Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with a population of about 1.6 million people. The list includes notable natives of Sardinia, as well as those who were born elsewhere but spent a large part of their active life in Sardinia. People of Sardinian heritage and descent are in a separate section of this article.

Academic figures and inventors

thumb|right|120px|Domenico Alberto Azuni

thumb|right|120px|Giovanni Spano

thumb|right|120px|Gianluigi Gessa

  • Pietro Amat di San Filippo (1826–1895), geographer, historian and bibliographer
  • Giulio Angioni (1939–2016), writer and anthropologist
  • Efisio Arru (1927–2000), parasitologist
  • Domenico Alberto Azuni (1749–1827), jurist
  • Ludovico Baille (1764–1869), historian
  • Augusto Bissiri (1879–1968), inventor, credited as one of the first developers of television, the cathode-ray tube and the fax
  • Remo Bodei (born in Cagliari, 1938), philosopher
  • Francesco Antonio Boi (1767–1850), physician and anatomist
  • Francesco Antonio Broccu (1797–1882), inventor, born in Gadoni, regarded as the first developer of the revolver
  • Giuseppe Brotzu (1895–1976), pharmacologist, discoverer of cephalosporin based antibiotics, and candidate for the Nobel Prize in Medicine
  • Carlo Cercignani (1939–2010), physicist and mathematician
  • Fausto Cercignani (born 1941), scholar in linguistics
  • Enrico Costa (born 1944), astrophysicist, known for studies on the gamma-ray bursts
  • Erminio Costa (Cagliari 1924 – Washington 2009), neuroscientist
  • Joan de Girgio Vitelli (Alghero 1870 – Rome 1916), lawyer and writer
  • Carlo Fadda (1853–1931), jurist and politician
  • Antonio Fais (1841–1925), mathematician and engineer
  • Giovanni Francesco Fara (1543–1591), geographer and historian
  • Walter Ferreri, astronomer
  • Gian Luigi Gessa (born 1932), pharmacologist and neuropsychiatrist
  • Pier Michele Giagaraccio (16th century AD), jurist, lawyer, and poet
  • Paola Leone, neurologist, leader researcher of Canavan disease
  • Giovanni Lilliu (1914–2012), archeologist, academician, publicist and politician
  • Eva Mameli (1886–1978), botanist, naturalist and mathematician
  • Lidia Mannuzzu (1958–2016), biologist, physiologist and academic
  • Antonio Pigliaru (1922–1969), philosopher
  • Salvatore Satta (1902–1975), jurist and writer
  • Sebastiano Satta (1867–1914), poet, writer, lawyer and journalist
  • Paolo Savona (born 1936), economist
  • Giovanni Soro (died 1544), the Western world first great cryptanalyst; Soro was employed in Venice by the Council of Ten as cipher breaker-in-chief.
  • Giovanni Spano (1803–1878), linguist and archaeologist
  • Nicola Tanda (born 1928) philologist and literary critic
  • Pasquale Tola (1800–1874), historian, magistrate and politician

Activists

  • Aurelio Chessa (1913–1996) anarchist, journalist and historian
  • Giovanni Nuvoli

Architects and designers

thumb|120px|right|[[Paola Antonelli]]

  • Paola Antonelli (born 1963), architect, senior Curator in the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York
  • Carlo Battaglia (1933–2005), designer
  • Ambra Medda (born 1982) designer, Sardinian mother and Austrian father
  • Gaetano Cima (1805–1878), Neoclassical architect
  • Fernando Clemente (1917–1998), architect and urbanist
  • Francesco Boffo (1796–1867), Neoclassical architect
  • Davis Ducart architect of the 18th-century
  • Renzo Frau (Cagliari 1880 – 1926), designer
  • Flavio Manzoni (born 1965), architect and car designer
  • Alessandro Melis (born 1969), architect and writer
  • Vico Mossa (1914–2003), Architect
  • Enzo Satta, urbanist and architect
  • Eugenio Tavolara (1901–1963), sculptor and designer

