List of Polish people
The Polish people, who in 1930 had a world-wide population of some 22 million, experienced a major population surge in the 1960s and by 2005 had attained a world-wide population of over 53 million.
This is a partial list of famous Polish or Polish-speaking/writing persons, or persons born in other countries, which are now Poland, or on historically Polish soil. In the interest of fairness and accuracy, a minority of persons of mixed heritage have their respective ancestries credited.
Please add names to the various categories of this list in alphabetical order. The order of the Polish alphabet is:
a ą b c ć d e ę f g h i j k l ł m n ń o ó p r s ś t u w y z ź ż.
 | This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. |
History
- Gall Anonim — medieval historian, monk, probably from Venice
- Szymon Askenazy — historian
- Wojciech Bobowski — translator and musician
- Michał Bobrzyński — historian
- Jan Długosz — medieval historian of Poland
- Wilhelm Feldman — historian
- Marceli Handelsman — historian
- Paweł Jasienica — writer
- Feliks Koneczny — Polish historian and social philosopher
- Władysław Kozaczuk — military and intelligence historian of the World War II era.
- Marian Kukiel — military historian
- Joachim Lelewel — historian, outstanding translator of skaldic poetry to Polish
- Szymon Okolski — historian, theologian, specialist in Polish heraldry
- Tadeusz Manteuffel — medievalist
- Adam Naruszewicz — historian
- Andrzej Paczkowski - Professor of History
- Michael Alfred Peszke — historian of the Polish Armed Forces in World War II.
- Richard Pipes — American historian
- Władysław Tatarkiewicz — historian of philosophy and esthetics.
- Piotr S. Wandycz, Polish-American historian
- Richard Woytak — historian of the World War II era.
- Norbert Wójtowicz — Polish historian and theologian.
Science
Astronomy
- Franciszek Armiński
- Albert Brudzewski
- Tadeusz Banachiewicz
- Władysław Dziewulski
- Felicjan Kępiński
- Mikołaj Kopernik (Nicolaus Copernicus)
- Marian Albertovich Kowalski
- Aleksander Wolszczan
- Jan Heweliusz (Johannes Hevelius)
- Bohdan Paczyński
- Marcin Poczobutt-Odlanicki
- Adam Prazmowski
- Konrad Rudnicki
- Wiesław Wiśniewski
Biology
- Joseph Babiński, physician
- Edmund Biernacki, physician
- Czesław Bieżanko, famous entomologist
- Adam Gruca, surgeon
- Stanisław Burzyński, famous physician
- Tytus Chałubiński, physician
- Napoleon Cybulski, famous neurophysiologist
- Maria Antonina Czaplicka, anthropologist
- Wiktor Dega, revolutionary surgeon
- August Dehnel, biologist
- Jozef Dietl, physician
- Jan Dzierżon, zoologist
- Władysław Taczanowski, zoologist
- Marian Gieszczykiewicz, physican
- Ryszard Gryglewski, physician
- Emil Godlewski, embryologist
- Ludwik Hirszfeld, microbiologist
- Walery Jaworski, physician
- Karol Marcinkowski, physician
- Stefan Kopec, biologist
- Rudolf Weigl, biologist
- Jan Czekanowski, anthropologist
- Feliks Paweł Jarocki, zoologist
- Marek Kotański, psychologist
- Zbigniew Kabata, biologist
- Hilary Koprowski, famous biologist
- Andrzej Wiktor Schally, endocrynologist
- Wojciech Jastrzębowski, biologist
- Konstanty Jelski, ornithologist
- Jerzy Konorski, microbiologist
- Tadeusz Krwawicz, medical pioneer
- Ludwik Mlokosiewicz, botanist
- Marie Elizabeth Zakrzewska, physician
- Andrew Paulukiewichz, biologist
- Bronisław Piłsudski, anthropologist
- Zbigniew Religa, cardiologist
- Józef Rostafiński, biologist
- Bolesław Skarżyński, biologist
- Eduard Adolf Strasburger (born in Poland, of German descent), famous 19th century botanist
- Jan Sztolcman, ornithologist
- Zbylut Twardowski, physician
- Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski, biologist
Chemistry
- Józef Boguski
- Jan Czochralski
- Maria Skłodowska-Curie, two Nobel Prizes winner
- Tadeusz Estreicher
- Kazimierz Fajans
- Kazimierz Funk
- Antoni Grabowski
- Roald Safran
- Adolf Joszt
- Sylwester Porowski
- Wiktor Kemula
- Stanisław Kostanecki
- Marek Gatty-Kostyal
- Ignacy Mościcki
- Marceli Nencki
- Ignacy Łukasiewicz
- Leon Marchlewski
- Karol Olszewski
- Tadeusz Reichstein
- Michał Sędziwój
- Edward Sucharda
- Alina Surmacka-Szczęśniak
- Jędrzej Śniadecki
- Wojciech Świętosławski
- Bohdan Szyszkowski
- Andrzej Tarkowski
- Włodzimierz Trzebiatowski
- Józef Zawadzki
Engineering
- Karol Adamiecki, engineer
- Krzysztof Arciszewski, engineer
- Mieczysław G. Bekker, built the first moon rover
- Stefan Bryła, engineer
- Romuald Cebertowicz, hydrotechnician
- Zdzisław Celiński, engineer
- Jerzy Dąbrowski, aeronautical engineer, designer of the PZL.37 Łoś bomber
- Casimir Gzowski, engineer
- Edward Jan Habich, engineer
- Jacek Jędruch, engineer
- Alfred Korzybski, engineer, mathematician
- Ernest Malinowski, engineer
- Ralph Modjeski, famous bridge builder
- Henryk Magnuski, engineer
- Tytus Maksymilian Huber, engineer
- Walter Golaski, biomedical engineer
- Wojciech Rostafiński, NASA engineer
- Kazimierz Siemienowicz, revolutionary engineer
- Avraham Stern, engineer
- Tadeusz Tański, automobile engineer
- Konstantin Tsiolkovski (Konstanty Cioŀkowski), spaceflight pioneer
- Piotr Wilniewczyc, arms constructor
- Stanisław Wigura, aviation engineer
- Henry Millicer, aviator engineer
- Zygmunt Puławski, aeronautical engineer, designer of the PZL P.11 fighter
Economics
- Władysław Grabski
- Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski
- Michał Kalecki
- Leszek Balcerowicz
- Oskar Lange, PRL economist
- Hilary Minc, PRL economist
- Sławomir Szwedowski
Invention
- Bruno Abakanowicz, inventor and mathematician
- Stefan Drzewiecki, inventor
- Leo Gerstenzang, inventor Q-Tips
- Janusz Groszkowski, inventor
- Rudolf Gundlach, inventor of tank periscope
- Kazimierz Gzowski, inventor
- Włodzimierz Holsztyński, inventor of the Geometric-Arithmetic Parallel Processor
- Jozef Kosacki, engineer, inventor mine detector
- Stefan Kudelski, inventor Nagra audio recorders
- Edmund Nowak, inventor
- Antoni Patek, pioneer in watchmaking and a creator of Patek Philippe & Co.
