List of Sardinians

This is a list of famous people from or with origins in the island of Sardinia.

Academic figures and inventors

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Domenico Alberto Azuni

Giovanni Spano

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Gianluigi Gessa

• Giulio Angioni (born 1939), 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 Broccu (1797–1882), inventor, born in Gadoni, regarded as the first developer of Revolver
• Giuseppe Brotzu (1895 – 1976), pharmacologist, discoverer of cephalosphorin based antibiotics, and candidate for 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.
• 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.
• Ettore Pais (1856– 1939), historian with Sardinian ancestry
• Antonio Pigliaru (1922–1969), philosopher
• 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)
• Pasquale Tola (1800–1874), historian, magistrate and politician

Activists

• Giovanni Nuvoli

Architects and designers

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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
• Gaetano Cima (1805 – 1878), Neoclassical architect
• Fernando Clemente (1917–1998), architect and urbanist
• Francesco Boffo (1796-1867), Neoclassical architect
• Renzo Frau (Cagliari 1880 - 1926), designer
• Flavio Manzoni (born 1965), architect and car designer
• Ambra Medda (born 1982), Designer
• Antonio Simon Mossa (born 1916): Architect, politician and journalist
• Vico Mossa (1914 - 2003), Architect
• Orazio Satta Puliga (1910 - 1974), car designer with Sardinian ancestry
• Enzo Satta, urbanist and architect
• Eugenio Tavolara (1901–1963), sculptor and designer

Astronauts

Walter Schirra

• Wally Schirra (1923 – 2007)

Authors

Grazia Deledda, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926

• Milena Agus (born 1955)
• Francesco Alziator (1909-1977), writer and journalist
• Giulio Angioni (born 1939) writer and anthropologist
• Gerolamo Araolla (1542-1615)
• Sergio Atzeni (1952-1995)
• Vicente Bacallar Sanna (1669-1726)
• Ludovico Baille (1764-1839)
• Italo Calvino (1923-1985) (Sardinian from mother side), writer candidate for Nobel Prize in Literature.
• Alberto Capitta (born 1954)
• Fausta Cialente (1898-1994)
• Antoni Cossu (1927–2002)
• Cecilia Maria de Candia (1853 - 1926), writer (sardinian ancestry from father side)
• 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)
• Goffredo Mameli, patriot and poet, creator of the Italian anthem (born in Genoa by Sardinian father)
• Francesco Manunta i Baldino (1928–1995), poet
• Melchiorre Murenu (1803-1854)
• Michela Murgia
• Salvatore Niffoi (born 1950), writer.
• Gianluca Piredda (born 1976), writer and journalist
• Rafael Sari (1904 - 1978),poet and writer
• Flavio Soriga (born 1975) writer
• Pasqual Scanu (1908 - 1978)
• Pasquale Tola (1800-1874)

Businessmen

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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

Cinema and TV

Actors & actresses

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Maria Luisa Pierangeli

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Melissa Satta

• Gianni Agus
• Mavie Bardanzellu (born 1938), actress
• Éric Cantona (born 24 May 1966), French actor and football player with Sardinian ancestry
• Vittorio Congia (born 4 November 1930), film actor
• Rossana Ghessa (born 24 January 1943)
• Rita Livesi (born 1915)
• Bruce Kirby (born 1928), American actor, Sardinian ancestry
• Denis Marti (born 1972), pornographic actor and adult film maker
• Christopher Meloni - American actor, father from Sardinia
• Gloria Milland (born 1940), actress
• Fernanda Montenegro (born 1929), Brazilian actress, with Sardinian ancestry from mother's side
• Tiberio Murgia
• Caterina Murino
• Amedeo Nazzari
• Alessandro Nivola-American Actor, Grandson of Costantino Nivola
• Marisa Pierangeli
• Anna Maria Pierangeli - also known as Pier Angeli
• Bruno Putzulu French actor, Sardinian ancestry
• Stefano Satta Flores, Sardinian ancestry
• Marisa Solinas, Sardinian ancestry

Filmmakers

• Luigi Batzella
• Antonello Grimaldi
• Nanni Loy
• Sebastian Piras, photographer and filmmaker
• Franco Solinas (1927-1982) screenwriter

Showgirls and fashion models

• Elisabetta Canalis
• Valeria Marini, born in Rome from Sardinian parents
• Giorgia Palmas
• Pamela Prati (sardinian from mother side)
• Melissa Satta

Police officers

Emanuela Loi

Criminals

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

Journalists

• Corrado Augias (born 26 January 1935), Sardinian ancestry
• 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)
• Barbara Serra (born 1974), Sardinian from father side

Mercenaries, soldiers & troops

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Domenico Millelire

• Tercio de Cerdeña, (founded 1564), infantry brigade of the Spanish Army
• Brigata Sassari, (founded 1915), mechanized infantry brigade of the Italian Army
• Granatieri di Sardegna Mechanized Brigade, (founded 1814), mechanized infantry brigade of the Italian Army
• 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

Goffredo Mameli, author of Italian national anthem (Genoese of Sardinian ancestry).

