Lists of Armenians

The following is a list of prominent Armenians and people of Armenian descent.

Art

Ivan Aivazovsky, painter
Tigran Avakian, photographer
Jean Carzou, painter
Edgar Chahine, painter
Ronald Dzerigian, painter
Arshile Gorky, painter
Eric Grigorian, photojournalist
Ara Güler, photographer
Nonny Hogrogian, children's book illustrator
Jansem, painter
Yousuf Karsh, photographer
Rafik Khachatryan, sculpturer
Zeferino Merdirossian, artist
Alain Mikli, designer
Hovsep Pushman, painter
Toros Roslin, Medieval painter
Sarkis, sculptor
Martiros Saryan, painter
Vardkes Sureniantz, painter
Edvard Sasun, painter

Business

Albert A. Boyajian, businessman, philanthropist
Mike Daglian, businessman
Calouste Gulbenkian, businessman, philanthropist
Kirk Kerkorian, businessman, multibillionaire
Hrach Khachatryan, businessman
George Krikorian, owner of Krikorian Premier Theatres
Alex Manoogian, businessman, philanthropist
Richard Manoogian, businessman, philanthropist
Melkoum and Mouchegh Petrossian, businessmen
Serge Tchuruk, businessman, CEO of Alcatel
John Vartan, businessman
Alex Yemenidjian, CEO of MGM
Zildjian, family-owned manufacturer of renowned Zildjian cymbals since 1623

Entertainment

Simon Abkarian, actor
Aleksandr Adabashyan, actor
Ray Aghayan, costume designer
Roman Balayan, filmmaker
Adrienne Barbeau, actress (Armenian mother)
Daniel Bilalian, French television personality
Eric Bogosian, American film actor
Christy Canyon, adult film actress
Cher, entertainer
Mike Connors, actor
David Dickinson, television personality
Frunze Dovlatyan, filmmaker
Atom Egoyan, filmmaker
Arlene Francis, actress
Michael Goorjian, actor
Robert Guediguian, filmmaker
Sid Haig, actor
David Hedison, actor
Hughes Brothers, filmmakers
Armen Jigarkhanyan, actor
Howard Kazanjian, producer
Edmond Keosayan, film director
Alek Keshishian, filmmaker
Arsinee Khanjian, actress
Dmitry Kharatyan, actor
Kelly Kole, actress
Vilen Kolouta, cinematographer
Jason Mahakian, model maker
Henrik Malyan, filmmaker
Rouben Mamoulian, film and theatre director
Andrea Martin, comedienne
Frunzik Mkrtchyan, actor
Stas Namin, actor, businessman, filmmaker, music and television producer
Sergei Parajanov, filmmaker
Yevgeny Petrosyan, comedian, Russian cultural icon
Artavazd Ashoti Peleshyan, film director
Arthur M. Sarkissian, producer
Karen Shakhnazarov, filmmaker, producer and head of the Mosfilm studios
Janace Tashjian, producer
Rouben Ter-Artunian, costume and production designer
Garine Torossian, filmmaker
Yevgeny Vakhtangov, theatre director
Michael Vartan, actor (Armenian paternal grandfather)
Mikhail Vartanov, filmmaker
Henri Verneuil, filmmaker
Leonid Yengibarov, actor
Steve Zaillian, filmmaker

Music

Anahid Ajemian, violinist
Maro Ajemian, pianist
Lucine Amara, opera singer
Jacob Armen, drummer and instrumentalist
Alexander Arutiunian, composer
Andy (Andranik Madadian), singer
George Avakian, jazz producer
Charles Aznavour, singer
Arno Babajanyan, composer
Hovhannes Badalian, singer
Ross Bagdasarian, creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks
Isabel Bayrakdarian, soprano (and engineer!)
Ara Berberian, opera singer
Cathy Berberian, mezzo-soprano singer
Raffi Cavoukian, children's songwriter, musician and entertainer
Cher, entertainer
Loris Chobanian, composer
Barbara Chookassian, singer
John Chookassian, musician
Hayk Dilanyan, saxaphone player
Zara Dolukhanova, opera singer
Patrick Fiori, French singer
Djivan Gasparyan, musician, composer
Gohar Gasparyan, opera singer
Slava Grigoryan, guitar virtuoso
Richard Hagopian, musician
Rouben Hakhverdian, musician, songwriter
John Herald, bluegrass musician
Alan Hovhaness, composer
Vatche Hovsepian, musician
Ani Kavafian, violinist
Aram Khachaturian, composer
Udi Hrant Kenkulian, musician
Michel Legrand, composer
Pavel Lisitsian, opera singer
Arax Mansuryan, opera singer
Tigran Mansuryan, composer, 2004 Grammy Award nominee
George Mgrdichian, oud player
Sayat Nova, musician
Bulat Okudzhava, bard
Constantine Orbelian, Moscow Chamber Orchestra conductor
Hasmik Papyan, opera singer
Leon Redbone, neo-vaudeville singer (unconfirmed)
Hélène Segara, French singer
Derek Sherinian, keyboardist for KISS
System of a Down, heavy metal band
- Serj Tankian, vocals, keyboards
- Daron Malakian, guitar, vocals
- Shavo Odadjian, bass
- John Dolmayan, drums
Mikael Tariverdiev, composer
Harry Tavitian, jazz musician
Avet Terterian, composer
Barsegh Tumanyan, opera singer
Arto Tunçboyaciyan, percussionist and singer
Komitas Vardapet, musician
Sylvie Vartan, singer
Berj Zamkochian, organist
Anahid Kavafian, violinist
Sergey Khatchaturian, violinist,youngest Sibelius competition winner

