List of Romanians

This is a list of prominent Romanians. It contains historical people, and important contemporary figures (sports people, actors, directors etc).

Most of the people listed here are of Romanian ethnicity, and whose native tongue is Romanian. There are also a few mentioned who were born in Romania and who can speak Romanian, though not being of Romanian ethnicity.

Historical and Political Figures

Ancient and Medieval

Anthim the Iberian, Archbishop of Wallachia
Basarab I
Neagoe Basarab
Iancu de Hunedoara, voivod of Transylvania
Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary; father was ethnically Romanian (Vlach)
Mihai Viteazul
Mircea cel Bătrân
Ştefan cel Mare, voivod of Moldavia
Vlad Ţepeş (to some known as Dracula)

Renaissance Age

Dimitrie Cantemir; historian, writer, and music composer
Antioch Kantemir; poet and Russian ambassador

Modern royalty

Politicians

Ion Antonescu, prime minister and Conducător(Leader) during WW2
Alexandru Averescu, general and politician
Nicolae Bălcescu, historian, revolutionary
Traian Băsescu, the current President of Romania
Ion C. Brătianu, politician, one of the founderss of the Liberal movement in Romania
Antoine Bibesco, diplomat, writer
Ion I. C. Brătianu
Gheorghe Funar
Lascăr Catargiu
Nicolae Ceauşescu, the last Romanian Communist leader
Victor Ciorbea, trade union leader, politician, former Prime minister
Emil Constantinescu, professor, politician, former President
Doina Cornea, noted dissident and intellectual.
Ion Duca, prime minister in interbellum Romania
Petre Dumitrescu, general
Avram Iancu, revolutionary
Ion Iliescu, politician, first post-Communist President
Mugur Isărescu, economist, former Prime minister
Iuliu Maniu, politician, one of the creators of the National Peasants' Party
Mihail Manoilescu, economist and politician
Adrian Năstase, politician, former Prime minister
Nicolae Rădescu, prime minister during WW2
Petre Roman, politician, first post-Communist Prime Minister
Vasile Stoica, politician
Teodor Stolojan, economist and politician, former Prime minister
Dimitrie Sturdza
Nicolae Titulescu, diplomat, politician
Corneliu Vadim Tudor, politician
Radu Vasile, economist and politician, former Prime minister
Nicolae Văcăroiu, economist, former Prime minister
Gheorghe Gaston Marin, (previously Grossmann) politician, Vice-president of the Government during Gheorghiu Dej, renewed Romania-USA political relations during the cold war. Had leading role in the French Resistance

Arts

Architecture

Ion Mincu, father of the traditional Romanian Style (neoromanism)

