Wathelet

Freddy Willockx

Charles Woeste

Yvan Ylieff

Saints

St. Damien of Molokai

St. Gertrude of Nivelles

St. Gudula from Brussels and Eibingen – National Saint of Belgium and Patroness of Brussels

St. Hubertus

St. John Berchmans

St. Meingold of Huy

Theologians and clergymen

Joseph André – priest, Righteous among the Nations.

Pieter Jan Beckx – 22nd Superior General of the Jesuits.

Jean Bolland – hagiographer

Adolf Daens – priest and politician

Godfried Danneels – cardinal

Victor-Auguste Dechamps – cardinal

Charles A. Didier – General Authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Jacques Dupuis – Jesuit theologian (interreligious dialogue)

Pierre-Lambert Goossens – cardinal

Henry of Ghent – medieval philosopher

Cornelius Jansen – bishop, theologian (Jansenism)

Jean-Baptiste Janssens – 27th Superior General of the Jesuits

Gustaaf Joos – cardinal

Peter Paul Lefevere – bishop

André-Mutien Léonard – archbishop

Leonardus Lessius – Jesuit theologian

Joseph Maréchal – philosopher, psychologist

Désiré-Joseph Mercier – cardinal

Everard Mercurian, 4th Superior General of the Jesuits

Charles de Noyelle, 12th Superior General of the Jesuits

Georges Pire – Dominican priest, Nobel Peace Prize 1958

Edward Poppe – blessed priest

Jozef-Ernest van Roey – cardinal

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 in China, astronomer

Resistance activists

Albert Guérisse (1911–1989)

Arthur Haulot (1913–2005)

Andrée "Dédée" de Jongh (1916–2007)

Marcel Louette (1907–1978)

Edgard Potier (1903–1944)

Henri Reynders (1903–1981)

Suzanne Spaak (1905–1944)

Gabrielle Weidner (1914–1945)

Johan Hendrik Weidner (1912–1994)

Astronauts

Frank De Winne

Dirk Frimout – first Belgian astronaut

Botanists

Alfred Cogniaux (1841–1916)

Rembert Dodoens (1517–1585)

Barthélemy Charles Joseph du Mortier

Annick Wilmotte (graduated 1982), polar microbiologist

Chemists

Jan Baptist van Helmont (1579–1644) – chemist and physician

Jean-Claude Lorquet – theoretical chemist

Ilya Prigogine – theoretical chemist Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1977 (born in Russia)

Ernest Solvay

Jean Stas

Geographers

Gerardus Mercator

Abraham Ortelius

Geologists

Gaston Briart

Alphonse Francois Renard – geologist and petrographer

Inventors and engineers

Leo Hendrik Baekeland – inventor of bakelite

Alfred Belpaire – steam locomotive engineer

Robert Cailliau – information and control engineer

Joan Daemen – cryptographer (Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Rijndael)

Zénobe Gramme – electrical engineer

John Joseph Merlin – inventor associated with Cox's timepiece. He also invented inline skates in 1759.

Bart Preneel – cryptographer

Vincent Rijmen – cryptographer (Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Rijndael)

Adolphe Sax – inventor of the saxophone

Arthur Vierendeel – engineer and inventor of the Vierendeel truss

Egide Walschaerts – steam locomotive engineer and inventor of the Walschaerts valve gear

André Waterkeyn – engineer, best known for creating the Atomium

Mathematicians

François d'Aguilon – mathematician and physicist (optics)

Jean Bourgain

Eugène Charles Catalan

Ingrid Daubechies – mathematician and physicist

Pierre Deligne – Fields Medal 1978

Jan Denef

Jean-Charles de la Faille

Victor d'Hondt – lawyer and mathematician

Maurice Kraitchik – number theorist and recreational mathematician

Constantin Le Paige

Adolphe Quetelet – mathematician and statistician

Grégoire de Saint-Vincent

Simon Stevin – mathematician and engineer

André Tacquet

Antoine Thomas – mathematician and astronomer (in China)

Joseph Tilly

Jacques Tits

Charles Jean de la Vallée-Poussin

Adriaan van Roomen

Medical scientists

Jules Bordet – Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1919

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)

Corneille Heymans – Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1938

Albert Hustin – medical doctor, the first to practice non-direct blood transfusion