- Jozef Piotrowski, inventor
- Kazimierz Proszyński, inventor of the first cinema camera
- Jan Szczepanik, famous inventor
- Tadeusz Sendzimir, engineer, prolific inventor
- Józef Tykociński, inventor film sound
- Casimir Zeglen, first bullet-proof vest
Computer Science
- Piotr Anweiler, software entrepreneur
- Siemion Fajtlowicz, creator of Graffiti
- Jacek Karpinski
- Marek Karpinski
- Antoni Kilinski
- Romuald Marczynski
- Marian Mazur
- Stanisław Radziszowski
- Andrzej Trybulec, creator of Mizar system
- Jan Weglarz
- Robert Kuncewicz
- Wiesław Romanowski
Linguists
- Jerzy Bralczyk
- Jan Niecisław Baudouin de Courtenay
- Jan Czekanowski
- Jerzy Kuryłowicz
- Jan Miodek
- Jaroslav Rudnyckyj
- Antoni Józef Śmieszek
- Anna Wierzbicka
- L. L. Zamenhof
Mathematics
- Stefan Banach
- Tadeusz Banachiewicz
- Kazimierz Bartel
- Andrzej Białynicki-Birula
- Karol Borsuk
- Jacob Bronowski
- Jan Brożek
- Samuel Eilenberg
- Witold Hurewicz
- Henryk Iwaniec
- Zygmunt Janiszewski
- Stanisław Jaśkowski
- Mark Kac
- Stefan Kaczmarz
- Marek Karpinski, computer scientist
- Krystyna Kuperberg
- Kazimierz Kuratowski
- Bronisław Knaster
- Zdzisław Krygowski
- Kazimierz Kordylewski
- Robert Kowalski
- Franciszek Leja
- Stanisław Leśniewski
- Adolf Lindenbaum
- Stanisław Łojasiewicz
- Antoni Łomnicki
- Jerzy Łoś
- Jan Łukasiewicz
- Benoît Mandelbrot (born in Poland of Lithuanian-Jewish descent)
- Edward Marczewski
- Józef Marcinkiewicz
- Stefan Mazurkiewicz
- Stanisław Mazur
- Hermann Minkowski (educated in Germany)
- Jan Mikusinski
- Andrzej Mostowski
- Jerzy Spława-Neyman
- Otton M. Nikodym
- Andrew Odlyzko
- Władysław Orlicz
- Józef H. Przytycki
- Helena Rasiowa
- Marian Rejewski
- Jerzy Różycki
- Stanisław Ruziewicz
- Czesław Ryll-Nardzewski
- Stanisław Saks
- Juliusz Schauder
- Wacław Sierpiński
- Roman Sikorski
- Piotr Smoleński, mathematician, cryptographer
- Władysław Ślebodziński
- Jan Śniadecki
- Yulian Sokhotski
- Hugo Steinhaus
- Włodzimierz Stożek
- Alfred Tarski
- Stanisław Ulam, codesigner of hydrogen bomb with Edward Teller
- Tadeusz Ważewski
- Józef Hoëné-Wroński
- Kazimierz Zarankiewicz
- Stanisław Zaremba
- Kazimierz Żorawski
- Henryk Zygalski
- Antoni Zygmund
Physics
- Kazimierz Antonowicz
- Czesław Białobrzeski
- Iwo Białynicki-Birula
- Georges Charpak, Nobel Prize (1995)
- Maria Skłodowska, (Marie Curie) two Nobel Prizes
- Jan Kazimierz Danysz
- Marian Danysz
- James Gimzewski
- Władysław Gosiewski
- Leopold Infeld
- Kazimierz Jabłczyński
- Aleksander Jabłoński
- Halina Jeruzol
- Theodor Kaluza
- Sylwester Kaliski
- Józef Kowalski-Wierusz
- Marian Mięsowicz
- Stanisław Mrozowski
- Władysław Natanson
- Georges Nomarski
- Władysław Opęchowski
- Jerzy Pniewski
- Wojciech Rubinowicz
- Maurycy Pius Rudzki
- Joseph Slawny
- Marian Smoluchowski (father of kinetics)
- Adam Sobiczewski
- Witelo (medieval philosopher and scientist, specialist in optics)
- Mieczysław Wolfke (Polish scientist of partial German origin)
- Stanisław Lech Woronowicz
- Zygmunt Wróblewski
- Stanisław Ziemecki
- Wojciech H. Zurek
Other
- Henryk Arctowski, scientist, explorer
- Zygmunt Bauman, sociologist, philosopher
- Piotr Ignacy Bieńkowski, scholar, archaeologist, professor
- Karol J. Bobko, NASA astronaut
- Gerard Ciołek, architect and historian of gardens
- Jan Czerski, geographer and geologist
- Aleksander Czekanowski, geologist
- Kazimierz Dąbrowski, psychologist
- Ignacy Domeyko, Polish geologist
- Zygmunt Gloger, ethnographer, archeologist, historian
- Jozef Grzybowski, geologist, paleontologist
- Tomasz Górecki, archeologist
- Ludwig Gumplowicz, founder of sociology
- Mirosław Hermaszewski, the first Polish astronaut
- Antoni Kępiński, psychiatrist
- Mieczysław Klimaszewski, geographer, geomorphologist
- Janusz Korczak, pedagogist
- Józef Kostrzewski, archeologist, museologist
- Jan Kubary, anthropologist
- Henryk Lipszyc, specialist in Japanese culture, translator, embassador of Poland in Tokyo
- Bronisław Malinowski, Polish-British anthropologist
- Władysław Markiewicz, sociologist
- Kazimierz Michałowski, archaeologist
- Karol Myśliwiec, archaeologist
- Stanisław Ossowski, sociologist
- Scott E. Parazynski, NASA astronaut
- Antoni Patek, pioneer in watchmaking and a creator of Patek Philippe & Co.