Authors

right|120px|thumb|[[Grazia Deledda, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926]]

  • Milena Agus (born 1955)
  • Francesco Alziator (1909–1977), writer and journalist
  • Antonella Anedda (born 1955), half-Sardinian
  • Giulio Angioni (1939–2017) writer and anthropologist
  • Gerolamo Araolla (1542–1615)
  • Sergio Atzeni (1952–1995)
  • Vicente Bacallar Sanna (1669–1726)
  • Ludovico Baille (1764–1839)
  • Alberto Capitta (born 1954)
  • Fausta Cialente (1898–1994)
  • Antoni Cossu (1927–2002)
  • Grazia Deledda (1871–1936), winner of the Nobel prize for literature
  • Pietro Delitala (middle 16th century – 1613), poet
  • Salvatore Farina (1846–1918), novelist
  • Maria Chessa Lai (1922–2012), poet
  • Gavino Ledda (born 1938)
  • Emilio Lussu (1890–1975)
  • Francesco Manunta i Baldino (1928–1995), poet
  • Rita Carla Francesca Monticelli
  • Melchiorre Murenu (1803–1854)
  • Michela Murgia
  • Salvatore Niffoi (born 1950), writer
  • Rafael Sari (1904–1978), poet and writer
  • Salvatore Satta (1902–1975), writer
  • Flavio Soriga (born 1975) writer
  • Pasqual Scanu (1908–1978)
  • Tigellius (1st century BC – 40 BC), lyric poet during the time of Julius Caesar
  • Pasquale Tola (1800–1874)
  • Dolores Turchi (born 1935)

Businessmen

right|120px|thumb|[[Renato Soru]]

  • Massimo Cellino (born 1956), entrepreneur and football club owner
  • Giovanni Antonio Sanna (1819–1875), entrepreneur and politician
  • Renato Soru (born 1957), entrepreneur founder of Tiscali and former governor of Sardinia
  • Salvatore Dau (1839–1914), tanner https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salvatore_Dau_1885.jpg

Cinema and TV

Actors and actresses

right|thumb|120px|[[Pier Angeli]]

120px|thumb|right|Rubi Dalma

  • Gianni Agus (1917–1994)
  • Andrea Arru (born 2007)
  • Mavie Bardanzellu (1938–2022)
  • Vittorio Congia (1930–2019)
  • Rubi Dalma (1906–1994)
  • Giancarlo Dettori (born 1932)
  • Maria Frau (born 1930)
  • Rossana Ghessa (born 1943)
  • Rita Livesi (1915–1989)
  • Mario Majeroni (1870–1931)
  • Gloria Milland (1940–1989)
  • Tiberio Murgia
  • Caterina Murino
  • Amedeo Nazzari
  • Marisa Pierangeli
  • Anna Maria Pierangeli, also known as Pier Angeli

Filmmakers

120px|thumb|right|Nanni Loy

  • Luigi Batzella
  • Antonello Grimaldi
  • Piero Livi (1925–2015), director and screenwriter
  • Nanni Loy
  • Sebastian Piras, photographer and filmmaker
  • Fiorenzo Serra (1921–2005), documentarist
  • Franco Solinas (1927–1982), screenwriter

Showgirls and fashion models

thumb|right|120px|Melissa Satta

  • Elisabetta Canalis
  • Franca Dall'Olio (born 1945), Miss Italia 1963
  • Alessandra Meloni (born 1972), Miss Italia 1994
  • Giorgia Palmas
  • Melissa Satta

Police officers

Emanuela Loi

Criminals

  • Er Canaro (born 1956)
  • Giovanni Corbeddu Salis (1844–1898), outlaw

Journalists

thumb|right|120px|Attilio Deffenu

  • Francesco Alziator (1909–1977), born in Cagliari
  • Pasquale Chessa (born 1947), historian and journalist
  • Attilio Deffenu (1890–1918) journalist, syndicalist and patriot
  • Annalisa Piras (born 1971), journalist and film maker
  • Cristiano Ruiu (born 1979)
  • Aminata Aidara (born 1984) Sardinian mother and Senegalese father

