List of Polish people
The Polish people, who in 1930 had a world-wide population of some 22 million, experienced a major population surge following the 1960s and by 2007 had attained a world-wide population of over 60 million.[1][2]
This is a partial list of famous Polish or Polish-speaking/writing persons. 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.
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History
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Science
Astronomy
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Biology
Chemistry
Engineering
 
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Economics
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Invention
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Computer Science
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Linguistics
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Mathematics
Physics
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Social sciences
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Other sciences
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Music
see also: List of Polish composers
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Literature
See also: List of Polish writers and List of Polish novelists
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Poetry
See also: List of Polish poets.
Philosophy
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Fine arts
see also: List of Polish artists and painters
Entertainment
- Piotr Adamczyk, actor
- Piotr Andrejew, film director
- Michael Anthony (Sobolewski), Van Halen band
- Józef Arkusz, film director
- Tomasz Bagiński, BAFTA Award winning short animated movies maker, nominated to Academy Award
- Andrzej Bartkowiak, cinematographer, director and actor.
- Eugeniusz Bodo, singer and actor
- Wojciech Bogusławski, actor, theater director, playwright.
- Ewa Braun, Academy Award winning set decorator, costume designer, production designer
- Zbigniew Cybulski, actor
- Elżbieta Czyżewska, actress
- Ewa Demarczyk, actress, poetry singer
- Dagmara Dominczyk, actress
- Paweł Edelman, cinematographer, European Film Award winner.
- Katarzyna Figura, actress
- Aleksander Ford, director
- Małgorzata Foremniak, actress, starred in Avalon
- Piotr Fronczewski, actor and singer
- Janusz Gajos, actor
- Sir John Gielgud, English theatre and film actor with Polish szlachcic father
- Samuel Goldwyn, legendary film producer
- Jerzy Grotowski, theatre reformer
- Adam Hanuszkiewicz, actor
- Jerzy Hoffman, film director
- Agnieszka Holland, film director, nominated to Academy Awards and BAFTA Award
- Gustaw Holoubek, actor
- Sławomir Idziak, cinematagrapher, nominated to Oscar
- Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Academy Award winning composer, nominated to BAFTA Award
- Jacek Kaczmarski, protest songwriter, poetry singer, guitarist
- Janusz Kaminski, two Oscars and BAFTA Award winning cinematographer and film director
- Bronislau Kaper, Academy Award winning composer
- Krzysztof Kieślowski, film director, nominated to Academy Awards
- Max Kolonko TV personality, producer, writer
- Kazimierz Kutz, film director
- Martin Kunert (born Marcin Kunert-Dziewanowski) - writer/director
- Irena Kwiatkowska, actress
- Bogusław Linda, actor
- Tadeusz Łomnicki, actor
- Rudolph Maté, accomplished cinematographer and film director, nominated for 5 Oscars
- Helena Modjeska/Modrzejewska, actress (born Helena Opid)
- Pola Negri, actress
- Wacław Niżyński (Vaslav Nijinsky), ballet dancer and choreographer
- Karen O (Orzołek), the lead vocalist for the New York art punk band Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Daniel Olbrychski, actor
- Jerzy Owsiak, broadcaster
- Joanna Pacuła, actress
- Ludwika Paleta, Polish-Mexican actress
- Cezary Pazura, actor
- Roman Polański, award winning film director educated in Poland
- Jeremi Przybora
- Anna Przybylska, actress
- Wojciech Pszoniak, actor of Comedie Francaise
- Krzysztof Ptak, cinematographer
- Zbigniew Rybczynski, Oscar and Emmy Award winning filmmaker
- Lew Rywin, film producer and criminal
- Leon Schiller, theatre director
- Izabella Scorupco, Polish-born Hollywood-actress and singer.
- Andrzej Seweryn, actor of Comédie Française
- Jerzy Skolimowski, film director
- Przemysław Skwirczyński, cinematographer
- Adam Smoluk, director, screenwriter and actor
- 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
- Loretta Swit,Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on M*A*S*H.
