List of people from Sardinia

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



 * 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

 * 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
 * Vico Mossa (1914–2003), Architect
 * Enzo Satta, urbanist and architect
 * Eugenio Tavolara (1901–1963), sculptor and designer

Authors

 * Milena Agus (born 1955)
 * Francesco Alziator (1909–1977), writer and journalist
 * Antonella Anedda (born 1955), half-Sardinian
 * Giulio Angioni (born 1939) 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



 * 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

Actors and actresses



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

Filmmakers

 * 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

 * 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

 * 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

 * 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

 * 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
 * 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

Painters, illustrators, photographers, sculptors



 * 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



 * 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), 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)
 * 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), giudicessa di Torres

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

 * Paolo Angioni (born 1938), olympic champion

Extreme sports

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

Football

 * 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



 * 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

 * 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)
 * Éric 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
 * 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
 * Ugo Mulas (1928–1973), photographer with Sardinian ancestry
 * Aurelio Galleppini (1917–1994) (His parents were Sardinians)
 * Graziano Delrio (born 1960), Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport with Sardinian ancestry
 * Beji Caid Essebsi (1926–2019), The 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's 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 who currently plays for Fenerbahçe Ülker.
 * 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