Mercenaries, soldiers and troops

120px|thumbnail|Domenico Millelire

  • Mario Aramu (1900–1940), aviator
  • Domenico Millelire (1761–1827), patriot, navy officer
  • Antonio Todde (1889–2002), oldest man in the world at the date of his death and the third-oldest military veteran ever
  • Efisio Tola (1803–1833), patriot
  • Justin Tuveri (May 13, 1898 – October 5, 2007), one of the last Italian veterans of the First World War

Musicians and singers

120px|thumb|right|the tenor [[Mario (tenor)|Giovanni Matteo De Candia.]]

120px|thumb|Giuseppe Anedda

  • Giuseppe Anedda (1912–1997)
  • Bianca Atzei (born 1987)
  • Maria Carta
  • Collage
  • Giovanni Matteo De Candia, operatic singer (tenor), known as Mario
  • Mahmood, singer born to a Sardinian mother and an Egyptian father
  • Bernardo de Muro, operatic singer (tenor)
  • Francesco Demuro
  • Roberto Diana (born 1983), musician, guitarist, composer, producer and session man
  • La Fossa (rap group)
  • Paolo Fresu
  • Mariano Garau (born 1952), composer and choral conductor
  • Anna Tifu, violinist born to a Sardinian mother and Romanian father
  • Luigi Lai
  • Elena Ledda
  • Bernadette Manca di Nissa
  • Franca Masu (born 1962)
  • Carmen Melis (1885–1967), operatic soprano
  • Efisio Melis
  • Roberto Meloni
  • Salmo (rapper)
  • Filomena Moretti, guitarist
  • Franco Oppo (1935–2016), composer and scholar
  • Aldo Piga, music compose
  • Marisa Sannia
  • Valerio Scanu
  • Angelo Sotgiu (born 1946)
  • Tazenda
  • Tenores di Bitti

Visual artists

Painters, illustrators, photographers, sculptors

120px|thumbnail|Francesco Ciusa

120px|thumb|right|Pinuccio Sciola

  • Edina Altara (1898–1983), illustrator and painter
  • Giuseppe Biasi (1885–1945), painter
  • Vittore Bocchetta (born 1918), sculptor, painter and academic
  • Carlo Chessa (1855–1912), painter, printmaker, and illustrator
  • Francesco Ciusa (1883–1949), sculptor
  • Ignazio Fresu (born 1957), sculptor
  • Giovanni del Giglio (died 1554), mannerist painter
  • Master of Castelsardo (15th–16th century), painter
  • Francesco Menzio (1899–1979), painter
  • Costantino Nivola (1911–1988), sculptor
  • Aligi Sassu (1912–2000), sculptor and painter
  • Pinuccio Sciola (1942–2016), sculptor
  • Mario Sironi (1885–1961), modernist, painter, sculptor, illustrator, and designer
  • Maria Antonietta Tilloca
  • Vittoria Valmaggia (1944–2009), painter, ceramist sculptor and designer

Cartoonists and comics creators

  • Igort (real name Igor Tuveri) (born 1958)
  • Graziano Origa (born 1952), cartoonist, punk artist
  • Michele Medda (born 1962), comic writer

Politicians

120px|right|thumb|[[Eleanor of Arborea, queen of the Giudicato of Arborea (Sardinian: Judicadu de Arbarée)]]

120px|thumbnail|right|[[Giovanni Maria Angioy, Sardinian patriot]]