- James A. Pawelczyk, NASA astronaut
- Michael Alfred Peszke, psychiatrist
- Jan Potocki, linguist, Egyptologist, sociologist
- Józef Rotblat (Nobel Peace Prize, 1995)
- Marek Safjan, legal expert, chairman of the Constitutional Tribunal (1998-2006)
- Romuald Schild, archaeologist
- Stefan Starzyński, economist
- Antoni Józef Śmieszek, Egyptologist
- Stanisław of Skarbimierz, political scientist
- Jerzy Szacki, Professor of Sociology
- Piotr Sztompka, Professor of Sociology
- Tadeusz Sulimirski, archeologist
- Paweł Edmund Strzelecki, explorer
- Paweł Śpiewak, Professor of Sociology, politician
- Paweł Włodkowic, scholar and lawyer
- Edmund Wnuk-Lipiński, Professor of Sociology
- Florian Znaniecki, sociologist
Music
- Nick Blaszczszyn, Pianist
- Piotr Anderszewski, Pianist
- Grażyna Bacewicz, composer
- Ewa Bem, singer
- Peter Bernas, american singer, songwriter, guitarist
- Edyta Bartosiewicz, singer
- Pat Banatar (Andrzejewski), Polish-American rocksinger
- Tadeusz Biernacki conductor, pianist
- Fryderyk Chopin, (French father of distant Polish heritage, Polish mother), composer
- Krzysztof Cugowski, singer
- Krzysztof Czerwinski, conductor and organist
- Krzesimir Dębski, composer
- Andrzej Dobrowolski, composer
- Urszula Dudziak, singer
- Mikołaj Gomołka, composer
- Ted Gomulka, bandleader in the 1930s
- Henryk Górecki, composer
- Edyta Górniak, soul/r'n'b singer
- Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, composer
- Mieczyslaw Horszowski, pianist
- Martyna Jakubowicz, singer
- Anna Jantar, singer
- Adam Jarzębski, composer
- Jan A. P. Kaczmarek, film composer (Oscar prize)
- Bronisław Kaper, film composer (wrote the standards "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm," and "On Green Dolphin Street")
- Mieczysław Karłowicz, composer
- Stefan Kisielewski, composer, writer
- Wojciech Kilar, composer
- Krzysztof Klenczon, singer
- Eugeniusz Knapik, composer
- Krzysztof Komeda, jazz composer
- Włodzimierz Kotoński, composer
- Kasia Kowalska, singer
- Józef Kozłowski, pianist
- Gene Krupa,jazz drummer
- Natalia Kukulska, singer
- Hanna Kulenty, composer
- Theodor Kullak, composer
- Karol Kurpiński, composer
- Wanda Landowska, harpsichordist
- Piotr Lato, singer
- Theodor Leschetizky, pianist, pedagogue
- Franciszek Lilius, composer
- Karol Lipiński, composer
- Witold Lutosławski, composer
- Agnieszka Mazur, oboist
- Krzysztof Meyer, composer
- Carl Mikuli, composer
- Maciek Miernik, producer
- Marcin Mielczewski, composer
- Moritz Moszkowski, composer
- Stanisław Moniuszko, composer
- Leszek Możdżer, pianist and composer
- Zygmunt Mycielski, composer
- Michał Kleofas Ogiński, composer
- Ignacy Jan Paderewski, pianist, composer
- Roman Palester, composer
- Andrzej Panufnik, composer
- Krzysztof Penderecki, composer
- Bartłomiej Pękiel, composer
- Edyta Piecha, singer
- Piotr Półtorak, guitarist
- Zbigniew Preisner, composer
- Mikołaj z Radomia, Middle Ages composer
- Maryla Rodowicz, singer
- Marcin Rozynek, singer
- Piotr Rubik, composer
- Arthur Rubinstein, pianist
- Bogusław Schaeffer, composer
- Xaver Scharwenka, composer
- Kazimierz Serocki, composer
- Michał Spisak, composer
- Tomasz Stańko, jazz trumpeter
- Leopold Stokowski, conductor
- Zygmunt Stojowski, composer
- Witold Szalonek, composer
- Wacław z Szamotuł, composer
- Stanisław Sylwester Szarzyński, composer
- Tadeusz Szeligowski, composer
- Władysław Szpilman, pianist
- Karol Szymanowski, (Polish father, Swedish mother) composer
- Paweł Szymański, composer
- Barbara Trzetrzelewska, singer
- Henryk Wieniawski, composer
- Piotr Wiwczarek, guitarist and vocalist
- Zbigniew Wodecki, singer
- Mikołaj Zieleński, composer
- Krystian Zimerman, pianist
Literature
- Agnieszka Lipska Baranowska, author
- Joseph Conrad (Teodor Józef Korzeniowski), English writer
- Lucyna Ćwierczakiewiczowa, the first Polish cook book author
- Maria Dąbrowska, novelist
- Johannes Dantiscus (Jan Dantyszek), Latin poet and Prince-Bishop of Warmia
- Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz, novelist
- Jacek Dukaj, science-fiction writer
- Adolf Dygasiński, novelist
- Aleksander Fredro, humorist, artist
- Janusz Głowacki, play-writer, non-fiction writer
- Witold Gombrowicz, novelist and drama writer
- Rene Goscinny, cartoonist
- Stefan Grabiński, horror writer
- Marek Hłasko, writer
- Paweł Huelle, essayist
- Wincenty Kadłubek political scientist, writer
- Ryszard Kapuściński, writer and journalist
- Tadeusz Konwicki
- Zofia Kossak-Szczucka, author and resistance fighter
- Ignacy Krasicki — author of Fables and Parables and of the first Polish novel.
- Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, writer
- Stanisław Lem, science-fiction writer, essayist, philosopher
- Stanisław Lubieniecki writer, astronomer
- Tomasz Łubieński - play-writer, esseist
- Józef Mackiewicz - writer, journalist
- Andrzej Majewski - aphorist, writer, poet
- Eliza Orzeszkowa Positivist, writer
- Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski, writer
- Sergiusz Piasecki, one of the most famous Polish writers
- Krzysztof Piesiewicz, screenwriter and politician
- Bolesław Prus — journalist, short-story writer, novelist; wrote the novel, Pharaoh.
- Ksawery Pruszyński - non-fiction writer
- Władysław Reymont, writer, Nobel Prize in Literature (1924)
- Maria Rodziewiczówna - novelist
- Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy writer
- Joanna Siedlecka, non-fiction writer
- Henryk Sienkiewicz, writer, Nobel Prize in Literature (1905)
- Isaac Bashevis Singer, writer, Nobel Prize in Literature (1966).
- Piotr Skarga poet, writer, humanist
- Jędrzej Śniadecki terminologist, writer
- Olga Tokarczuk, (Polish-Ukrainian) writer
- Melchior Wańkowicz- non fiction writer, author of Monte Cassino
- Barbara Wachowicz - non fiction writer
- Lucjan Wolanowski, writer, journalist, and traveller
- Stanisław Wyspiański,, painter and writer
- Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz, writer
- Franciszek Zabłocki, comic dramatist and satirist
- Janusz A. Zajdel, science-fiction writer
- Gabriela Zapolska, novelist
- Aleksandra Ziolkowska-Boehm, non-fiction writer
- Stefan Żeromski, novelist
- Eugeniusz Żytomirski, novelist
Poetry
- Adam Asnyk Positivist
- Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński, poet
- Stanisław Baliński, poet
- Władysław Broniewski, poet
- Jan Brzechwa, poet
- Andrzej Bursa, poet
- Józef Czechowicz, poet
- Piotr Czerniawski, poet
- Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński, poet
- Marian Hemar, poet
- Zbigniew Herbert, poet
- Kazimiera Iłłakowiczówna, poet
- Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, poet
- Jan Kasprowicz poet, translator, essayist
- Jan Kochanowski, poet
- Stanisław Jerzy Lec, poet
- Jan Lechoń, poet
- Bolesław Leśmian, poet
- Jerzy Liebert, poet
- Ewa Lipska - poet
- Marek Lugowski - American poet, translator, editor, publisher
- Adam Mickiewicz, poet
- Grazyna Miller, poet, translator, journalist
- Czesław Miłosz, Polish poet, Nobel Prize in Literature (1980).
- Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski poet, humanist
- Adam Naruszewicz poet, translator, historian
- Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz poet, playwright, independence activist
- Cyprian Kamil Norwid, poet
- Beata Obertyńska, poet
- Agnieszka Osiecka - poet
- Halina Poświatowska- poet
- Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska - poet
- Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer, poet
- Jeremi Przybora - poet, song writer
- Julian Przyboś, poet
- Mikołaj Rej, poet
- Tadeusz Różewicz, poet
- Antoni Słonimski, poet
- Edward Stachura, poet
- Anatol Stern, poet
- Leopold Staff, poet
- Włodzimierz Szymanowicz, poet
- Wisława Szymborska, Polish poet, Nobel Prize in Literature (1996).
- Marcin Świetlicki, poet, vocalist
- Irena Tuwim, poet
- Julian Tuwim, poet
- Jan Twardowski, poet
- Richard Tylman, poet
- Kornel Ujejski, poet
- Aleksander Wat, poet
- Kazimierz Wierzyński, poet
- Józef Wittlin, poet
- Rafał Wojaczek, poet
- Piotr Zbylitowski, poet
Philosophy
- Kazimierz Ajdukiewicz
- Zygmunt Bauman
- Józef Maria Bocheński
- Leon Chwistek
- August Cieszkowski
- Wawrzyniec Grzymała Goślicki
- Josef Hoëné-Wroński
- Jacek Hołówka
- Roman Ingarden
- Stanisław Jaśkowski
- Kevin Kokoszka
- Leszek Kołakowski
- Tadeusz Kotarbiński
- Hugo Kołłątaj
- Karol Libelt
- Krzysztof Michalski
- Barbara Skarga
- Stanisław Staszic
- Alfred Tarski
- Władysław Tatarkiewicz
- Józef Tischner
- Kazimierz Twardowski
- Cezary Wodziński
Fine arts
- Magdalena Abakanowicz, sculptor
- Paweł Althamer
- Tomasz Bagiński, painter, animator, computer graphics' artist
- Mirosław Bałka
- Krzysztof Bednarski, sculptor
- Zdzisław Beksiński, painter
- Christian Boltanski.
- Olga Boznańska, painter.
- Jan Boris Szymczuk, Cartoonist, Painter
- Józef Brandt, painter.
- Józef Marian Chełmoński, painter
- Tytus Czyżewski, painter, poet, art critic
- Jacenty Dędek, photographer.
- Zbigniew Dłubak, painter.
- Andrzej Dłużniewski
- Jerzy Duda-Gracz, painter, cartoonist, stage designer
- Xawery Dunikowski, sculptor
- Wojciech Fangor, painter
- Wojciech Gerson, painter
- Stefan Gierowski, painter
- Aleksander Gierymski, painter, younger brother of Maksymilian Gierymski
- Maksymilian Gierymski, painter
- Zygmunt Gorgolewski, architect
- Artur Grottger, painter, cartoonist, illustrator
- Władysław Hasior, sculptor, painter, stage designer
- Tadeusz Kantor, (1915-1990) painter, theatre director.
- Katarzyna Kobro, sculptor
- Jerzy Kossak, painter
- Juliusz Kossak, painter, cartoonist, illustrator
- Wojciech Kossak, painter.
- Katarzyna Kozyra, video artist.
- Nikifor Krynicki, painter
- Zofia Kulik, performer.
- Tamara de Lempicka, painter.
- Zbigniew Lengren, cartoonist and illustrator.
- Daniel Libeskind, architect
- Zbigniew Libera
- Jacek Malczewski, painter
- Jan Matejko, painter
- Piotr Michałowski, painter
- Teresa Murak, sculptor
- Jerzy Nowosielski, painter
- Rafał Olbiński, illustrator, painter
- Roman Opałka, painter
- Aleksander Orłowski, painter
- Józef Pankiewicz, painter, graphic artist
- Władysław Podkowiński, painter and illustrator
- Joanna Rajkowska
- Ferdynand Ruszczyc, painter, graphic artist, cartoonist, stage designer
- Henryk Rodakowski, painter
- Wilhelm Sasnal, painter
- Jan Sawka, cartoonist
- Wit Stwosz, medieval sculptor
- Henryk Stażewski, painter
- Władysław Strzemiński, painter
- Józef Szajna, sculptor, scenography designer, theatre director
- Leon Tarasewicz, painter
- Jan de Weryha-Wysoczański, sculptor.
- Ryszard Winiarski, painter
- Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, painter.
- Leon Wyczółkowski, painter.
- Stanisław Wyspiański, painter.
- Jan Zamoyski, painter
- Artur Żmijewski.
Entertainment
- Piotr Adamczyk, actor
- Piotr Andrejew, film director
- Piotr Józef Andrzejewski - actor
- Józef Arkusz, film director
- Tomasz Bagiński, short animated movies maker, nominated to Academy Award and BAFTA Award
- Andrzej Bartkowiak cinematographer, director and actor.
- Eugeniusz Bodo, singer and actor
- Ewa Braun, Academy Award winning set decorator, costume designer, production designer
- Andrzej Chyra, actor
- Zbigniew Cybulski, actor
- Ewa Demarczyk, actress, poetry singer
- Dagmara Dominczyk, actress
- Roman Dziewoński, actor
- Paweł Edelman, cinematographer, European Film Award winner.
