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

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

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

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

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^[1]
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

Visual artists

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

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

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), Italian
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), Italian 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

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^[2]

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^[3] (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^[4]
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)^[5]^[6]
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

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
Ugo Mulas (1928–1973), photographer with Sardinian ancestry
Aurelio Galleppini (1917–1994), His parents were Sardinians

Enrico Letta, Pisan of Sardinian ancestry.

Graziano Delrio (born 1960), Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport with Sardinian ancestry^[7]
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 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^[8]^[9]
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

References

^ ""Per l'Italia in coma sono i giovani l'unica speranza" | Linkiesta". Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
^ "IFBB.com - History of Mr. Olympia". Archived from the original on 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
^ Brown, Gregor (14 May 2014). "Fabio Aru: could he be Italy's next big thing?". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
^ "Attori di origine italiana: Il tricolore sventola ad Hollywood". 27 March 2017.
^ Lancia, Enrico; Poppi, Roberto (2003). Le attrici: Dal 1930 ai giorni nostri. ISBN 9788884402141.
^ Lancia Enrico Poppi - Dizionario del cinema italiano. Le attrici - 2002 - pag.335
^ "Delibere - Regione Autonoma della Sardegna".
^ "Occhi puntati al baby sardo-granata".
^ "Il Savona punta il talento". 12 June 2014.

[1] ""Per l'Italia in coma sono i giovani l'unica speranza" | Linkiesta". Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2013-10-13.

[2] "IFBB.com - History of Mr. Olympia". Archived from the original on 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2011-01-04.

[3] Brown, Gregor (14 May 2014). "Fabio Aru: could he be Italy's next big thing?". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 5 June 2014.

[4] "Attori di origine italiana: Il tricolore sventola ad Hollywood". 27 March 2017.

[5] Lancia, Enrico; Poppi, Roberto (2003). Le attrici: Dal 1930 ai giorni nostri. ISBN 9788884402141.

[6] Lancia Enrico Poppi - Dizionario del cinema italiano. Le attrici - 2002 - pag.335

[7] "Delibere - Regione Autonoma della Sardegna".

[8] "Occhi puntati al baby sardo-granata".

[9] "Il Savona punta il talento". 12 June 2014.

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