List of Spaniards
Categories: Lists of people by nationality | Spanish people
This is a list of Spaniards that are famous or notable. (In alphabetical order within categories.)
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Actors
- Victoria Abril (b. 1959)
- Elena Anaya (b. 1975)
- Antonio Banderas (b. 1960)
- Javier Bardem (b. 1969)
- Juan Diego Botto (b. 1975)
- Celso Bugallo (b. 1947)
- Mark Consuelos (b. 1970)
- Penélope Cruz (b. 1974)
- Gabino Diego (b. 1966)
- Angelines Fernández (1922–1994)
- Fernando Fernán Gómez (b. 1921)
- Sancho Gracia (b. 1936)
- Alfredo Landa (b. 1933)
- Sergi López (b. 1965)
- Jordi Mollá (b. 1968)
- Sara Montiel (b. 1928)
- Paul Naschy (b. 1934)
- Marisa Paredes (b. 1946)
- Francisco Rabal (1926–2001)
- Fernando Rey (1917–1994)
- Fernando Sancho (1916–1990)
- Paz Vega (b. 1976)
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Architects
- Ricardo Bofill (born 1939)
- Santiago Calatrava (born 1951), 2005 AIA Gold Medal.
- Ildefons Cerdà (1815–1876)
- Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), known for his unfinished masterwork La Sagrada Familia.
- Enric Miralles (1955–2000), built the Scottish Parliament (finished in 2004, after his death).
- Rafael Moneo (born 1937), 1996 Pritzker Prize Laureate.
- Eduardo Torroja (1899–1961)
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Authors
- Mateo Alemán (1547–c. 1609)
- Vicente Aleixandre (1888–1984), poet, Nobel prize 1977
- Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (1836–1870), poet
- Jacinto Benavente (1866–1954), dramatist, Nobel prize 1922
- Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–1681), playwright and poet
- Rosalía de Castro (1837–1885), poet
- Camilo José Cela (1916–2002), novelist, Nobel prize 1989
- Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), author and soldier, writer of El Quijote, or Don Quixote
- Miguel Delibes (born 1920), novelist
- José Echegaray (1832–1916), dramatist, Nobel prize 1904
- Leandro Fernández de Moratín (1760–1828), dramatist and neoclassical poet
- Antonio Gala
- Benito Pérez Galdós (1843–1920)
- Agustín Díaz Pacheco (1953, journalist and novelist)
- Federico García Lorca (1898–1936), poet and playwright
- Luis de Góngora, poet and priest
- Juan Ramón Jiménez (1881–1958), poet, Nobel prize 1956
- Jon Juaristi
- Mariano José de Larra (1809–1837), journalist
- Antonio Machado (1875–1939), poet
- Salvador de Madariaga
- Javier Marías (born 1951), novelist and translator
- Juan Marsé (born 1933), novelist
- Joanot Martorell
- Tirso de Molina (1571–1648), playwright
- Agustín Moreto y Cavana, playwright
- Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (1744–1811), statesman and author
- José Ortega y Gasset (1883–1955), author
- Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851–1921), author
- Arturo Pérez-Reverte (born 1951), novelist and war reporter
- Francisco de Quevedo (1580–1645)
- Fernando de Rojas
- Francisco de Rojas Zorrilla, playwright
- José Martínez Ruiz (1863–1967), journalis, poet, political radical, writer
- Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, playwright
- Pedro Salinas, (1891–1951), poet
- Ramón J. Sender (1901–1982), novelist, journalist and anarchist
- Torcuato Luca de Tena (1923–1999), novelist, journalist and lawyer
- Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1931), existentialist author
- Ramón María del Valle-Inclán (1866–1936), author
- Garcilaso de la Vega (1501–1586), poet
- Félix Lope de Vega (1562–1635), poet and playwright
- Cristóbal Zaragoza (1923–1999), novelist and philosopher
- María de Zayas y Sotomayor
- José Zorrilla y Moral, poet and playwright
- Marisa Vallejo, author of Asarim (c)
See also: List of Spanish language poets
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Explorers
- Lope de Aguirre (1511–1561), soldier, adventurer, killer and traitor, explored the Amazonas looking for El Dorado.