- Feliks Falk, director
- Katarzyna Figura, actress
- Aleksander Ford, director
- Małgorzata Foremniak, actress, starred in Avalon
- Piotr Fronczewski, singer and actor
- Ilona Grabarczyk, filmmaker
- Samuel Goldwyn, film producer
- Gilda Gray, Marianna Winchalaska (or Michalski) ) actress, dancer, vaudeville performer
- Jerzy Grotowski, theatre reformer
- Agnieszka Holland, film director, nominated to Academy Awards and BAFTA Award
- Adam Hanuszkiewicz, actor
- Gustaw Holoubek, actor
- Sławomir Idziak, cinematagrapher, nominated to Oscar
- Krystyna Janda, actress
- Kalina Jędrusik, actress
- Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Academy Award winning composer, nominated to BAFTA Award
- Jacek Kaczmarski, protest songwriter and singer
- Janusz Kaminski, two Oscars and BAFTA Award winning cinematographer and film director
- Bronislau Kaper, Academy Award winning composer
- Jan Kiepura singer and actor
- Krzysztof Kieślowski, film director, nominated to Academy Awards
- Bogumił Kobiela, actor
- Olek Krupa, actor
- Kazimierz Kutz, film director
- Martin Kunert(born Marcin Kunert-Dziewanowski) - writer/director
- Bogusław Linda, actor
- Tadeusz Łomnicki, actor
- Marcel Łoziński, director
- Paweł Łoziński, director
- Szymon Majewski, comedian
- Helena Modjeska/Modrzejewska, actress (born Helena Opid)
- Pola Negri, actress
- Wacław Niżyński (Vaslav Nijinsky), ballet dancer and choreographer
- Daniel Olbrychski, actor
- Teresa Orłowski, adult movie performer and producer
- Jerzy Owsiak, broadcaster
- Joanna Pacuła, actress
- Ludwika Paleta, Polish-Mexican actress
- Cezary Pazura, actor
- Radosław Pazura, actor
- Roman Polański, (born Rajmund Liebling) (Catholic mother, Jewish father) film director, writer and actor, Academy Award, Golden Globe, Golden Palm, BAFTA Awards, Golden Berlin Bear, César Awards and Golden Lion winner
- Wojciech Pszoniak, actor of Comedie Francaise
- Jeremi Przybora
- Krzysztof Ptak, cinematographer
- Zbigniew Rybczynski, Oscar and Emmy Award winning filmmaker
- Leon Schiller, theater director.
- Izabella Scorupco, actress and singer
- Andrzej Seweryn, actor of Comédie Française
- Anna B. Sheppard, costume designer, nominated to Academy Awards and BAFTA Award
- Jerzy Skolimowski, film director
- Przemysław Skwirczyński, cinematographer
- Piotr Sobocinski, cinematographer
- Ladislas Starevich properly: Władysław Starewicz, film director, stop-motion animator
- Allan Starski, Oscar winning production designer, art director, set designer
- Leopold Stokowski, Academy Award winning composer
- Jerzy Stuhr, actor, film director
- Maciej Stuhr, actor
- Piotr Tokarski, actor
- Andrzej Wajda, Academy Award, Golden Palm, BAFTA Award, Silver Berlin Bear, César Award and Golden Lion winning film director
- The Warner Brothers
- Jerzy Wasowski
- Samuel "Billy" Wilder, six Oscars winning film director, screenwriter and producer
- Lilliana Wilczkowsky, actress
- Dariusz Wolski, cinematographer
- Krzysztof Zanussi, film producer
- Zaldy Zshornack, actor
- Andrzej Żuławski, film director
Sports
See list of Polish sports players
- Andrzej Badeński, sprinter
- Jerzy Chromik, athlete
- Teresa Ciepły, sprinter
- Marian Foik, sprinter
- Halina Górecka, sprinter
- Piotr Haczek, track athlete
- Barbara Janiszewska, sprinter
- Ewa Kłobukowska, sprinter
- Władysław Komar, shot putter
- Halina Konopacka, discus thrower
- Robert Korzeniowski, racewalker
- Władysław Kozakiewicz, pole vaulter
- Elżbieta Krzesińska, long jumper
- Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak, athlete
- Wacław Kuchar, athlete
- Janusz Kusociński, athlete
- Bronisław Malinowski, athlete
- Wanda Panfil, athlete
- Artur Partyka, high jumper
- Stanisław Petkiewicz, athlete
- Edmund Piątkowski, discus thrower
- Piotr Piekarski, track athlete
- Monika Pyrek, pole vaulter
- Anna Rogowska, pole vaulter
- Tadeusz Rut, hammer thrower
- Piotr Rysiukiewicz, sprinter
- Janusz Sidło, javelin thrower
- Kamila Skolimowska, hammer thrower
- Teresa Sukniewicz, sprinter
- Irena Szewińska, sprinter
- Józef Szmidt, triple jumper
- Tadeusz Ślusarski, pole vaulter
- Jadwiga Wajs, discus thrower
- Stanisława Walasiewicz, sprinter
- Jacek Wszoła, high jumper
- Szymon Ziółkowski, hammer thrower
- Tomasz Adamek
- Aleksy Antkiewicz
- Zygmunt Chychła
- Leszek Drogosz
- Jerzy Kulej
- Andrzej Gołota
- Jerzy Grudzień
- Dariusz Michalczewski
- Kazimierz Paździor
- Zbigniew Pietrzykowski
- Jerzy Rybicki
- Jan Szczepański
- Feliks Stamm, trainer-coach
- Agnieszka Brustman
- Vitaly Cieszkowski
- Josef Cukierman
- Moshe Czerniak
- Arthur Dake
- Dawid Daniuszewski
- Samuel Factor
- Alexander Flamberg
- Henryk Friedman
- Paulino Frydman
- Regina Gerlecka
- Róża Herman
- Krystyna Hołuj-Radzikowska
- Dawid Janowski
- Max Judd
- Michał Krasenkow
- Adam Kuligowski
- Salo Landau
- Bartłomiej Macieja
- Kazimierz Makarczyk
- Piotr Murdzia
- Miguel Najdorf
- Julius Perlis
- Ignatz von Popiel
- Dawid Przepiórka
- Teodor Regedziński
- Samuel Reshevsky
- Samuel Rosenthal
- Gersz Rotlewi
- Akiba Rubinstein
- Gersz Salwe
- Włodzimierz Schmidt
- Bogdan Śliwa
- Savielly Tartakower
- Jean Taubenhaus
- Szymon Winawer
- Aleksander Wojtkiewicz
- Daniel Yanofsky
- Johannes Zukertort
- Zbigniew Czajkowski
- Egon Franke
- Sylwia Gruchała
- Edward Korfanty
- Ryszard Parulski
- Jerzy Pawłowski
- Witold Woyda
- Wojciech Zabłocki
- Bronisław Czech,
- Wojciech Fortuna, ski jumper
- Adam Małysz, ski jumper
- Stanisław Marusarz, ski jumper
- Zygmunt Anczok, defender
- Zbigniew Boniek, midfielder
- Artur Boruc, goalkeeper
- Gerard Cieślik, midfielder
- Lesław Ćmikiewicz, midfielder
- Kazimierz Deyna, midfielder
- Jerzy Dudek, goalkeeper
- Robert Gadocha, attacker
- Jerzy Gorgoń, defender
- Kazimierz Górski, coach
- Paweł Janas, defender
- Józef Kałuża, attacker, coach
- Henryk Kasperczak, midfielder
- Józef Klotz, defender
- Grzegorz Lato, attacker
- Włodzimierz Lubański, attacker
- Stefan Majewski, defender
- Józef Młynarczyk, goalkeeper
- Ryszard Piec, midfielder
- Ernest Pohl, attacker
- Fryderyk Scherfke, midfielder
- Włodzimierz Smolarek, midfielder
- Andrzej Szarmach, attacker
- Władysław Szczepaniak, defender
- Piotr Świerczewski, midfielder
- Jan Tomaszewski, goalkeeper
- Krzysztof Warzycha, attacker
- Gerard Wodarz, attacker
- Ernest Wilimowski, attacker
- Władysław Żmuda, defender
- Waldemar Baszanowski
- Mieczysław Nowak
- Ireneusz Paliński
- Zygmunt Smalcerz
- Agata Wróbel
- Marian Zieliński
Other
- Wojciech Fibak, tennis
- Andrzej Grubba, table tennis
- Sebastian Janikowski, footballer
- Jadwiga Jędrzejowska, tennis
- Robert Kubica, racing driver
- Mateusz Kusznierewicz, sailor
- Waldemar Legień, judo
- Kazimierz Lipień, wresling
- Piotr Markiewicz, canoeing
- Renata Mauer, shooter
- Paweł Nastula, judo
- Aneta Pastuszka, canoeing
- Janusz Pyciak-Peciak, penthatlon
- Mariusz Pudzianowski, strongman
- Tomasz Sikora, biathlete
- Andrzej Supron, wrestling
- Ryszard Szurkowski, cyclist
- Piotr Wadecki, cyclist
- Bogdan Wenta, handballer
- Józef Zapędzki, shooter
- Sobiesław Zasada, racing driver
Royalty
- Mieszko I, first Duke of Poland.