Paul Janssen – scientist and founder of Janssen Pharmacuetica

Marc Lacroix – biochemist and cancer researcher

Benoît Lengelé – medical doctor, the first to perform a partial face transplant

Louis-Joseph Seutin – surgeon

Catherine Verfaillie – stem cell researcher

Andreas Vesalius – anatomist

Luc Calliauw – brain surgeon and professor

Philosophers

Jan Deckers

Luce Irigaray – French philosopher, born in Belgium

Jos Verhulst

Etienne Vermeersch

Physicists

Francois Englert – Nobel Prize in Physics 2013

Georges Lemaître – deviser of the Big Bang Theory

Joseph Plateau

Political scientists and theorists

Rik Coolsaet

Vincent de Coorebyter

Abram Leon

Ernest Mandel

Chantal Mouffe

Social scientists

Paul Jorion – anthropologist, sociologist, cognitive scientist, and economist

Claude Lévi-Strauss – French scientist born in Belgium

Others

Louis De Geer (1587–1652) – born in Liège; considered the father of Swedish industry

Charles Frédéric Dubois and his son Alphonse Joseph Charles Dubois – naturalists

Adrien de Gerlache – explorer

John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster – born in Ghent

Justus Lipsius – classical philologian

Michel Louette – ornithologist

Paul Otlet – information architect

Marc Waelkens – archaeologist

Automobile racing

Philippe Adams – Formula One driver

Bertrand Baguette – 2009 World Series by Renault champion, IndyCar driver

Georges Berger – Formula One driver

Lucien Bianchi – Formula One driver

Thierry Boutsen – racing driver

Johnny Claes – Formula One driver

Jérôme d'Ambrosio – Formula One driver, currently driving for Virgin Racing

Charles de Tornaco – Formula One driver

Marc Duez – racing driver

François Duval – racing driver

Paul Frère – Formula One driver

Bertrand Gachot – racing driver

Olivier Gendebien – race car driver

Christian Goethals – Formula One driver

Jan Heylen – Champ Car veteran

Jacky Ickx – racing driver

Vanina Ickx – daughter of Jacky, Le Mans regular

Camille Jenatzy – race car driver

Arthur Legat – Formula One driver

Bas Leinders – racing driver

Willy Mairesse – Formula One driver

André Milhoux – Formula One driver

Patrick Nève – Formula One driver

André Pilette – Formula One driver

Teddy Pilette (born 1942) – Formula One driver

Théodore Pilette – racing driver

Jacques Swaters – Formula One driver

Eric van de Poele – Formula One driver

Stoffel Vandoorne - Formula One driver

Basketball

Thomas Van Den Spiegel

Ann Wauters

Cycling

Including mountain biking and cyclo-cross

Mario Aerts

Benoni Beheyt

Tom Boonen

Johan Bruyneel

Alex Close

Fred de Bruyne

Eric De Vlaeminck – cyclo-cross

Roger De Vlaeminck

Stijn Devolder

Hélène Dutrieu

Philippe Gilbert

Matthew Gilmore – Australian-turned-Belgian

Willy Lauwers

Roland Liboton – cyclo-cross

Freddy Maertens

Romain Maes

Filip Meirhaeghe – mountain biker

Axel Merckx – son of Eddy Merckx

Eddy Merckx – considered by many as the greatest cyclist ever

Jean-Pierre Monseré

Johan Museeuw

Sven Nys – cyclo-cross

Stan Ockers

Alberic Schotte

Patrick Sercu

Andrei Tchmil – Soviet-turned-Ukrainian-turned-Belgian

Philippe Thys

Frank Vandenbroucke

Lucien Van Impe

Rik Van Looy

Rik Van Steenbergen

Fencing

Henri Anspach – épée and foil fencer, Olympic champion

Paul Anspach – épée and foil fencer, two-time Olympic champion

Jacques Ochs – épée fencer, Olympic champion

Gaston Salmon – épée fencer, Olympic champion

Football (soccer)

Category: Belgian footballers

Philippe Albert – player

Aimé Anthuenis – coach

Christian Benteke – player

Jean-Marc Bosman – player

Jan Ceulemans – player, coach

Lei Clijsters – player, coach

Rik Coppens – player

Thibaut Courtois – goalkeeper

Frank De Bleeckere – referee

Kevin De Bruyne – player

Steven Defour – player

Marc Degryse – player

Mousa Dembélé – player

Marouane Fellaini – player

Eric Gerets – player, coach

Raymond Goethals – coach

Georges Grün – player

Eden Hazard – player

Vincent Kompany – player

Romelu Lukaku – player

Joseph Mermans – player

Vic Mees – player

Simon Mignolet – goalkeeper

Kevin Mirallas – player

Emile Mpenza – player

Jean-Marie Pfaff – goalkeeper

Michel Preud'homme – goalkeeper, coach

Enzo Scifo – player, coach

Timmy Simons – player

Wesley Sonck – player

Lorenzo Staelens – player

Guy Thys – coach

Gilbert Van Binst – player

Daniel Van Buyten – player

Erwin Vandenbergh – player

Constant Vanden Stock – honorary president and former president and player of football club R.S.C. Anderlecht