  • Francesco Maria Barracu (1885-1945), fascist politician and soldier
  • Giuseppe Abozzi (1882–1962), socialist
  • Hasan Agha (fl. 1532–1544), ruler of the Regency of Algiers
  • Camillo Bellieni (1893–1975), politician, founder of Partito Sardo d'Azione
  • Giovanni Maria Angioy (1751–1808), politician and patriot
  • Gavino Angius (born 1946), senator
  • Vicente Bacallar Sanna (1669–1726), governor of Cagliari and Gallura, Spanish ambassador
  • Benedetta of Cagliari (c. 1194–1232/1233),
  • Enrico Berlinguer (1922–1984), Italian Communist Party leader
  • Giovanni Berlinguer (born 1924–6 April 2015), member of the European Parliament
  • Luigi Berlinguer (born 25 July 1932–1 November 2023), Minister of Universities, Science and Technology
  • Mario Berlinguer (1891–1969)
  • Sergio Berlinguer (born 6 May 1934–17 October 2021)
  • Nanni Campus (born 3 September 1952)
  • Francesco Cocco-Ortu (1842–1929), minister of the Kingdom of Italy
  • Michele Columbu (1914–2012), former member of the European Parliament
  • Francesco Cossiga (1928–2010), former President of the Italian Republic
  • Giuseppe Cossiga (born October 30, 1963)
  • Bruno Dettori (born 1941), politician
  • Oliviero Diliberto (born 1956), Party of Italian Communists leader
  • Eleanor of Arborea (1347–1404), of Arborea
  • Gianfranco Ganau (born 3 March 1955)
  • Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937), founding member of the Italian Communist Party
  • Hugh I of Arborea (1178–1211), giudice of Arborea
  • Ippolita Ludovisi (1663–1733), princess of Piombino
  • Emilio Lussu (1890–1975), soldier, politician and writer
  • Giuseppe Manno (1786–1868), magistrate, politician and historian
  • Marianus IV of Arborea (1319–1376), giudice of Arborea
  • Ospitone (6th century AD), chief of people of Barbagia
  • Paolo Orano (1875–1945), psychologist, politician and writer
  • Giuseppe Pisanu (born 1937), former Italian minister
  • Edmondo Sanjust di Teulada (1858–1936), engineer and politician
  • Giuseppe Saragat (1898–1988), President of the Italian Republic
  • Michele Schirru (1899–1931), anarchist who attempted to assassinate Italian dictator Benito Mussolini
  • Antonio Segni (1891–1972), former President of the Italian Republic
  • Mario Segni (born 1939), former member of Italian Parliament and European Parliament
  • Adelasia of Torres (1207–1259),

Sportspeople

Athletics

  • Sandro Floris (born 1965), former sprinter
  • Giorgio Marras (born 1971), former sprinter
  • Eugenio Meloni (born 1994), high jumper
  • Giovanni Puggioni (born 1966), former sprinter
  • Antonio Siddi (1923–1983), former sprinter
  • Filippo Tortu (born 1998), sprinter
  • Valentina Uccheddu (born 1966), former long jumper

Basketball

  • Federica Brunetti (born 1988)
  • Massimo Chessa (born 1988), professional basketball player
  • Luigi Datome
  • Lidia Oppo (born 1995)
  • Daniele Soro (born 1975)
  • Marco Spissu (born 1995), professional basketball player

Bodybuilding

  • Franco Columbu, Mr Olympia in 1976 and 1981, and Mr Universe 1970

Boxing

  • Fernando Atzori (born 1942), olympic gold medalist
  • Salvatore Burruni
  • Enzo Calzaghe
  • Simone Maludrottu, European bantamweight champion
  • Gavino Matta
  • Franco Udella, World Champion

Canoeing

  • Pierangelo Congiu (born 1951), sprint canoer

Cycling

  • Fabio Aru (born 1990), Vuelta a España winner
  • Alberto Loddo (born 1979), retired