- Świętosława (Gunhild), daughter of Mieszko I of Poland, mother of Canute the Great, King of England, Denmark and Norway.
- Bolesław I the Brave, first King of Poland.
- Mieszko II Lambert, second King of Poland.
- Casimir I the Restorer, duke of Poland.
- Bolesław II the Bold, third King of Poland.
- Bolesław III Wrymouth, duke of Poland.
- Henry I the Bearded, senior duke of Poland, duke of Silesia.
- Henryk II the Pious, senior duke of Poland, commander of Polish forces in the Battle of Legnica.
- Władysław I the Elbow-high, King of Poland.
- Casimir III the Great, Piast Dynasty last King of Poland.
- Jadwiga Angevin, King and Queen of Poland.
- Władysław II Jagiełło, Lithuanian, King of Poland, victor at the Battle of Grunwald.
- Władysław III of Varna (Ulászló I), King of Poland and Hungary.
- Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, victor in the Thirteen Years' War (1454-1466).
- Sigismund I the Old, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
- Roxelana (Khourrem, wife of Suleiman the Magnificent).
- Sigismund II Augustus, Jagiello Dynasty last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- Stefan Batory, Hungarian-born King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- Sigismund III Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and King of Sweden.
- Władysław IV Vasa, elected Tsar of Russia, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- John II Casimir Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Beresteczko.
- Jan III Sobieski, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Vienna.
- Catherine I, (Marta Skowrońska, wife of Russian tsar Peter the Great, and Empress of Russia (1725-1727)
- Stanisław Leszczyński, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Duke of Lorraine.
- Maria Leszczyńska, consort of Louis XV, King of France.
- Stanisław August Poniatowski, last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, co-author of the Polish Constitution of May 3 1791.
Nobility (szlachta)
See list of szlachta.
Military
- Władysław Anders, general, military commander during the Battle of Monte Cassino
- Józef Bem, military commander, commander-in-chief of Hungarian army (1849)
- Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, military commander, victor from Kircholm
- Michał Czajkowski (Sadyk Pasha), (1804-1886), Polish-Ukrainian commander-in-chief of an Ottoman Cossack Brigade during the Crimean War (1853-1856)
- Jerzy Pajaczkowski-Dydynski, (1894-2005), 111, - Polish soldier of World War I and of the 1920-1921 Polish War against Soviet Russia. He was the oldest man in the UK at the time of his death. [1]
- Henryk Dąbrowski, general, military commander during the Napoleonic Wars
- Jarosław Dąbrowski, military commander during the January Uprising and the Paris Commune
- Henryk Dembiński, military commander in the November Uprising and the Hungarian uprising of 1849
- Józef Haller, politician, commander of the Polish Army in France during World War I
- Jan Nowak-Jezioranski, (1913-2005) - Polish journalist and WWII hero
- Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski, general, founder of the resistance movement "Polish Victory Service" (27 September 1939)
- Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, general, commander of the Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising
- Tadeusz Kościuszko, (born in modern day Belarus) Polish and American commander and revolutionist
- Marian Kukiel, general, military commander, historian
- Aleksander Lisowski, commander of Lisowczycy (17th c.)
- Stanisław Maczek, (1892-1994), commander of the Polish Armoured Division, later C-i-C of the Polish forces in exile after WWII
- Leopold Okulicki, general, last commander-in-chief of the Home Army
- Józef Poniatowski, prince, Polish general and marshal of France
- Kazimierz Pułaski (Cassimir Pulaski), Polish and American military commander
- Hyman G. Rickover, U.S. Navy Admiral, Father of the Nuclear Navy
- Konstantin Rokossovsky, (born Konstanty Rokossowski) Marshall of the Soviet Union and Polish defense minister, communist
- Stefan Rowecki, general, military commander, commander-in-chief of the Home Army
- Władysław Sikorski, general, commander-in-chief of the Polish Armed Forces and Prime Minister of Poland (1939-1943)
- Piotr Skuratowicz, General of the Polish Army
- Stanisław Sosabowski, commander of the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, which saw action at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden
- Kazimierz Sosnkowski, general, Commander-in-Chief of Polish Armed Forces (1943-1944)
- Edward Rydz-Śmigły, marshal, military commander, successful in the Polish-Bolshevik war, C-i-C of the Polish Army in the September Campaign
- Piotr Wysocki, led the November Uprising
- Stanisław Żółkiewski, chancellor of Poland, military commander, conqueror of Moscow
- Janusz Żurakowski, WWII fighter pilot and Avro Arrow test pilot
Politics
- Tomasz Arciszewski, first Prime Minister of Poland in exile (1944-1947)
- Kazimierz Feliks Badeni, count, Minister-President of Austria (1895-1897)
- Marek Belka, former director of economic policy in the interim coalition administration of Iraq & Prime Minister
- Bolesław Bierut, leader of communist Poland (1948-1956)
- Michał Bobrzyński, Governor of Galicia (1908-1913)
- Zbigniew Brzeziński , political scientist, advisor to US President Jimmy Carter.