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the tenor Giovanni Matteo De Candia.

• Maria Carta
• Chaoswave
• Niko Congiu
• Giovanni Matteo De Candia, operatic singer (tenor), known as Mario
• Bernardo de Muro, operatic singer (tenor)
• Francesco Demuro
• Mariangela Demurtas, singer of metal Norwegian band Tristania
• Roberto Diana (born 1983) musician, guitarist, composer, producer and session man.
• La Fossa (rap group)
• Paolo Fresu
• Ricky Gianco (born Riccardo Sanna, 1943), singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer,with partial Sardinian ancestry
• Raimondo Inconis (born 1959 ), contrabassoonist.
• Elena Ledda
• Nyco Lilliu (born 1987), Sardinian ancestry
• Pierrick Lilliu (born 1986), Sardinian ancestry
• Bernadette Manca di Nissa
• Carmen Melis (1885–1967), operatic soprano
• Efisio Melis
• Roberto Meloni
• Filomena Moretti, guitarist
• Marisa Sannia
• Valerio Scanu
• Angelo Sotgiu (born 1946)
• Tazenda
• Tenores di Bitti

Visual artists

Painters, illustrators, photographers, sculptors

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Francesco Ciusa

• 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
• Ugo Mulas (1928 - 1973), photographer with Sardinian ancestry
• Costantino Nivola (1911–1988), sculptor
• Aligi Sassu (1912–2000), sculptor and painter
• Pinuccio Sciola (born 1942), sculptor
• Mario Sironi (1885–1961), modernist painter, sculptor, illustrator, and designer
• Maria Antonietta Tilloca
• Vittoria Valmaggia (1944-2009), painter, ceramist sculptor and designer

Cartoonists & comics creators

• Aurelio Galleppini (1917-1994) (His parents were Sardinians)
• Igort (real name Igor Tuveri) (born 1958)
• Graziano Origa (born 1952), cartoonist, punk artist
• Michele Medda (born 1962), comic writer

Politicians

See also: List of rulers of Sardinia

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Eleanor of Arborea, queen of the Giudicato of Arborea (Sardinian: Judicadu de Arbarée)

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Giovanni Maria Angioy, Sardinian patriot

• Giuseppe Abozzi (1882 - 1962), socialist

Enrico Letta (Pisan of Sardinian ancestry).

• 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), giudicessa of Cagliari
• Enrico Berlinguer (1922–1984), Italian Communist Party leader
• Giovanni Berlinguer (born 1924), member of the European Parliament
• Luigi Berlinguer (born 25 July 1932), Minister of Universities, Science and Technology
• Mario Berlinguer (1891–1969)
• Sergio Berlinguer (born 6 May 1934)
• Francesco Cocco-Ortu (1842 –1929), minister of the Kingdom of Italy.
• Michele Columbu (born 1914), former member of the European Parliament
• Francesco Cossiga (1928–2010), former President of the Italian Republic
• Giuseppe Cossiga (born October 30, 1963)
• Graziano Delrio (born 1960), Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport with Sardinian ancestry
• Bruno Dettori ( born 1941 )
• Oliviero Diliberto (born 1956), Party of Italian Communists leader
• Eleanor of Arborea (1347–1404), Giudicessa of Arborea
• Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937), founding member of the Italian Communist Party
• Hugh I of Arborea (1178–1211), giudice of Arborea
• Enrico Letta (born 1966), former Prime Minister of Italy. Sardinian from mother side.
• Ippolita Ludovisi (1663–1733), princess of Piombino
• Emilio Lussu (1890–1975), soldier, politician and writer
• Giuseppe Manno (1786 - 1868), magistrate, politician and historian.
• Jean-Paul Marat (from the father's side) (1743–1793), politician during the French Revolution
• Marianus IV of Arborea the Great (1329–1376), giudice of Arborea
• Giorgia Meloni (born 1977), ex minister of Italy (Sardinian from father side)
• Ospitone (6th century AD), chief of people of Barbagia
• Paolo Orano ( 1875 - 1945 ) psychologist, politician and writer.
• Juan Domingo Perón (1895–1974), President of Argentina (Sardinian descent from father side)
• 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), giudicessa di Torres