Choreography

Sergiu Anghel, choreographer,director,scenarist
Nicolai Apetri, dance innovator

Painting

Sculpture

Writing

Vasile Alecsandri, poet and playwright
Tudor Arghezi, poet
George Bacovia, poet
Ion Barbu, poet
Marthe Bibesco, writer
Lucian Blaga, poet, playwright
Demostene Botez, poet
Andrew Calimach, author and activist
Dimitrie Cantemir, humanist
Paul Celan, poet
Ion Luca Caragiale, playwright
Mateiu Caragiale (son of Ion Luca, above), novelist
Mircea Cǎrtǎrescu, writer, essayist
Emil Cioran, essayist, philosopher
Ioan Mihai Cochinescu, writer, essayist
Andrei Codrescu, poet and essayist
George Coşbuc, poet
Ion Creangă, writer, especially of children's stories
Ioan Petru Culianu, historian of religion
Ovid Densusianu, philologist, linguist, folklorist, literary historian, poet
Aron Densuşianu, poet, literary critic
Mircea Dinescu, poet
Dan Doboş, Sci-Fi writer
Mircea Eliade, historian of religion; also novelist
Mihai Eminescu, poet and journalist
Ion Istrati
Victor Emil Galan
Constantin Gane, writer
Alecu Ivan Ghilia
Octavian Goga, poet and political figure
Radu Gyr, poet
Iulia Hasdeu, poet
Garabet Ibrăileanu, literary critic
Pillat Ion, poet
Eugene Ionesco, playwright
Nae Ionescu, writer, philosopher, logician
Nicolae Iorga, historian, politician
Isidore Isou, poet
Panait Istrati, novelist
Irving Layton (born Israel Pincu Lazarovitch), poet
Gabriel Liiceanu, writer, editor
Eugen Lovinescu, literary critic
Gherasim Luca, surrealist poet
Titu Maiorescu, literary critic
Norman Manea, writer and intellectual
Sorbul Mihai
Nicolae Milescu, writer, diplomat
Andrei Mureşanu, poet and revolutionary
Gellu Naum, poet
Constantin Noica, philosopher
Stéphane Lupasco, philosopher
Nicolae Olahus, writer, historian, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Hungary
Horia Roman Patapievici, writer, philosopher, essayist
Bogdan Petriceicu-Hasdeu, philologist, linguist
Andrei Pleşu, writer, philosopher, essayist, journalist
Marin Preda, novelist
Haralambie Þugui
David Prodan, historian
Ion Pãun-Pincio, writer
Vasile Pogor, writer
Liviu Rebreanu, writer
Mihail Sadoveanu, novelist
Mihail Sebastian, writer, playwright
Ioan Slavici, writer
Marin Sorescu, poet, playwright
Nichita Stănescu, poet and playwright
Gheorghe Tãutu, poet
Alexandru O. Teodoreanu, dramatist
Tristan Tzara, Dadaist poet and essayist
Urmuz, writer

Historians

Journalists

Ion Cristoiu, former editor in chief of the daily Evenimentul Zilei
Ovidiu Ioaniţoaia, sportswriter
Cornel Nistorescu, former editor in chief of the daily Evenimentul Zilei
Cristian Tudor Popescu, former editor in chief of the daily Adevărul
Pamfil Şeicaru, journalist and esayist, founder of the daily Curentul
Dumitru Tinu, former editor in chief of the daily Adevărul
Cătălin Tolontan, sportswriter
Cristian Ţopescu, TV commentator
Robert Turcescu, TV & radio talkshow host, former editor in chief of the daily Cotidianul (2004-2005)
Marius Tuca, TV talkshow host, editor in chief of the daily Jurnalul Naţional
Dana Macsim, TV news anchor
Corina Mica, former editorial director, Bucharest Business Week

Linguists

Music

See also Music of Romania, especially for contemporary pop musicians.

Composers

Lucian Ban, jazz composer & pianist
Constantin Bobescu, violinist, conductor, composer
Florin Bogardo, pop music composer
Nicolae Bretan, opera composer
Pascal Bentoiu, composer
Leonida Constantin Brezeanu, conductor, composer, pianist, ethnomusicologist
Dumitru Capoianu, composer
Paul Constantinescu, composer
Dimitrie Cuclin, composer
Constantin Dimitrescu, composer, cellist
George Enescu, composer, violinist, pianist, conductor, teacher
Alexandru Flechtenmacher, composer, violinist, conductor, pedagogue
Iosif Ivanovici, composer
Dinu Lipatti, pianist, composer
Ciprian Porumbescu, composer
Ioan Scarlatescu, composer
Ion Vidu, composer