Roger Vanden Stock – president of football club R.S.C. Anderlecht

Franky Van der Elst – player

Paul Van Himst – player, coach

Wilfried Van Moer – player

Franky Vercauteren – player, coach

Gert Verheyen – player

Thomas Vermaelen – player

Jan Vertonghen – player

Bernard Voorhoof – player

Marc Wilmots – football player and elected senator

Axel Witsel – player

Golf

Laetitia Beck – Belgian-born Israeli golfer

Nicolas Colsaerts – Ryder Cup winner

Thomas Pieters -- European Tour winner

Judo

Ingrid Berghmans – judoka, Olympic champion

Jean-Marie Dedecker – coach

Ilse Heylen – judoka

Harry Van Barneveld – judoka

Gella Vandecaveye – judoka

Robert Van De Walle – judoka, Olympic champion

Ulla Werbrouck – judoka, Olympic champion

Motocross

René Baeten – 1958 500cc motocross World Champion

Marnicq Bervoets – top motocross competitor from the 1990s

Sven Breugelmans – 2005 MX3-GP World Champion

Roger De Coster – five-time 500cc Motocross World Champion

Harry Everts – three-time Motocross World Champion, father of Stefan Everts

Stefan Everts – ten-time Motocross World Champion

Eric Geboers – five-time Motocross World Champion

Sylvain Geboers – motocross des Nations winner

Georges Jobé – five-time Motocross World Champion

André Malherbe – three-time Motocross World Champion

Jacky Martens – 1991 500cc World Champion

Gaston Rahier – three-time 125cc Motocross World Champion

Steve Ramon – two-time Motocross World Champion

Joël Robert – six-time 250cc Motocross World Champion

Joël Smets – three time 500cc Motocross World Champion

Swimming

Brigitte Becue – swimmer

Gérard Blitz – Olympic bronze (100-m backstroke), International Swimming Hall of Fame

Fred Deburghgraeve – swimmer, Olympic champion

Ingrid Lempereur – swimmer

Table tennis

Jean-Michel Saive – player

Tennis

Sabine Appelmans – player

Els Callens – player

Kim Clijsters – player, former World #1, Masters 2002–2003–2010 winner and four-time Grand Slam singles champion

Kirsten Flipkens – player

David Goffin – player

Justine Henin – player, Olympic champion, former World #1, Masters 2006–2007 winner and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion

Xavier Malisse – player

Dominique Monami – player

Christophe Rochus – player

Olivier Rochus – player

Kristof Vliegen – player

Yanina Wickmayer – player

Track and field

Veerle Dejaeghere – athlete

Kim Gevaert – athlete, European champion 100 and 200 metres

Tia Hellebaut – athlete, European champion high jump, Olympic champion high jump

Karel Lismont – athlete

Mohammed Mourhit – athlete

Emiel Puttemans – athlete

Gaston Roelants – athlete, Olympic champion

Patrick Stevens – athlete

Cédric Van Branteghem – athlete

Ivo Van Damme – athlete

Triathlon

Marc Herremans – wheelchair champion

Kathleen Smet – 2005 world champion

Luc Van Lierde – two-time world champion and winner Iron Man

Water polo

Gérard Blitz (1901–1979) – swimming and water polo, two-time Olympic silver, two-time bronze (one in swimming—100-m backstroke), International Swimming Hall of Fame, son of Maurice Blitz

Gérard Blitz (1912–1990) – water polo player and founder of Club Med

Maurice Blitz – water poloist, two-time Olympic silver, father of Gérard Blitz

Henri Cohen – Olympic silver

Other

Luca Brecel – snooker player

Annelies Bredael – rower

Raymond Ceulemans – billiards player

Frédéric Collignon – table soccer; ITSF multi-time and currently acting world champion

Nathalie Descamps – badminton player

Wendy Jans – snooker player, 2006 IBSF Women's World Champion

Tony Parker – NBA basketball player – French nationality, born in Belgium

John Raphael, rugby union player

Jacques Rogge – IOC president

Tarec Saffiedine – mixed martial artist

Seppe Smits – snowboarder

Bart Swings – inline and speed skater

Paul Van Asbroeck – marksman

Kevin van der Perren – figure skating

Hubert Van Innis – archer

Bart Veldkamp – speed skater

Ann Wauters – WNBA basketball player

Comics

Arthur Berckmans (Berck)

Jan Bosschaert

Raoul Cauvin

Didier Comès

François Craenhals

Luc Cromheecke

Paul Cuvelier

Dany

Renaat Demoen

Bob de Moor

André-Paul Duchâteau

Dupa (Luc Dupanloup)