Sports figures

Athletics

• Sandro Floris
• Giorgio Marras
• Mario Medda (1943 – 1981), modern pentathlete
• Giovanni Puggioni
• Silvia Salis (born in Genoa, Sardinian ancestry)
• Antonio Siddi (16 June 1923 – 21 January 1983)
• Valentina Uccheddu, long jumper

Auto racing drivers

• Clemente Biondetti
• Domenico Brigaglia (born 1958), Grand Prix motorcycle road racer
• Simone Sanna (born 1978)

Basketball Players

• Luigi Datome (born 1987 ) professional basketball player with Sardinian ancestry who currently plays for Fenerbahçe Ülker.
• Marco Spissu (born 1995) professional basketball player for the U-20 Italian national team.
• Massimo Chessa (born 1988) professional basketball player.

Bicycle racers

• Fabio Aru
• Alberto Loddo

Bodybuilders

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

Boxers & wrestlers

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Franco Columbu

• Fernando Atzori (born 1942), olympic boxing gold medalist
• Salvatore Burruni Boxing Champion
• Joe Calzaghe - father Enzo from Sardinia
• Enzo Calzaghe
• Nicolino Locche (1939 – 2005), Argentine boxer with Sardinian ancestry
• Duilio Loi - Sardinian from father side
• Simone Maludrottu - European bantamweight boxing champion
• Gavino Matta
• Graciano Rocchigiani - father Zanubio from Sardinia
• Franco Udella - World Boxing Champion

Extreme Sportsmen

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

Footballers

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Gianfranco Zola

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Salvatore Sirigu

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Andrea Cossu

• Simone Aresti (born 1986)
• Salvatore Burrai
• Andrea Cocco
• Sandro Cois - Sardinian origin
• Alessio Cossu (born 1986)
• Andrea Cossu (born 1980)
• Enrico Cotza
• Antonello Cuccureddu - born in Alghero
• Daniele Dessena (born 1987)- Sardinian origin
• Alessandro Farina
• Gianluca Festa
• Michele Fini (born 1974)
• Valerio Fiori (born 1969)
• Alessandro Frau
• Salvatore Fresi
• Gustavo Giagnoni
• Nicola Lai
• Valentino Lai
• Marco Mancosu
• Matteo Mancosu
• Marco Materazzi - Mother from Tempio, father from Arborea, province of Oristano
• Giuseppe Materazzi
• Gianfranco Matteoli
• Salvatore Pinna, goalkeeper
• Francesco Pisano
• Andrea Pisanu
• Marco Sau
• Katia Serra, Sardinian origin
• Simona Sodini (born 1982)
• Salvatore Sirigu
• Pietro Paolo Virdis
• Gianfranco Zola

Ice hockey players

• Luca Sbisa

Equestrian Champions and Jockeys

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Paolo Angioni on the right in 1964

• Paolo Angioni (born 22 January 1938), equestrian olympic champion
• Andrea Degortes best known as Aceto
• Frankie Dettori - Born in Milan from Sardinian parents
• Gianfranco Dettori

Rowers

• Francesco Cossu (born January 11, 1907, date of death unknown)

Speed skaters

• Fabio Carta - Born in Torino, Sardinian parents

Tennis Players

• Alessandro de Minicis

Religious figures

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Pope Hilarius

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Joseph Toronto

• Abraham da Cagliari (8th century AD), Rabbi
• Ottorino Pietro Alberti (1927-2012) Archibishop
• Salvatore Alepus (1503–1568), Archbishop
• Luigi Amat di San Filippo e Sorso (1796–1878), Cardinal
• Antiochus of Sulcis (died c. 110 AD), Christian martyr
• Ilario Cao
• Nicholas Congiato, (1816 – 1897) Jesuit, President of Santa Clara University
• Luigi De Magistris, Cardinal
• Saint Ephysius (250-303), Christian martyr
• Eusebius of Vercelli
• Saint Gabinus (4th century AD), Christian martyr
• Pope Hilarius (died 468), Pope
• St. Ignatius of Laconi, (1701-1781)
• Saint Lucifer (4th century AD), 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
• Maria Gabriella Sagheddu (1914–1939), Saint Beatus
• Pope Symmachus (6th century AD), 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.

See also

• Sardinian people
• List of Italians