Equestrianism

150px|thumbnail|Paolo Angioni in 1968

  • Paolo Angioni (born 1938), olympic champion

Extreme sports

  • John Carta (1946–1990), skydiver and basejumper pioneer

Football

right|thumb|120px|[[Gianfranco Zola]]

thumbnail|right|120px|Salvatore Sirigu

thumbnail|right|120px|Andrea Cossu

  • Simone Aresti (born 1986)
  • Nicolò Barella (born 1997), Italian international, European champion 2020
  • Salvatore Burrai (born 1987)
  • Andrea Cocco (born 1986)
  • Alessio Cossu (born 1986)
  • Karim Laribi (born 1991), Sardinian mother and Tunisian father
  • Andrea Cossu (born 1980), former Italian international
  • Enrico Cotza (born 1988)
  • Antonello Cuccureddu (born 1949), former Italian international
  • Alessandro Farina (born 1979)
  • Gianluca Festa (born 1969)
  • Michele Fini (born 1974)
  • Alessandro Frau (born 1977)
  • Salvatore Fresi (born 1973)
  • Gustavo Giagnoni (1932–2018)
  • Nicola Lai (born 1986)
  • Valentino Lai (born 1984)
  • Marco Mancosu (born 1988)
  • Matteo Mancosu (born 1984)
  • Giuseppe Materazzi (born 1946)
  • Gianfranco Matteoli (born 1959), former Italian international
  • Nicola Murru (born 1994)
  • Salvatore Pinna (born 1975)
  • Francesco Pisano (born 1986)
  • Andrea Pisanu (born 1982)
  • Marco Sau (born 1987), Italian international
  • Salvatore Sirigu (born 1987), Italian international
  • Simona Sodini (born 1982), Italian women's international
  • Giovanni Solinas (born 1968)
  • Pietro Paolo Virdis (born 1957)
  • Gianfranco Zola (born 1966), former Italian international
  • Jordan Bouah (born 1995), Sardinian mother and Ivorian father

Horse racing

  • Andrea Atzeni (born 1991)
  • Giovanni Atzeni (born 1985)
  • Andrea Degortes known as Aceto
  • Gianfranco Dettori

Ice hockey

  • Luca Sbisa

Modern pentathlon

  • Mario Medda (1943–1981)

Motor racing

  • Clemente Biondetti, Formula One racing driver
  • Domenico Brigaglia (born 1958), motorcycle racer
  • Omar Magliona (born 1977), racing driver
  • Giovanni de Riu (1925–2008), racing driver
  • Simone Sanna (born 1978), motorcycle racer

Rowing

  • Francesco Cossu (1907–?)

Tennis

  • Alessandro de Minicis (born 1963), retired

Religious figures

thumbnail|120px|Pope Hilarius

thumb|120px|right|Joseph Toronto

  • Abraham da Cagliari (8th century), Rabbi
  • Ottorino Pietro Alberti (1927–2012) Archbishop
  • Salvatore Alepus (1503–1568), Archbishop
  • Luigi Amat di San Filippo e Sorso (1796–1878), Cardinal
  • Antiochus of Sulcis (died c. 110), Christian martyr
  • Hilary the Deacon (mid-4th century)
  • Ilario Cao
  • Nicholas Congiato (1816–1897), Jesuit, President of Santa Clara University
  • Justa, Justina and Henedina, Christian martyrs
  • Luigi De Magistris, Cardinal
  • Giovanni Melis Fois, Prelate of Roman Catholic Church
  • Ephysius (250–303), Christian martyr
  • Eusebius of Vercelli
  • Gavinus (4th century), Christian martyr
  • Pope Hilarius (died 468), Pope
  • Ignatius of Laconi (1701–1781)
  • Lucifer (4th century), Bishop of Cagliari
  • Antonia Mesina (1919–1935), martyr
  • Carlo Mario Francesco Pompedda (1929–2006), Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura for the Roman Curia
  • Riccus (13th century), Archbishop
  • Elisabetta Sanna (1788–1857)
  • Maria Gabriella Sagheddu (1914–1939), Saint Beatus
  • Pope Symmachus (6th century), Pope
  • Joseph Toronto (1818–1883), Mormon missionary
  • Aloysius Varsi (1830–1900)
  • Francesco Zirano (1565–1603), member of the Order of Friars Minor, beatified in 2014