René Follet

Philippe Francq

André Franquin

Patryck de Froidmont

Jean-Richard Geurts (Janry)

François Gilson

René Hausman

Hergé (Georges Remi)

Victor Hubinon

Hermann Huppen

Edgar P. Jacobs

Janry (Jean-Richard Geurts)

Jijé (Joseph Gillain)

Kamagurka

Lambil (Willy Lambillote)

Roger Leloup

Marcel Marlier

Merho

Midam

Morris (Maurice de Bevere)

Jef Nys

Eddy Paape

Frank Pé

Peyo (Pierre Culliford)

Jean Roba

François Schuiten

Yves Sente

Marc Sleen (Marc Neels)

Philippe Tome (Philippe Vandevelde)

William Vance

Willy Vandersteen

Jean Van Hamme

François Walthéry

Will (Willy Maltaite)

Fashion

Antwerp Six

Dirk Bikkembergs

Veronique Branquino

Liz Claiborne – American designer born in Belgium

Elise Crombez

Ann Demeulemeester

Martin Margiela

Hanne Gaby Odiele

Raf Simons

Olivier Strelli

Walter Van Beirendonck

Dries van Noten

Painters

Pierre Alechinsky – Cobra member

Joachim Beuckelaer

Adriaen Brouwer

Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and his family, including Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Jan Brueghel the Elder, and Jan Brueghel the Younger

Robert Campin

Petrus Christus

Emile Claus – impressionism

Gerard David

Philippe de Champaigne

Gaspar de Crayer

Raoul De Keyser – abstract painter

Paul Delvaux – surrealist

Jean Delville – symbolist painter

Albert Demuyser

Gustave De Smet – expressionism

Sam Dillemans

James Ensor

Frans Floris

Adriaen Isenbrandt

Jacob Jordaens

Justus of Ghent

Fernand Khnopff – symbolist

Georges Emile Lebacq – Impressionist, Post-Impressionist painter

Limbourg brothers – manuscript illuminators

Lambert Lombard

Jan Mabuse

René Magritte – surrealist

Xavier Mellery – symbolist

Hans Memling

Kwinten Metsys (a.k.a. Quentin Matsys/Quentin Massys)

Joseph Noiret – painter and poet

Constant Permeke – expressionist

Pieter Pourbus

Roger Raveel

Félicien Rops

Peter Paul Rubens – Baroque painter

Victor Servranckx – cubist

Frans Snyders

Leon Spilliaert

David Teniers the Younger

Luc Tuymans

Pieter van Aelst

Joos van Cleve

Frits Van den Berghe – expressionist

Hugo van der Goes

Rogier van der Weyden (a.k.a. Rog(i)er de la Pasture)

Gustave Van de Woestijne

Sir Anthony van Dyck (Antoon van Dyck)

Jan van Eyck and his brother Hubert van Eyck

Peter Van Gheluwe

Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven

Eugeen Van Mieghem

Bernard van Orley

Théo van Rysselberghe – neo-impressionist

Fernand Verhaegen – painter of Walloon folklore

Antoine Joseph Wiertz

Photographers

Carl de Keyzer

Leon Van Loo

Sculptors

Delphine Boël

René Carcan

May Claerhout

François Duquesnoy

Jan Fabre

Lucas Faydherbe

Jean-Michel Folon

George Grard

Constantin Meunier

George Minne

Olivier Strebelle

Rik Wouters

Others

Guillaume Bijl

Ade Bethune

Guy Bleus

Marcel Broodthaers

Jean De Bast

Victor Delhez

Wim Delvoye

Danny Devos

Dr. Hugo Heyrman

Panamarenko

Others

Arturo Alfandari – diplomat, creator of the language Neo

Menachem Banitt – expert in medieval French language and culture

Edgard Colle – chess player

Sabine Dardenne – victim of child molestor Marc Dutroux

Jeanne de Bellem – political activist during the Brabant revolution

Thierry de Duve – art critic and theorist

Michel de Kemmeter (born 1964)

Paul de Man – deconstructionist literary critic and theorist

Joanna DeRoover – oldest documented living person in Belgium at the time of her death

Piet Huysentruyt – chef and bestselling author

Jean-Denis Lejeune – founder of Child Focus

Claude Lelièvre – Commissioner for Children Rights, French-speaking Community

Jean-Baptiste Moëns – "father of philately"

Peter Piot – Director of UNAIDS

Sybille de Selys Longchamps

Vanden Geyhn et Van Aerschodt – bell and carrillon founders

Pierre Wynants – chef