- Józef Cyrankiewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1947-1952 and 1954-1970)
- Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, prince, statesman, Prime Minister (1830-1831)
- Ignacy Daszyński, Prime Minister of the Temporary People’s Government of the Republic of Poland (1918)
- Roman Dmowski, nationalist politician, statesman
- Feliks Dzierżyński, the founder of the Bolshevik secret police, the Cheka
- Jaś Gawroński, Italian politician
- Edward Gierek, leader of communist Poland (1970-1980)
- Władysław Gomułka, leader of communist Poland (1956-1970)
- Piotr Jaroszewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1970-1980)
- Wojciech Jaruzelski, last leader of communist Poland (1981-1989), first President of III RP (1989-1990)
- Ryszard Kaczorowski, sixth and last President of Poland in exile (1989-1990)
- Jarosław Kaczyński, identical twin brother of Lech, leader of the Law and Justice party, Prime Minister of Poland (since 2006)
- Lech Kaczyński, fourth President of III RP (since 2005)
- Wojciech Korfanty, leader of Silesians during the Third Silesian Uprising
- Stanisław Kosior, Soviet politician
- Jan Kucharzewski first Prime Minister of Kingdom of Poland (1917-1918),
- Pedro Pablo Kuczynski - Prime Minister of Peru
- Aleksander Kwaśniewski, third President of III RP (1995-2005)
- Julian Marchlewski, Soviet politician
- Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Prime Minister of Poland (2005-2006)
- Tadeusz Mazowiecki, politician, first Prime Minister of III RP (Poland)
- Stanislaw Mikołajczyk, Prime Minister of Poland (1943-1944), politician of the agrarian party
- Jędrzej Moraczewski, first Prime Minister of II RP (1918-1919)
- Ignacy Mościcki, third President of II RP (1926-1939)
- Edmund Muskie, American politician
- Lewis Bernstein Namier, British politician and historian
- Gabriel Narutowicz, first President of II RP (1922)
- Stanisław Ostrowski, third President of Poland in exile (1972-1979)
- Ignacy Paderewski, second Prime Minister of II RP (1919)
- Józef Piłsudski, statesman, politician and Marshal of Poland
- Michel Poniatowski, prince, French politician
- Alfred Józef Potocki, count, Minister-President of Austria (1870-1871)
- Władysław Raczkiewicz, first President of Poland in exile (1939-1947)
- Edward Raczyński, fourth President of Poland in exile (1979-1986)
- Antoni Radziwiłł, prince, the Duke-Governor of Grand Duchy of Posen (Poznań) (1815-1831)
- Dan Rostenkowski, American politician
- Kazimierz Sabbat, fifth President of Poland in exile (1986-1989)
- Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, vice-president of European Parliament (2004-2007)
- Władysław Sikorski, general, Prime Minister of Poland (1939-1943)
- Anatoly Sobczak, first post-Soviet mayor of St Petersburg
- Lech Wałęsa, trade unionist who started dismantling of the Soviet bloc, second President of III RP (1990-1995)
- Ludwik Waryński, socialist activist in 19th c.
- Roy Welensky, Prime Minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
- Edward Werner, (born in Poland to parents of German origin) vice-Minister of Finance, and Polish diplomat during World War II
- Alexander Wielopolski, count, Marquis of Gonzaga, statesman
- Wincenty Witos, politician of the agrarian party
- Stanisław Wojciechowski, second President of II RP (1922-1926)
- August Zaleski, second President of Poland in exile (1947-1972)
Diplomats
- Władysław Bartoszewski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995 and 2000-2001)
- Józef Beck, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1932-1939)
- Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2001-2005)
- Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, prince, foreign affairs minister of the Russian Empire (1804-1806)
- Władysław Czartoryski, prince, the main diplomatic agent of the National Government (1863-1864)
- Roman Dmowski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1923)
- Bronisław Geremek, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1997-2000)
- Agenor Count Gołuchowski, foreign affairs minister of Austria-Hungary (1895-1906)
- Krzysztof Grzymułtowski, diplomat and voivod of Poznań, author of the Eternal Peace Treaty with Russia (1686)
- Julian Klaczko, Polish-Austrian diplomat
- Stefan Meller, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005-2006)
- Andrzej Olechowski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1993-1995)
- Ignacy Paderewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919)
- Adam Rapacki, foreign affairs minister of communist Poland (1956-1968)
- Joseph Retinger, Polish-Austrian-Mexican-British political adviser
- Dariusz Rosati, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995-1997)
- Adam Daniel Rotfeld, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005)
- Aleksander Skrzyński, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1922-1923 and 1924-1926)
- Krzysztof Skubiszewski, first foreign affairs minister of III RP (1989-1993)
- Alexandre Joseph Count Colonna-Walewski, French foreign affairs minister
- August Zaleski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1926-1932)
- Maurycy Klemens Zamoyski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1924)
- Josef Zieleniec, Czech foreign affairs minister
Spies
- Roman Czerniawski, Captain
- Manci Malvina Gertler, Lady Howard of Effingham (she had a Polish passport, but she was born in Budapest in Hungary, and she was suspected to have attempted to obtain positions of influence in order to acquire information for a Polish businessman, Edward Weisblat, who was alleged to be an agent of the USSR and the Third Reich)
- Michał Goleniewski, Colonel
- Jan Kowalewski, Colonel
- Andrzej Kowerski, Lieutenant and SOE agent
- Ryszard Kukliński, Colonel, CIA masterspy during the Cold War
- Kazimierz Leski, Captain
- Jerzy Pawłowski, Major
- Artur Ritter-Jastrzębski
- Michał Rybikowski, Colonel
- Krystyna Skarbek, British SOE heroine of WW II
- Jerzy Sosnowski, Cavalry Captain
- Halina Szymańska, British spy of WW II
- Stefan Witkowski, engineer
- Marian Zacharski, Colonel
Holocaust resistors
- Mordechaj Anielewicz, Military Leader of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
- Icchak Cukierman
- Marek Edelman
- Jan Karski
- Zofia Kossak-Szczucka
- Witold Pilecki
- Irena Sendlerowa
- Henryk Sławik, Polish politician and diplomat in Hungary
Religion
- Baal Shem Tov
- Szymon Budny