- Piotr Tokarski, actor
- Henryk Tomaszewski, mime
- Basia Trzetrzelewska, singer
- 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
- Roman Wilhelmi, actor
- Dariusz Wolski, cinematographer
- Zbigniew Zamachowski, actor
- Krzysztof Zanussi, film director
- Michał Żebrowski, actor
- Artur Żmijewski, actor
- Andrzej Żuławski, film director
Business
- Hipolit Cegielski
- André Citroën, founder of Citroën
- Franciszek Czapek, co-partner in Patek, Czapek & Co.
- Max Factor, Sr., cosmetics entrepreneur
- Andrew Filipowski, technology entrepreneur
- Henryk Grohman, textile manufacturer and patron of the arts
- Nathan Handwerker
- Barbara Piasecka Johnson, humanitarian, philanthropist, widow of J. Seward Johnson, Sr.
- Leopold Kronenberg, banker
- Franciszek Jerzy Kulczycki, legendary merchant, spy, diplomat; opened first café in Vienna (1683)
- Jan Kulczyk, one of the richest Poles
- Michael Marks, co-founder of Marks and Spencer retail chain
- Samuel Orgelbrand, editor
- Antoni Patek, co-founder of watchmakers Patek Philippe & Co.
- Izrael Poznański, textile magnate, philanthropist
- Helena Rubinstein, cosmetics entrepreneur
- Ziggy Switkowski, former chief executive officer of Telstra
- Steve Woźniak, co-founder of Apple Int
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.
- Casimir II the Just, Duke of Cracow, Senior 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 (1241).
- 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 (1410).
- Władysław III of Varna (Ulászló I), King of Poland and Hungary, killed at the Battle of Varna (1444).
- Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, victor in the Thirteen Years' War (1454-1466).
- John I Albert, King of Poland.
- Alexander Jagiellon, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland.
- Sigismund I the Old, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
- Roxelana (Khourrem, wife of Suleiman the Magnificent).
- Barbara Radziwiłł, consort of Sigismund II August.
- Sigismund II Augustus, Jagiello Dynasty last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- Anna Jagiellon, reigned together with her husband Stephen Báthory
- Stephen Báthory, 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 (1651).
- John III Sobieski, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Vienna (1683).
- Catherine I (Marta Skowrońska), second wife of Russian Tsar Peter the Great, and Empress of Russia (1725-27).
- 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 Constitution of May 3, 1791.
Nobility (szlachta)
see: List of szlachta
Military
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- Władysław Anders, general, military commander during the Battle of Monte Cassino (1944)
- Krzysztof Arciszewski, general of artillery of Holland (1639), and Poland (1646).
- Józef Bem, military commander, commander-in-chief of Hungarian army (1849)
- Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, military commander, victor from Kircholm (1605)
- Michał Czajkowski (Sadyk Pasha), (1804-1886), Polish-Ukrainian commander-in-chief of an Ottoman Cossack Brigade during the Crimean War (1853-1856)
- Stefan Czarniecki, Field Hetman of the Crown (1665)
- Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, general, military commander during the Napoleonic Wars
- Jarosław Dąbrowski, military commander during the January Uprising (1863), and the Paris Commune (1871)
- Henryk Dembiński, military commander in the November Uprising and the Hungarian uprising of 1849
- Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski, general, ambassador, nominated President of Poland (1939)
- Jerzy Pajaczkowski-Dydynski (1894-2005), Polish soldier in World War I and in the 1920-21 Polish-Soviet War. At his death, he was the oldest man in the United Kingdom (111 years old). [1]
- Józef Haller, politician, commander of the Polish Army in France during World War I
- Jan Nowak-Jezioranski (1913-2005), Polish journalist and World War II hero.
- Mikołaj Kamieniecki, first Grand Hetman of the Crown (1503-1515)
- 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 (1944)
- Stanisław Koniecpolski, Grand Hetman of the Crown (1632-1646)
- Tadeusz Kościuszko, Polish and American commander, general and revolutionist.
- Wladimir Krzyzanowski Polish general on the Union side during the American Civil War
- Marian Kukiel, general, military commander, historian
- Aleksander Lisowski, commander of 17th-century Lisowczycy.