- Diego de Almagro (1475–1538), explorer and conquistador, first European arriving Chile.
- Juan Bautista de Anza (1736–1788), soldier and explorer, founded San Francisco, California.
- Fray Tomás de Berlanga (1487–1551), bishop of Panama, discovered the Galápagos Islands.
- Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, first European exploring southwestern United States (1527–1536), also explored South America (1540–1542).
- Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo (1499–1543), explorer, founded the city of San Diego, California.
- Cosme Damián Churruca (1761–1805), explorer, astronomer and naval officer, mapped the Strait of Magellan (1788–1789).
- Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), conquistador of old Mexico, explorer of Baja California Peninsula.
- Juan Sebastián Elcano (1476–1526), explorer and sailor, first man circumnavigating the World.
- Gaspar de Espinosa (1467/77?–1537), soldier and explorer, first European reaching the coast of Nicaragua, co-founder of Panama City.
- Miguel López de Legazpi (1502–1572), explored and conquered the Philippine Islands in 1565.
- Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475–1519), first to sight the Pacific Ocean, founding Darién.
- Francisco de Orellana, first European exploring the Amazonas river.
- Pedrarias Dávila (Pedro Arias de Ávila, 1440–1531), conquistador, founder of Panama and governor of Nicaragua.
- Francisco Pizarro (1471–1541), conqueror of the Inca Empire in Peru.
- Juan Ponce de León (1460–1521), first European exploring Florida (1513); he founded the first settlement in Puerto Rico (1508).
- Gaspar de Portolà (~1717–aft. 1784), explorer, founder of Monterey (California).
- Hernando de Soto (1500–1542), explorer and conquistador, first European exploring the plains of eastern North America, discovered the Mississippi river and the Ohio river.
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Film directors
- Pedro Almodóvar (born 1949)
- Alejandro Amenábar (born 1972)
- Montxo Armendáriz
- Juanma Bajo Ulloa
- Iciar Bollaín
- José Luis Borau
- Luis Buñuel (1900–1983)
- Mario Camus
- Isabel Coixet
- Fernando León de Aranoa (born 1968)
- Alex de la Iglesia
- Agustín Díaz Yanes
- Víctor Erice
- Fernando Fernán Gómez
- Marco Ferreri
- Jesus Franco
- José Luis Garci (born 1944)
- Luis García Berlanga
- Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón
- Bigas Luna (born 1946)
- Julio Medem (born 1958)
- Fernando Méndez Leite
- Pilar Miró
- José Luis Sáenz de Heredia
- Carlos Saura (born 1932)
- Santiago Segura
- David Trueba
- Fernando Trueba
- Benito Zambrano
- Iván Zulueta (born 1943)
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Leaders and politicians
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Ancient
- Hadrian (A.D. 117–138), Roman Emperor, under his orders Hadrian's Wall was built in Britannia.
- Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–80), Roman Emperor.
- Trajan (53–117), Roman Emperor (98–117).
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Medieval
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Modern
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Contemporary
- Antonio Cánovas del Castillo (1828–1897), Prime Minister and historian.
- Leopoldo O'Donnell Joris (1809–1861), General and Prime Minister.
- 20th century
- José María Aznar (born 1953) ex Prime Minister.
- Josep Borrell (born 1947), President of the European Parliament.
- Buenaventura Durruti (1896–1936), anarchist leader.
- Francisco Franco (1892–1975), Army general and political leader. Ruled Spain for 41 years as "Caudillo".
- Felipe González (born 1942), ex Prime Minister.
- Juan Carlos de Borbón (born 1938), King of Spain since 1975.
- Rodrigo Rato (born 1949) Director of the IMF.
- José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (born 1960), Prime Minister since 2004.