Musicians

Nicoleta Alexandru, pop/techno singer
Horia Andreescu, conductor
Christian Badea, conductor
Luiza Borac, pianist
Alexander Bălănescu, violinist
Jean Bobescu, conductor
Sergiu Celibidache, orchestra conductor
Marin Constantin, conductor of the Madrigal chamber choir
Iosif Conta, orchestra conductor
Ileana Cotrubaş, soprano
Nicu Covaci, rock musician
Hariclea Darclée, soprano
Grigoraş Dinicu, violinist, composer
Dumitru Fărcaş, folk musician
George Georgescu, conductor
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano
Valentin Gheorghiu, pianist
Dan Grigore, pianist
Loredana Groza, pop singer
Clara Haskil, pianist
Nicolae Herlea, baritone
Hugo Jan Huss, orchestra conductor and violinist
Aurora Ienei, pianist
Radu Lupu, pianist
Sherban (Şerban) Lupu, violinist
Cristian Mandeal, orchestra conductor
Emil Marinescu, tenor
Cristi Minculescu, rock singer
Maria Moreanu, mezzo-soprano
Mariana Nicolescu, soprano
David Ohanesian, baritone
Dimitrie Onofrei, tenor
Ionel Perlea, conductor
Dimitrie Popovici-Bayreuth, baritone
Johnny Raducanu, jazz pianist
Stefan Ruha, violinist
Constantin Silvestri, orchestra conductor and composer
Maria Tănase, traditional music singer
Aura Urziceanu (aka Aura Rully, Aura Borealis), jazz singer
Cristian Vasile, tango singer
Ion Voicu, violinist
Iannis Xenakis, composer
Gheorghe Zamfir, panpipes player
Virginia Zeani, soprano
The Cheeky Girls, pop singers famous in the United Kingdom

Movie and Theatre

List of Romanian Actors

Mircea Albulescu, actor
Ştefan Bănică, Jr., actor
Radu Beligan, actor
I.L. Caragiale, playwright
Gheorghe Dinică, actor
Marcel Iureş, actor
Alexandra Maria Lara
Nicolas Masson, director
Nicolae Massim, director
George Mihăiţă, actor
Jean Negulescu, film director, Oscar nominee
Sergiu Nicolaescu, film director
Amza Pellea, actor
Florian Pittiş, actor
Victor Rebengiuc, actor
Constantin Tănase, cabaretist
Tora Vasilescu, actress
Luminiţa Gheorghiu, actress
Maia Morgenstern, actress
Saviana Stanescu, playwright
Oana Botez-Ban, designer for theater, film , opera and dance

Sports

Soccer

Gymnastics

Simona Amânar
Nadia Comăneci
Gina Gogean
Bela Karolyi "world renowned gymnastics coach"
Marta Karolyi "renowned gymnastics coach/wife of Bela"
Lavinia Miloşovici
Dominique Moceanu
Cătălina Ponor
Claudia Presăcan
Andreea Răducan
Daniela Silivaş
Teodora Ungureanu
Corina Ungureanu
Oana Ban
Monica Roşu
Alexandra Georgiana Eremia
Aura Andreea Munteanu
Marian Drăgulescu
Marius Daniel Urzică
Ioan Silviu Suciu
Nicoleta Daniela Sofronie

Tennis

Ilie Năstase
Andrei Pavel
Victor Hănescu
Magda Rurac
Virginia Ruzici 1978 French Open winner
Ion Ţiriac; also, a very successful businessman

Boxing

Basketball

Gheorghe Mureşan

Athletics

Rowing

Other sports

Ion Dumitrescu, cyclist
Géza Csaba Gombos, multiple world championships in Wu-Shu
Angelica Rozeanu, world table tennis champion
Walter Ziegler, cyclist
Florin Gheorghiu, chess player
Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu, chess player

Science

Biology

Grigore Antipa, hydrobiologist
Ana Aslan, geriatrics researcher
Victor Babeş, biologist
Dimitrie Brândzã, botanist
Carol Davila, physician
Dinischiotu family, several famous Romanian physicians and professors;
Ioan Cantacuzino, microbiologist
Iuliu Haţieganu, physician
Wilhelm Knechtel, botanist
Nicolae Leon, biologist
Gheorghe Marinescu, neurologist
Mina Minovici, forensic scientist
Constantin Parhon, endocrinologist
George Emil Palade, 1974 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine winner
Nicolae Paulescu, discovered insulin
Emil Racoviţă, biologist and speleologist
Ion Teofil Tarnavschi, botanist
Târpa family, several famous Romanian physicians;