- Stanisław Maczek, (1892-1994), commander of the Polish Armored Division, later commander-in-chief of Polish forces in exile after World War II
- Leopold Okulicki, general, last commander-in-chief of the Home Army
- Julian Konstanty Ordon, officer in the November Uprising (1830-31)
- Emilia Plater, Countess, hero of the November Uprising
- 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
- John Shalikashvili, retired United States Army general
- 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 (1944)
- Kazimierz Sosnkowski, general, Commander-in-Chief of Polish Armed Forces (1943-1944)
- Józef Sowiński, general, hero of the November Uprising (1830-31)
- Edward Rydz-Śmigły, marshal, military commander, successful in the Polish-Bolshevik war, C-i-C of the Polish Army in the September Campaign
- Jan Tarnowski, Crown Grand Hetman (1527-1561), victor of Obertyn (1531)
- Piotr Wysocki, led the November Uprising (1830)
- Jan Zamoyski, Great Chancellor of Poland (1578-1605) and Great Hetman of Poland (1581-1605)
- Stanisław Żółkiewski, chancellor of Poland, military commander, conqueror of Moscow (1610), Crown Grand Hetman (1613-1620)
- Janusz Żurakowski, World War II 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 of Poland (2004-2005)
- 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 (2006-2007)
- Lech Kaczyński, fourth President of III RP (since 2005)
- Wojciech Korfanty, leader of Silesians during the Third Silesian Uprising
- Janusz Korwin-Mikke, free market activist
- Stanisław Kosior, Soviet politician
- Tadeusz Kościuszko
- 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)
- Andrzej Lepper, leader of Samoobrona and former Vice-PM
- 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)
- Lewis Bernstein Namier, British politician and historian
- Gabriel Narutowicz, first President of II RP (1922)
- Marian P. Opala, Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
- Stanisław Ostrowski, third President of Poland in exile (1972-1979)
- Ignacy Paderewski, second Prime Minister of II RP (1919)
- Waldemar Pawlak, Prime Minister of Poland (1992 and 1993-1995)
- 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)
- Adam Ronikier, count, president of the Central Welfare Council (1916-1918) and (1940-1943)
- 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
- Stefan Starzyński, President of Warsaw (1934-1939)
- Donald Tusk, chairman of the Civic Platform, Prime Minister of Poland (since 2007)
- Lech Wałęsa, trade unionist who started dismantling of the Soviet bloc, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, 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)
- Alois Friedrich von Brühl, Polish-Saxon diplomat, starost of Warsaw
- 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
- Stanisław Kot, Polish ambassador to the Soviet Union (1941-1942) and to Italy (1945-1947)
- Józef Lipski, Polish ambassador to Germany (1933-1939)
- Stefan Meller, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005-2006)
- Lewis Bernstein Namier, British diplomat and historian
- Andrzej Olechowski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1993-1995)
- Ignacy Paderewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919)
- Stanisław Patek, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919-1920)
- Adam Rapacki, foreign affairs minister of communist Poland (1956-1968)
- Joseph Retinger, precursor of the European Union
- Dariusz Rosati, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995-1997)
- Adam Daniel Rotfeld, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005)
- Radosław Sikorski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (since 2007)
- Konstanty Skirmunt, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1921-1922)
- Aleksander Skrzyński, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1922-1923 and 1924-1926)
- Krzysztof Skubiszewski, first foreign affairs minister of III RP (1989-1993)
- Romuald Spasowski, Polish ambassador to the United States (1955-1961 and 1978-1981)
- Alexandre Joseph Count Colonna-Walewski, French foreign affairs minister
- Leon Wasilewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1918-1919)
- 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
- Michael Goleniewski, Colonel
- Jan Kowalewski, Colonel
- Andrzej Kowerski, Lieutenant and SOE agent
- Ryszard Kukliński, Colonel, CIA masterspy during the Cold War
- Franciszek Jerzy Kulczycki, Polish spy in Vienna in 1683
- Kazimierz Leski, Captain
- Jerzy Pawłowski, Major
- Marcel Reich-Ranicki, Polish General Consul in London (1948-1949)
- Krystyna Skarbek, British SOE heroine of WW II
- Halina Szymańska, British spy of WW II
- Marian Zacharski, Colonel
Holocaust resisters
- Mordechaj Anielewicz, Military Leader of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943)
- Icchak Cukierman
- Marek Edelman
- Yitzhak Gitterman
- Haika Grossman
- Jan Karski
- Zofia Kossak-Szczucka, co-founder of Żegota
- Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz, Provisional Committee for Aid to Jews
- Witold Pilecki
- Irena Sendler
- Henryk Sławik, Polish politician and diplomat in Hungary
- Henryk Woliński
- Lidia Zamenhof
- Szmul Zygielbojm
Religion
- Andrzej Alojzy Ankwicz (Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, 1815-33, and Archbishop of Prague 1833-38).