- Javier Solana (born 1942), ex Secrtetary General of NATO, EU foreign policy chief.
See also: List of Spanish monarchs and List of Spanish Prime Ministers.
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Military
- Duke of Alba (Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 1507–1582).
- El Cid (Rodrigo 'Ruy' Díaz de Vivar, c. 1045–1099), knight and hero.
- Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, "El Gran Capitán" (1453–1515), strategist of Early modern warfare.
- Bernardo de Gálvez (1746-1786), Governor of Louisiana, Spanish hero of the American Revolution.
- Don John of Austria (1547–1578)
- Juan Martín Díez, "El Empecinado" (1775–1825), head of guerrilla bands promoted to Brigadier-General of cavalry during the Peninsular War.
- Casto Méndez Núñez (1830–1880), naval officer.
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Musicians
See also: Category:Spanish musicians.
- Xavier Cugat (1900–1990), bandleader.
- Manolo García, singer-songwriter.
- Antonio Katrasca
- Paco de Lucía (b. 1947), guitarist.
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Classical
- Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909), composer.
- Pau Casals (1876–1973), cello player and conductor.
- Manuel de Falla (1876–1946), composer.
- Enrique Granados (1867–1916), composer.
- Joaquín Rodrigo (1901–1999), composer and pianist.
- Andrés Segovia (1893–1987), guitarist.
- Antonio Soler (1729-1783), composer, known for his clavichord sonatas.
- Francisco Tárrega (1852–1909), composer and guitarist.
- Joaquín Turina (1882–1949), composer.
- Opera singers
- Victoria de los Ángeles (born 1923), soprano.
- Teresa Berganza (born 1935), mezzo-soprano.
- Montserrat Caballé (born 1933), soprano.
- Emma Calvé (1858-1942), soprano.
- José Carreras (born 1946), one of The Three Tenors.
- Plácido Domingo (born 1941), one of The Three Tenors.
- Manuel del Popolo García (1775-1832), tenor.
- María Gay (1879-1943), mezzo-soprano.
- Alfredo Kraus (1927–1999), tenor.
- Adelina Patti (1843-1919), coloratura soprano.
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Singers
- Edward Aguilera (born 1976), first European member of Menudo.
- Miguel Bosé (born 1956), pop singer.
- Charo (born 1941)
- Enrique Iglesias (born 1975), pop singer.
- Julio Iglesias (born 1943), pop singer.
- Julio José Iglesias (born 1973), pop singer.
- La Pandilla teen group, all members are from Spain.
- Los del Río
- Nino Bravo (1944–1973)
- Raphael (born 1943), pop singer.
- Enrique Urquijo (1960–1999), New Wave music singer.
- Joan Manuel Serrat (born 1943), Catalan singer-songwriter.
- Alessandra Rubi Streignard Villarreal (born 1982)
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Painters
- Salvador Dalí (1904–1989), visionary artist
- Francisco Goya (1746–1828), painter
- El Greco
- Juan Gris (1887–1927), cubist painter from Madrid
- Jesús Mari Lazkano
- Joan Miró
- Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618–1682), painter
- Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), painter
- Antoni Tàpies
- Darío Urzay
- Diego Velázquez (1599–1660), painter
- Ignacio Zuloaga (1870–1945), painter
- Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1644), painter
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Philosophers and humanists
- Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia (1240–probably 1292), philosopher, early kabbalist.
- Averroes (Ibn Rushd) (1126–1198), philosopher, tried to reconcile Aristotle's system of thought with Islam (see Averroism).
- Baltasar Gracián (1601-1658), author of El Criticón, influenced European philosophers like Schopenhauer.
- Maimónides (1135-1204), the most influential figure in medieval Jewish philosophy.
- José Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955), philosopher, social and political theorist, author of The Revolt of the Masses (1930).
- George Santayana (1863–1952), philosopher, taught at Harvard, author of The Sense of Beauty (1896) and The Life of Reason (1905-6).