Politics

Abel Aganbegyan, senior economic advisor for Russia under Gorbachev
Sarkis Assadourian, Canadian politician
Bob Avakian, Chairman of Revolutionary Communist Party
Hovhannes Baghramyan, General
Edouard Balladur, French politician, Prime Minister (1993-1995)
Boghos Bey Yusufian, Egyptian statesman
Artur Chilingarov, scientist, Deputy Chairman of the Duma (Russia)
Patrick Devedjian, French politician and minister
George Deukmejian, governor of California
Sian Elias, judge
Anna Eshoo, congresswoman
Arkady Ghoukasyan, president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
George Hawi, Lebanese politician
Howard Kaloogian, California State Assemblyman from 1994-2000
Robert Kocharyan, president of Armenia (1998-present)
Emile Lahoud, president of Lebanon
Sergei Lavrov, Russian minister of Foreign Affairs
Andranik Markaryan, prime minister of Armenia
Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan, Soviet politician and statesman
Mikhail Tarielovich Loris-Melikov, Russian general and statesman
Sergei Martynov, foreign minister of Belarus, ethnic Belarusian born in Armenia
Nubar Pasha, Egyptian statesman
Karim Pakradouni, Lebanese politician
Serzh Sarkissian, minister of defense of Armenia, president of Armenian Chess Federation
Armen Sarkissian, prime minister of Armenia (1996-1997)
Vasgen Sarkissian, prime minister of Armenia (1999)
Raymond Setlakwe, Canadian politician
Benon Sevan, UN official
Georgy Shakhnazarov, Soviet politician
Stepan Shaumyan, politician, revolutionary
Lois Tarkanian, councilwoman
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, president of Armenia (1991-1998)
Zurab Zhvania, Former Prime-Minister of Georgia

Religion

Saint Nerses I the Great, Catholicos
Isaac of Armenia, Catholicos
Abul-Faraj, bishop
Gregory Peter Agajanian, Catholic cardinal
Catholicos of Armenia, head bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Pavel Florensky, theologian & philosopher
G. I. Gurdjieff, mystic & philosopher
Benny Hinn, Israeli-born pastor and televangelist
Haik Hovsepian Mehr, bishop
R.J. Rushdoony, Christian Reconstructionist
Demos Shakarian, founder of Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International
Gregory the Illuminator, Christian saint, founder of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Patriarch Karekin II Kazanjian of Constantinople, 83rd Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople
Saint Mesrop Mashtots, creator of the Armenian alphabet
Shushanik, saint

Science

Hovhannes Abgari Adamian, engineer
Hrachya Acharyan, linguist
George Adomian, mathematician, engineer
Viktor Ambartsumian, astronomer, physicist
James P. Bagian, NASA astronaut
Boris Babaian, father of Soviet supercomputer
Raymond V. Damadian, inventor of MRI, inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
Viktor Hampartzoumian, astrophysicist, academician
Yuri Hovhanissian, director of the Russian Nuclear Research Institute
Varaztad Kazanjian, Harvard professor, plastic surgeon
Hampar Kelikian, physician
Jack Kevorkian, pathologist, euthanasia activist
Semyon Kirlian, pioneer of photography
Ivan Knunyants, chemist
Sergei Mergelyan, mathematician
Artem Mikoyan, designer of MiG aircrafts
Mikhail Pogosyan, Director General of Sukhoi Aircraft Corporation
Luther George Simjian, inventor of autofocus camera, ATM, flight simulator, postage meter
Leon Forrester Tcheupdjian, plastic surgeon
Rom Varshamov, mathematician, coding theorist