- Baal Shem Tov (Yisroel ben Eliezer (1698-1760), rabbi, the founder of Hasidic Judaism).
- St. Józef Bilczewski (Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, 1900-23).
- Szymon Budny (Polish-Belarusian humanist and Arian priest).
- St. Casimir Jagiellon (grandson of King Władysław II Jagiełło).
- St. Adam (Albert) Chmielowski (Albertine).
- August Czartoryski (beatified Prince).
- Edmund Dalbor (Primate of Poland, Cardinal, 1915-26).
- Albin Dunajewski (Bishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1879-94).
- Stanisław Dziwisz (Archbishop of Kraków since 2005, Cardinal).
- Jacob Frank (Jewish messianic leader who merged Judaism and Christianity).
- Piotr z Goniądza (religious writer).
- Piotr Gamrat (Primate of Poland, 1541-45).
- Józef Glemp (Primate of Poland since 1981, Cardinal).
- St. Hedwig (Queen of Poland, 1384-99).
- August Hlond (Primate of Poland, 1926-48, Cardinal).
- Stanislaus Hosius (legate to Poland, Cardinal and Prince-Bishop of Warmia).
- St. Hyacinth (Dominican).
- Henryk Jankowski (Prelate, Chaplain of "Solidarność")
- Marian Jaworski (Polish Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, since 1991, Cardinal).
- Aleksander Kakowski (Archbishop of Warsaw, Cardinal).
- St. Raphael Kalinowski (Carmelite).
- St. Jan Kanty (professor at Kraków University).
- Stanisław Karnkowski (Primate of Poland, 1581-1603; Interrex, 1586-87).
- St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe (Franciscan martyr, Auschwitz 1941).
- Hugo Kołłątaj (priest, statesman).
- St. Stanisław Kostka (Jesuit).
- St. Faustina Kowalska (Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy).
- Ignacy Krasicki (Primate of Poland).
- Adam Stanisław Krasiński (Bishop of Kamieniec Podolski, 1757-98).
- John Krol (Archbishop of Philadelphia, Cardinal, 1961-88).
- Mieczysław Halka Ledóchowski (Primate of Poland, 1866-86, Cardinal).
- Jan Łaski (Primate of Poland, 1510-31).
- Władysław Aleksander Łubieński (Archbishop of Lwów, 1758-59; and Primate of Poland, 1759-67; Interrex, 1763-64).
- Franciszek Macharski (Archbishop of Kraków, 1978-2005, Cardinal).
- Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki (Bishop of Kraków, 1423-55, first Cardinal of Polish origin, since 1449, statesman).
- Zbigniew Oleśnicki (nephew of Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki; Primate of Poland, 1481-93).
- Walenty Potocki (Count; converted to Judaism as Avrohom ben Avrohom, the Ger Tzedek of Vilna; died 1749).
- Jan Puzyna (Bishop of Kraków, 1895-1911, Cardinal).
- Jerzy Cardinal Radziwiłł (Bishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1591-1600).
- Tadeusz Rydzyk (Redemptorist).
- St. Stanislaus of Szczepanów (Bishop of Kraków, martyr 1079).
- Adam Stefan Sapieha (Bishop/Archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1911-51).
- Piotr Skarga (Jesuit).
- Kajetan Sołtyk (Bishop of Kiev, 1756-59; Bishop of Kraków, 1759-88).
- Edmund Szoka (Archbishop of Detroit, Cardinal 1981-90).
- Józef Tischner (priest, philosopher and first chaplain of the trade union "Solidarity").
- Mikołaj Trąba (Archbishop of Gniezno, first Primate of Poland, 1418-22).
- Jakub Uchański (Primate of Poland, 1562-81; Interrex, 1572-73 and 1574-75).
- Piotr Wawrzyniak (priest and economist).