Notable people of Sardinian descent

thumb|Wally Schirra, astronaut

  • Ettore Pais (1856–1939), historian with Sardinian ancestry
  • Gustavo Piga (born 1964), economist
  • Ambra Medda (born 1982), designer
  • Orazio Satta Puliga (1910–1974), car designer
  • Italo Calvino (1923–1985), writer candidate for Nobel Prize in Literature with Sardinian ancestry from mother side
  • Cecilia Maria de Candia (1853–1926), writer (Sardinian ancestry from father side)
  • Goffredo Mameli, patriot and poet, creator of the Italian anthem (born in Genoa by Sardinian father)
  • Eric Cantona (born 24 May 1966), French actor and football player with Sardinian ancestry
  • Donatella Damiani (born 1958), Sardinian from father side
  • Bruce Kirby (1925–2021), American actor, Sardinian ancestry
  • Bruno Kirby (1949–2006), American actor, Sardinian ancestry
  • Christopher Meloni, American actor, father from Sardinia
  • Fernanda Montenegro (born 1929), Brazilian actress, with Sardinian ancestry from mother's side
  • Sean Penn, American actor, Sardinian from mother side
  • Bruno Putzulu, French actor, Sardinian ancestry
  • Stefano Satta Flores, Sardinian ancestry
  • Wally Schirra (1923–2007), astronaut with Sardinian ancestry
  • Valeria Marini, born in Rome, Sardinian from mother side
  • Pamela Prati, Sardinian from mother side
  • Virginia Sanjust di Teulada (born 1977), Sardinian from father side
  • Adriana Serra (1923–1995), actress and Miss Italia 1941 (Sardinian from father side)
  • Corrado Augias (born 26 January 1935), Sardinian ancestry
  • Mino Carta (born 1933), Sardinian parents
  • Jean-Marc Morandini (born 1965), Sardinian from mother side
  • Barbara Serra (born 1974), Sardinian from father side
  • Efisio Tola (1803–1833), patriot

right|120px|thumb|[[Goffredo Mameli, author of Italian national anthem (Genoese of Sardinian ancestry).]]

  • Ricky Gianco (born Riccardo Sanna, 1943), singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer, with partial Sardinian ancestry
  • Ivan Graziani, Sardinian from mother side
  • Nyco Lilliu (born 1987), Sardinian ancestry
  • Pierrick Lilliu (born 1986), Sardinian ancestry
  • Giorgia Meloni, italian prime minister, sardinian father
  • Ugo Mulas (1928–1973), photographer with Sardinian ancestry
  • Aurelio Galleppini (1917–1994), His parents were Sardinians

right|thumb|120px|[[Enrico Letta, Pisan of Sardinian ancestry.]]

  • Graziano Delrio (born 1960), Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport with Sardinian ancestry
  • Beji Caid Essebsi (1926–2019), first democratically elected President of Tunisia (Paternal great-great-grandfather from Sardinia)
  • Enrico Letta (born 1966), former Prime Minister of Italy. Sardinian from mother side.
  • Jean-Paul Marat (from the father side) (1743–1793), politician during the French Revolution
  • Giorgia Meloni (born 1977), Prime minister of Italy (Sardinian from father side)
  • Juan Domingo Perón (1895–1974), President of Argentina (Sardinian descent from father side)
  • Silvia Salis (born in Genoa, Sardinian ancestry)
  • Luigi Datome (born 1987), professional basketball player with Sardinian ancestry
  • Joe Calzaghe, father Enzo from Sardinia
  • Nicolino Locche (1939–2005), Argentine boxer with Sardinian ancestry
  • Duilio Loi, Sardinian from father side
  • Graciano Rocchigiani, father Zanubio from Sardinia
  • Mattia Aramu (born 1995), Sardinian parents
  • Dennis Chessa (born 1992), Sardinian ancestry
  • Marco Materazzi, mother from Tempio, father from Arborea, province of Oristano
  • Frankie Dettori, born in Milan from Sardinian parents
  • Fabio Carta, born in Torino, Sardinian parents
  • Andreia Marras (born 1971), Sardinian ancestry
  • Alessandro Mahmoud (Mahmood), born in Milan from Sardinian mother

See also

  • Sardinian people
  • List of Italians

References