Chemistry

Ion Atanasiu, electrochemist
Margareta Avram, Professor of Organic Chemistry
Mircea Banciu Professor of Organic Chemistry, Bucharest Polytechnic
Emilian Bratu, founder of the Romanian school of Chemical Engineering
Aurelian Căluşaru specialist in Electrochemistry and Isotope Chemistry
Lazǎr Edeleanu, chemist
Dan Geana Professor of Physical Chemistry, Bucharest Polytechnic
Gheorghe Mateescu, Professor of Organic Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University
Henrick Kacser, physical chemist
Costin Neniţescu chemist, Professor of Organic Chemistry
Petru Poni, Mineralogist
Gheorghe Spacu, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry
Nicolae Teclu, Professor of Chemistry at the Trade Academy of Vienna
Constantin Istrati, Professor of Chemistry - discovered les francéines (new class of colorants)

Engineering

Ion St. Basgan, inventor, rotary well drilling apparatus
Adrian Bejan, inventor of Constructal theory
Elie Carafoli, engineer
Alexandru Ciurcu, inventor - invented with M.M. Just Buisson the first Reactive Engine
Henri Coandă, inventor of jet engine
George Constantinescu, inventor
Dumitru Daponte, inventor in cinematography
Anastase Dragomir, inventor - parachute cell, predecessor of the ejection seat
Dragomir Hurmuzescu, specialist in radioactivity, X rays, and electricity, inventor of the first high tension dynamo
Petrache Poenaru, inventor
Anghel Saligny, engineer
Nicolae Vasilescu-Karpen, engineer
Elie Radu, architect, engineer
Aurel Vlaicu, flight pioneer
Traian Vuia, flight pioneer
Rodrig Goliescu, inventor - invented the first tubular airplane

Mathematics

Physics

Ion Agârbiceanu, specialist in lasers
Emanoil Bacaloglu, physicist, chemist and mathematician
Eugen Bădărău, experimental physicist
Aretin Corciovei, specialist in theory of condensed matter
Horia Hulubei, known for work in spectroscopy and nuclear physics
Theodor Ionescu, specialist in electricity, precursor of MASER, microwave amplifier
Nicholas Ionescu-Pallas
Marin Ivascu
Augustin Maior, physicist, engineer, Multiple Telephony
Constantin Miculescu, physicist
Mihai Nadin, computer scientist
Horaţiu Năstase
Dimitrie Negreanu, magnetism and mineralogy
Valeriu Novacu, theoretical physicist and historian of physics
Hermann Oberth, one of the founding fathers of rocketry and astronautics. Ethnic German, born in what is now Sibiu
Alexandru Proca, theoretical physicist, theory of mesons
Ioan Iovitzu-Popescu, physicist
Ştefan Procopiu, key work on magnetic moment
Gelu-Claudiu Radu, physicist, journalist
Ioan Ursu, physicist
Şerban Ţiţeica, theoretical physicist
Stefan Antohe,dean of physics department of Bucharest University
Alexandru Marin, physicist, professor at MIT, Boston University and Harvard University. Major works include MUON detector at CERN

Others

Dinu Adameşteanu, Italian archeologist of Romanian origin
Vasile Bogrea
Constantin Budeanu
Ovid Densueanu
Dumitru Drăghicescu, Social psychologist
Dimitrie Gusti, sociologist
Nicolae Mărgineanu, psychologist
Victor Mărgineanu, psychologist
Dumitru Prunariu, cosmonaut
Emil Racoviţă, polar explorer
Henri Stahl, sociologist
Andrei Popovici-Bîznosanu
Victor Tufescu
Ion Vianu, psychiatrist
David Wechsler, psychologist

Polymaths

Matyla Ghyka, famous polymath, architect, mathematician and author
Mihail Kogalniceanu lawyer, historian, publicist, politician, cultural pacemaker

Business

Octav Botnar, Nissan UK chairman, billionaire
Nicolae Malaxa, Romanian tycoon in the 1930s
Josif Constantin Drăgan, gas tycoon, billionaire and academic