- Karol Józef Wojtyła (Pope John Paul II, 1978-2005).
- Stefan Wyszyński (Primate of Poland, Cardinal, 1948-81).
- Reverend Monsignor (Wawrzyniec) Lawrence Wnuk (Protonotary Apostolic).
Miscellaneous
- George Adamski, controversial ufologist
- Florian Ceynowa, Kashubian activist
- Franciszek Czapek, watchmaker
- Michał Drzymała
- Piotr Gawryś, contract bridge champion
- Wincenty Gostkowski, watchmaker
- Piotr Iwanicki, wheelchair dancing world champion
- Marek Kamiński, adventure traveller
- Adam Michnik, journalist
- Piotr Naszarkowski, engraver
- Anthony Radziwill, U.S. news journalist/producer (nephew of John F. Kennedy)
- Włodzimierz Waloc Trubecki, prince
- Wilfrid Michael Voynich, bibliophile
- Arkadiusz Weremczuk a.k.a. Arkadius (Ukrainian-Polish) fashion designer
- Warren Winiarski, California winemaker
- Magdalena Wróbel, top model
Criminals
- Ignacy Hryniewiecki, assassin of Tsar Alexander II of Russia
- Severin Antoniovich Klosowski, Jack-the-Ripper suspect
- Julian Koltun, serial killer
- 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"
- Hymie Weiss (Wojciechowski), Chicago mobster and rival of Al Capone, born into a Polish family
Legendary persons
- John of Kolno (Jan z Kolna, Johannes Scolnus or Scolvus), semi-legendary explorer and discoverer of America before Columbus (1476).
- Pan Twardowski, semi-legendary Faust-like sorcerer; in Polish legend, the first man on the Moon.
- Jennifer Krupa nee Baranowski, important financial and information theorist.
- Janek Wiśniewski, freedom fighter, hero of 1970 Gdynia riots.
Fictional characters
- Captain William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz from 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
- Hans Kloss (Captain Kloss), WW II secret agent from Polish TV serial More Than Life at Stake
- Funky Koval, space detective
- Stanley Kowalski of the play A Streetcar Named Desire
- Koziołek Matołek (Matołek the Billy-Goat) is a fictional character created by Kornel Makuszyński (story) and Marian Walentynowicz (art) in one of the first and most famous Polish comics back in 1933
- Magneto, mutant (Marvel Comics)
- Mike Nomad (with Steve Roper), an American adventure comic strip (1936 - 2004)
- Officer Eddie Pulaski from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Abel Rosnovski from Kane and Abel
- Pan Samochodzik, a fictional adventurer by Zbigniew Nienacki
- Sasquatch (Dr. Walter Langkowski), Marvel superhero
- Walter Sobchak, the "Polish Catholic" from the film The Big Lebowski
- Silk Spectre I & II, superheroines from Watchmen
- Stanislau from Blackhawk (comics), ace pilot
- Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek, Polish comic book heroes
- Walter Koskiusko Waldowski, the "Painless Pole" in MASH (film)
- Konrad Wallenrod (poem) by Adam Mickiewicz
- John Paul Wiggin (Jan Paweł Wieczorek) from Ender's Game series
- Stanisław Wokulski (in Bolesław Prus' novel, The Doll).
- Piotr Zak, fictional composer from a spoof BBC documentary
- Sophie Zawistowski from Sophie's Choice, a book by William Styron and a film by Alan J. Pakula.
- The Witcher, fantasy hero by Sapkowski
Sports
see also: list of Polish sports players
Athletics (track and field)
Boxing
Chess
Fencing
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Ice hockey
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Skiing
- Bronisław Czech
- Wojciech Fortuna, ski jumper
- Adam Małysz, ski jumper
- Stanisław Marusarz, ski jumper
Football (Soccer)
Swimming
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Weightlifting
Others
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Notes
- ^ Świat Polonii, witryna Stowarzyszenia Wspólnota Polska: „Polacy za granicą” (Polish people abroad as per summary by Świat Polonii, internet portal of the Polish Association Wspólnota Polska)
- ^ NationMaster.com 2003-2008, People Statistics. Population (most recent) by country, see: population of Poland, the 6th largest in Europe. Accessed 2008-01-25