- Fernando Savater (born 1947), philosopher and essayist, known for his writings on ethics.
- Lucius Annaeus Seneca (ca. 4 BC–AD 65), one of the main stoic philosophers.
- Francisco Suárez (1548–1617), one of the most influencial scholastics after Thomas Aquinas.
- Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936), existentialist writer and literary theoretician.
- Juan Luis Vives (1492-1540), important figure of Renaissance humanism, taught at Leuven and Oxford (while tutor to Mary Tudor).
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Scientists
- José de Acosta (1540–1600), pioneer of the geophysical sciences.
- Algafequi, glasses inventor (in Córdoba).
- José María Algué (1856–1930), meteorologist, inventor of the barocyclometer, the nephoscope, and the microseismograph.
- Arzachel (1028–1087), mathematician and the foremost astronomer of his time; contributed to the famous Tables of Toledo.
- Ángel Cabrera (1879–1960), naturalist, investigated the South-American fauna.
- Nicolás Cabrera (1913–1989), physicist, did important work on the theories of crystal growth and the oxidisation of metals.
- Juan de la Cierva (1895–1936), aeronautical engineer, pioneer of rotary flight, inventor of the autogyro.
- Josep Comas i Solá (1868–1937), astronomer, discovered the periodic comet 32P/Comas Solá and 11 asteroids, and in 1907 observed limb darkening of Saturn's moon Titan (the first evidence that the body had an atmosphere).
- Fausto de Elhúyar (1755–1833), chemist, joint discoverer of tungsten with his brother Juan José de Elhúyar in 1783.
- Jaime Ferrán (1852–1929), doctor and researcher, discovered several vaccines.
- Francisco Hernández (1517–1587), botanicist, carried out important research about the Mexican flora
- Manuel Jalón Corominas (b. 1925), aeronautical engineer, inventor, and officer of the Spanish Air Force
- Carlos Jiménez Díaz (1898–1967), doctor and researcher, leading figure in pathology
- Gregorio Marañón (1887–1960), doctor and researcher, leading figure in endocrinology
- Narcís Monturiol (1818–1885), physicist and inventor, pioneer of underwater navigation.
- José Celestino Bruno Mutis (1732–1808), botanicist, doctor, philosopher and mathematician, carried out relevant research about the American flora, founded one of the first astronomic observatories in America (1762).
- Severo Ochoa (1905–1993), doctor and biochemist, achieved the synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA), Nobel prize Laureate (1959).
- Mateo José Buenaventura Orfila (1787–1853), doctor and chemist, father of modern toxicology, leading figure in forensic toxicology.
- Joan Oró (1923–2004), biochemist, carried out important research about the origin of life, he worked with NASA on the Viking missions.
- Julio Palacios Martínez (1891–1970), physicist and mathematician
- Isaac Peral (1851–1895), engineer and sailor, designer of the first operative submarine
- Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852–1934), father of Neuroscience, Nobel prize Laureate (1906).
- Julio Rey Pastor (1888–1962), mathematician, leading figure in geometry
- Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente (1928–1980), naturalist, leading figure in ornithology, ethology, ecology and science divulgation
- Margarita Salas (born 1938), biochemist, molecular genetist and researcher.
- Miguel Servet (1511–1553), scientist, surgeon, geographer, linguist, helenist, humanist, and philosopher.
- Esteban Terradas i Illa (1883–1950), mathematician, physicist and engineer.
- Leonardo Torres y Quevedo (1852–1936), engineer and mathematician, pioneer of automatic calculation machines, inventor of the automatic chess, pioneer of remote control, designer of the funicular over the Niagara Falls.
- Josep Trueta (1897–1977), doctor, his new method for treatment of open wounds and fractures helped save a great number of lives during WW2.
- Antonio de Ulloa (1716–1795), scientist, soldier and author
- Arnold of Villanova (1235?–1311), alchemist and physician, he discovered carbon monoxide and pure alcohol.