Sports

Ara Abrahamian, sport wrestler, silver medalist at the 2004 Olympics
Andre Agassi, tennis player
J. C. Agajanian, race car owner and motor sports promoter
Vladimir Akopian, chess master, ranked 16th in the world
Levon Aronian, chess master, ranked 10th in the world
Karen Asrian, chess master
Albert Azaryan, gymnast, three times Olympic champion
Steve Bedrosian, baseball player
Alain Boghossian, soccer player
Elina Danielian, women's world top chess champion
Marcelo Djian, soccer player
Youri Djorkaeff, soccer player
Servard Emirzian, diver, silver medalist at the 1980 Olympics
Robert Emmiyan, athlete, long-jump European record holder
Alecko Eskandarian, soccer player
Andranik Eskandarian, soccer player
Garry Kasparov, world chess champion, ranked 1st in the world
Armen Keteyian, broadcaster
Tim Kurkjian, Baseball analyst on ESPN
Mkhhitar Manukyan, wrestler
Lilit Mkrtchian, women's world top chess champion
Artashes Minasian, 1991 USSR Chess Champion
David Nalbandian, tennis player
Armen Nazarian, athlete, twice greco-roman wrestling Olympic champion
Ara Parseghian, football coach
Hrachya Petikyan, athlete, Olympic champion
Tigran Petrosian, world chess champion
Hal Haig Prieste, diver, Bronze Olympic medalist
Alain Prost, Formula One champion
Sargis Sargsian, tennis player
Saro Sarmazian, karate Champion
Hrant Shahinian, gymnast, twice Olympic champion
Alexi Shirov, chess master, ranked 15th in the world
Talar Tanashian, Syrian chess champion
Danny Tarkanian, All-American basketball player and coach
Jerry Tarkanian, basketball coach
Rafael Vaganian, 1989 USSR chess champion
Yuri Vardanyan, weightlifter, Olympic champion and records holder
Matt Vasgersian, broadcaster
Garo Yepremian, NFL kicker

Writers

Khachatur Abovyan, poet, writer
Arthur Adamov, playwright
Ghazaros Aghayan, poet, historian
Vardan Aigektsi, poet
Vakhtang Ananyan, writer
Michael Arlen, novelist
Michael Arlen, Jr., author, journalist, critic
Ben Bagdikian, journalist, author
Ara Baliozian, writer
David Barsamian, journalist, radio broadcaster
Eric Bogosian, playwright, performance artist
Chris Bohjalian, author
Yeghishe Charents, poet
Vahagn Davityan, poet
Diana Der Hovanessian, poet
Sergei Dovlatov, writer
Carol Edgarian, author, editor
Gevorg Emin, poet
Mkhitar Gosh, poet
Leo Hamalian, author, academic, editor, critic
Avedik Isahagian, author
Silva Kaputikyan, poet
Atabek Khnkoyan, children's writer
Nancy Kricorian, author, poet
Vahan Kurkjian, author, teacher and community leader
Nouritza Matossian, writer
Hakob Melik-Hakobian, writer
Mikael Nalbandian, writer
Nar-Dos, writer
Gregory of Narek, medieval monk, theologian and poet
Arthur Nersesian, author
Yervant Odian, writer, satirist
William Saroyan, writer
Paruyr Sevak, poet
Ruben Sevak, poet
Levon Shant, playwright, novelist, poet
Nerses Shirakatsi, poet, writer
Shirvanzade, writer
Vahan Tekeyan, poet
Henri Troyat, writer
Hovhannes Tumanyan, writer
Daniel Varoujan, poet
Zabel Yessayan, author

Various

Daron Acemoglu, economist
Jack Agazarian, WW2 spy
Ivan Bagramian, Soviet Marshal
Yelena Bonner, human rights activist, widow of scientist Andrei Sakharov
Gayk Bzhishkyan, Soviet military commander
Moses of Chorene, historian
Matthew of Edessa, historian
Vahakn N. Dadrian, historian
Kirakos Gandzaketsi, historian
Mark Geragos, celebrity attorney
Vartan Gregorian, educator, community leader, president of Brown University (1989-1997)
Harry K. Harutunian, educator, community leader
Robert Kardashian, attorney for OJ Simpson
Leo (Arakel Babakhanian), historian
George Ouzounian, (a.k.a. Maddox) creator of The Best Page in the Universe
Lili Sahakyan, psychologist
Avadis Tevanian, Chief Software Technology Officer, Apple Computer, and a pioneer in creating cross-platform software including Mac OS X
Rafi Haladjian, french Internet pionneer, creator of Nabaztag