- Saint Casimir Jagiellon, (grandson of King Władysław II Jagiełło)
- Saint Adam (Albert) Chmielowski
- August Czartoryski, Beatified Prince
- Edmund Cardinal Dalbor, Primate of Poland (1915-1926)
- Albin Cardinal Dunajewski, Bishop of Cracow (1879-1894)
- Stanisław Cardinal Dziwisz, Archbishop of Cracow
- Jacob Frank, Jewish messianic leader who combined Judaism and Christianity
- Piotr z Goniądza, reliogious writer
- Piotr Gamrat, clergy, Primate of Poland (1541-1545)
- Józef Cardinal Glemp, Primate of Poland (since 1981)
- Saint Hedwig, Queen of Poland (1384-1399)
- August Cardinal Hlond, Primate of Poland (1926-1948)
- Stanislaus Hosius, legate to Poland, cardinal and Prince-Bishop of Ermland Archidioecesis Varmiensis
- Saint Hyacinth, a Dominican
- Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zaleski, Polish Armenian, Catholic priest in Armenian and Latin rite, social activist, oppositionist in a term of Polish People's Republic
- Marian Cardinal Jaworski, Polish Roman-Catholic archbishop of Lvov
- Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki, Bishop of Cracow, statesman
- Aleksander Cardinal Kakowski, Archbishop of Warsaw
- Saint Raphael Kalinowski, a Carmelite
- Saint Jan Kanty, professor of Jagiellonian University at Cracow
- Saint Maksymilian Maria Kolbe, a Franciscan, martyr (Auschwitz) (1941)
- Hugo Kołłątaj, priest, statesman
- Saint Stanisław Kostka, a Jesuit
- Saint Faustyna Kowalska, Virgin, of the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy
- John Cardinal Krol, Archbishop of Philadelphia (1961-1988)
- Mieczysław Cardinal Ledóchowski, Primate of Poland (1866-1886)
- Jan Łaski, Primate of Poland (1510-1531)
- Franciszek Cardinal Macharski, Archbishop of Cracow (1978-2005)
- Walenty Potocki, count, converted to Judaism (Avrohom ben Avrohom), the Ger Tzedek of Vilna, (d. 1749)
- Jan Cardinal Puzyna, Bishop of Cracow (1895-1911)
- Jerzy Cardinal Radziwiłł, Bishop of Cracow (1591-1600)
- Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów, Bishop of Cracow, martyr (1079)
- Adam Stefan Cardinal Sapieha, Bishop/Archbishop of Cracow (1911-1951)
- Piotr Skarga, a Jesuit
- Edmund Cardinal Szoka, Archbishop of Detroit (1981-1990)
- Mikołaj Trąba, Archbishop of Gniezno, first Primate of Poland (1418-1422)
- Jakub Uchański, Primate of Poland (1562-1581), Interrex (1572-1573 and 1574-1575)
- Piotr Wawrzyniak, priest and economist
- Karol Józef Wojtyła, John Paul II, Pope (1978-2005)
- Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński, Primate of Poland (1948-1981)
- Reverend Monsignor (Wawrzyniec) Lawrence Wnuk P.A, priest
Other
- Paul Austin, TPF specialist and poet
- Benedykt Polak (Bendict the Pole, Benedictus Polonus), explorer
- Piotr Bikont, journalist
- Florian Ceynowa, Kashubian activist
- Antoni Cierplikowski "Antoine", haidresser
- Kinga "Freespirit" Choszcz, hitch-hiker
- Franciszek Czapek, watchmaker
- Michał Drzymała
- Max Factor, producer of cosmetics
- Gaspar da Gama, traveller, interpreter, explorer
- Piotr Gawryś, contract bridge champion
- Wincenty Gostkowski, watchmaker
- Piotr Iwanicki, wheelchair dancing world champion
- Marek Kamiński, adventure traveller
- Piotr Naszarkowski, engraver
- Szymon Niemiec, LGBT Activist
- Antoni Patek, watchmaker
- Anthony Radziwill, U.S. news journalist/producer (nephew of John F. Kennedy)
- Helena Rubinstein, cosmetics industrialis
- Gian Franco Svidercoschi, Italian journalist
- Jack Tramiel (Trzmiel), one of the main forces of the personal computers era
- Włodzimierz Waloc Trubecki, prince
- Arkadiusz Weremczuk (Ukrainian-Polish) fashion designer, known as Arkadius
- Magdalena Wróbel, top model
- Wilfrid Michael Voynich, bibliophile
- Aleksandra Zagorski Home Entertainment Specialist
Criminals
- Leon Czolgosz, assassin of American President William McKinley
- Ignacy Hryniewiecki, assassin of the Emperor Alexander II of Russia
- Severin Antoniovich Klosowski, Jack the Ripper suspect
- Julian Koltun, serial killer
- Karol Kot, serial killer, known as "Vampire from Cracow"
- "Gruby" Janek, mobster
- Zdzisław Marchwicki, serial killer
- Władysław Mazurkiewicz, serial killer
- Stanisław Modzelewski, serial killer
- Eligiusz Niewiadomski, assassin of Polish President Gabriel Narutowicz, modernist painter and art critic
- Leszek Pękalski, serial killer
- Piotr Shabelsky-Bork, assassin
- Łucjan Staniak, serial killer - dubbed "The Red Spider" and "The Red Ripper"
Controversial figures
- Paul Falkowski, gay rights activist
- Roman Giertych, politician
- Krzysztof Kononowicz, mayoral candidate for the city of Białystok
- Andrzej Lepper, politician
- Tadeusz Rydzyk, Roman Catholic priest and Redemptorist, creator and head of the controversial Radio Maryja station, and a powerful leader of the Radio Maryja Family socio-religious movement in Poland.
Heroes and Freedom fighters
- Tadeusz Kościuszko
- Ordon
- Emilia Plater (family of distant German origin)
- Józef Sowiński
- Jan Henryk Dąbrowski
Legendary persons
- John of Kolno (Jan z Kolna, Johannes Scolnus or Scolvus), (semi-legendary explorer and discoverer of America before Columbus (1476)
- Twardowski (semi-legendary Faust-like sorcerer, in Polish legends first man on the Moon)
- Janek Wiśniewski Freedom fighter, hero of riots in Gdynia 1970.
Fictional characters
- Blackhawk
- Captain William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz of Wolfenstein 3D
- Waldemar Daninsky, wolfman from La Marca del Hombre Lobo
- Nicodemus Dyzma (in Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz's novel, The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma).
- Dr Judym (in Stefan Żeromski's novel, Homeless People).
- Florentyna Kane from The Prodigal Daughter and Shall We Tell the President?
- Commander Keen, grandson of B.J. Blazkowicz
- Funky Koval, space detective
- Magneto
- Office Eddie Pulaski from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Abel Rosnovski from Kane and Abel
- Sasquatch (Dr. Walter Langkowski), Marvel superhero
- Silk Spectre I & II of Watchmen
- Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek
- Walter Koskiusko Waldowski, the "Painless Pole" in MASH (film)
- Konrad Wallenrod (poem)
- John Paul Wiggin (Jan Paweł Wieczorek) from Ender Series
- Steve Roper and Mike Nomad
- Stanisław Wokulski (in Bolesław Prus' novel, The Doll)
- Piotr Zak, fictional composer
- Sophie Zawistowski from "Sophie's Choice", a book by William Styron and a film by Alan J. Pakula.