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Social scientists
- Manuel Castells (b. 1942), sociologist, author of the well-known trilogy The Information Age.
- Salvador Giner (b. 1934), sociologist, he had researched on social theory, sociology of culture and modern industrial society.
- Jesús Huerta de Soto (b. 1956), major Austrian School economist.
- Xavier Sala-i-Martín (b. 1963), economist, professor at Yale, Harvard, and Columbia.
- Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz (1893–1984), historian, prominent specialist in medieval Spanish history.
- Joseph de la Vega (1650–1692), wrote Confusion of Confusions (1688), first book on stock markets.
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Sports
- Athletics
- Fermín Cacho Ruiz, 1,500m Gold (1992 Olympics) and Silver (1996 Olympics) medalist.
- Basketball
- Pau Gasol, 2001-02 NBA Rookie of the Year Award winner.
- Raúl López, basketball player
- Sergio Rodríguez, basketball player
- Fran Vázquez, basketball player
- Boxing
- Pedro Carrasco (1943–2001), 1967 European Lightweight Champion; 1971 WBC's World Lightweight Champion.
- Javier Castillejo, world champion boxer
- Cycling
- Federico Bahamontes, 1959 Tour de France winner.
- Pedro Delgado, 1988 Tour de France winner.
- Óscar Freire, 3 times World Cycling Champion (1999, 2001, 2004).
- Roberto Heras, 4 times Vuelta a España winner (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005).
- Miguel Induráin, 5 consecutive times Tour de France winner (1991-1995).
- Luis Ocaña, 1973 Tour de France winner.
- Joane Somarriba, 3 times Grande Boucle winner (2000, 2001, 2003).
- Football (Soccer)
- Raúl González, all-time leading goal scorer in UEFA Champions League.
- Golf
- Motor sports
- Fernando Alonso, 2005 Formula One World Champion.
- Carlos Checa, GP motorcycle racing pilot.
- Álex Crivillé, 1999 GP motorcycle racing World Champion.
- Sete Gibernau, GP motorcycle racing pilot.
- Ángel Nieto, GP motorcycle racing pilot, 12+1 times World Champion.
- Daniel Pedrosa, youngest GP motorcycle racing World Champion of 125cc and 250cc.
- Carlos Sainz, 1990 and 1992 World Rally Champion.
- Pedro de la Rosa, Formula One pilot.
- Tennis
- Sergi Bruguera, 1993 and 1994 French Open Men's Singles Champion.
- Álex Corretja, 1998 Tennis Masters Cup Champion.
- Álbert Costa, 2002 French Open Men's Singles Champion.
- Juan Carlos Ferrero, 2003 French Open Men's Singles Champion.
- Andrés Gimeno, 1972 French Open Men's Singles Champion.
- Feliciano López, tennis player
- Conchita Martínez, 1994 Wimbledon Women's Singles Champion.
- Carlos Moyà, 1998 French Open Men's Singles Champion.
- Rafael Nadal, 2005 French Open Men's Singles Champion.
- Manuel Orantes, 1975 U.S. Open Champion.
- Virginia Ruano, tennis player
- Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, 4 Grand Slam titles winner.
- Javier Sánchez Vicario, tennis player
- Manuel Santana, 5 Grand Slam titles winner.
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Others
- Ferrán Adriá, cook
- Karlos Arguiñano, cook and entertainer
- Carlos D. Cidon, chef
- Joaquín Cortés, dancer
- Luis Miguel González Lucas, better known as Luis Miguel Dominguín, bullfighter, father of Miguel Bosé
- Federica Montseny, anarchist, politician, writer.
- Saints
- Diego Salcedo, priest, first Spaniard killed by Puerto Rican Taínos
- Juan Sánchez Vidal, renowned collector
- Pedro Subijana, cook
- Cristina Sánchez, bullfighter
- Aguas Santas Ocaña Navarro, first lady of Honduras
- Torquemada, inquisitor
- Joan March Ordinas, political and businessmen.
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