List of personalities from the city of Ghent

The following list contains personalities born in Ghent , listed chronologically by year of birth. The list does not claim to be complete.

Personalities born in Ghent

Emperor Charles V

Isabella of Austria

Adolphe Quételet

Paul de Smet de Naeyer

Maurice Maeterlinck

Charles De Visscher

David Ruelle

Jacques Rogge 2001

Matthias Storme

Helmut Lotti

Frank De Winne

Olivier Deschacht

Wouter Weylandt

Until 1800

Jacob van Artevelde (around 1290-1345), patriot
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (1340-1399), son of King Edward III.
Alexander Agricola (1446–1506), composer, singer and instrumentalist
Jacob Obrecht (1457 / 58–1505), composer, cleric and singer
Jodocus Badius (1462–1535), printer and humanist
Gerard Horenbout (1465–1541), cartographer, scribe and painter
Lucas Horenbout (1490 / 95–1544), miniature painter
Charles V (1500–1558), Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire
Karl von Utenhove the Elder Ä. (around 1500–1580), humanist and politician
Isabella of Austria (1501–1526), Queen of Denmark and Norway
George of Austria (1504–1557), Catholic Archbishop
Jan van Utenhove (1516 or 1520-1566), humanist and Reformed theologian
Karl von Utenhove the Elder J. (1536–1600), humanistic scholar and poet
Levinus Battus (1545–1591), German medic
Johanna Otho (around 1549 - after 1621), humanist and poet
Levinus Hulsius (1546–1606), notary, author and publisher
Anna von Utenhove (around 1550 - after 1595 [1641?]), Humanist and poet
Lieven de Key (around 1560–1627), architect
Johan Philip Lansberg (1561-1632), astronomer
Daniel Colonius the Elder (1566–1635), Reformed theologian
François van der Burch (1567–1644), Bishop of Ghent, Prince Archbishop of Cambrai
Pieter van den Keere (1570–1630), engraver and publisher
Antonius Walaeus (1573–1639), Calvinist, Reformed theologian and professor
Daniel Heinsius (1580–1655), scholar
Justus de Harduwijn (1582–1636), pastor and poet
Anselm van Hulle (1601–1674), painter
Lieven Cruyl (1634-?), Priest, architect, draftsman, etcher
Jean-Baptiste Loeillet de Gant (1688–1720), composer and flautist
Laurent Delvaux (1695–1778), Dutch sculptor
Josse Boutmy (1697–1779), composer and harpsichordist
Peter Anton von Verschaffelt (1710–1793), sculptor and architect
Konstantin Karl d'Aspre (1767–1809), Lieutenant Field Marshal and Knight of Theresa
Joseph Van Crombrugghe (1770–1842), lawyer and liberal politician
Martin-Joseph Mengal (1784–1851), horn player, composer and conductor
Pieter Van Hanselaere (1786–1862), portrait and history painter
Joseph-Jean De Smet (1794–1877), Catholic clergyman and historian
Adolphe Quételet (1796–1874), astronomer and statistician
Joseph Guislain (1797-1860), psychiatrist
Félix Victor Goethals (1798–1872), scholar

1801 to 1850

Philipp Blommaert (1809–1871), writer
Hendrick Joseph Dillens (1812–1872), genre and history painter as well as watercolorist and lithographer
François Antoine de Bruycker (1816–1882), genre and still life painter
Xavier De Cock (1818-1896), animal painter
François-Joseph Boulanger (1819–1873), vedute painter
Zacharie Noterman (1820–1890), animal painter and etcher
Adolf Dillens (1821–1877), painter
Lievin de Winne (1821-1880), painter
Jules Joseph Boulanger (1822–1868), portrait and genre painter
César de Cock (1823–1904), landscape painter
Emile Pierre Joseph De Cauwer (1827–1873), architecture and vedute painter
Théodore Gérard (1829–1902), genre and portrait painter as well as etcher and art teacher
Amalia von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach (1830–1872), nobleman
Gustave Rolin-Jaequemyns (1835–1902), lawyer, politician and diplomat
Franz Meerts (1836–1896), genre and still life painter and watercolorist
Jean Jacques Kickx (1842-1887), botanist
Paul de Smet de Naeyer (1843–1913), Catholic politician and Prime Minister
Albéric Rolin (1843–1937), lawyer
Jules Evarist van Biesbroeck (1848–1920), painter and chaser
Pierre Degeyter (1848–1932), Belgian-French socialist, communist and songwriter
Hildebrand de Hemptinne (1849–1913), Benedictine abbot, 1st abbot primate of the Benedictine order

1851 to 1900

Gerhard Cooreman (1852–1926), Catholic politician and Prime Minister
Joris Helleputte (1852–1925), architect and politician
Jean Delvin (1853–1922), painter
Arnold t'Kint de Roodenbeke (1853–1928), Catholic politician
Gustave Vanaise (1854–1902), portrait, genre and nude painter
Jules Van den Heuvel (1854–1926), university professor, ambassador and politician
Edward Anseele (1856–1938), politician
Victor Horta (1861–1947), Art Nouveau architect
Ferdinand Willaert (1861–1938), painter
Henri Lammen (1862–1937), Jesuit and orientalist
Maurice Maeterlinck (1862–1949), writer and playwright
Constant Montald (1862–1944), painter, sculptor and art teacher
Théo van Rysselberghe (1862–1926), painter
Leo Hendrik Baekeland (1863–1944), Belgian-American chemist and inventor
Edouard Rolin-Jaequemyns (1863–1936), lawyer, diplomat and politician
Stephan Kekulé von Stradonitz (1863–1933), German lawyer, private scholar, heraldist and genealogist
Albert Baertsoen (1866–1922), impressionist
George Minne (1866–1941), painter, draftsman and sculptor
Armand Thiéry (1868–1955), Roman Catholic. Priest, theologian, psychologist, engineer and professor
Pierre Louÿs (1870–1925), poet and novelist
Jules-Émile Verschaffelt (1870–1955), physicist
Jean François De Boever (1872–1949), symbolist painter, illustrator and art educator
Hippolyte Daeye (1873–1952), painter
Paul Burger (1874–1940), racing cyclist and photographer
Maurice August Lippens (1875–1956), liberal politician
Gustave de Smet (1877–1943), painter
Fritz Marguerre (1878–1964), Belgian-German engineer, inventor and entrepreneur
George Van Biesbroeck (1880–1974), American astronomer
André de Cock (1880–1964), philatelist
Felix Klipstein (1880–1941), German painter, draftsman and graphic artist
Frits van den Berghe (1883–1939), painter
George Sarton (1884–1956), American historian of science
Charles De Visscher (1884–1973), lawyer
Fernand De Visscher (1885–1964), legal historian and archaeologist
Henry Georges D'Hoedt (1885–1936), composer and music teacher
Raymundus Joannes de Kremer (1887–1964), writer
Henri Rolin (1891–1973), lawyer and politician
Corneille Heymans (1892-1968), pharmacologist
Paul Struye (1896–1974), lawyer, university professor and politician
Edgard Colle (1897–1932), chess master

1901 to 1950

August Meuleman (1906–2000), racing cyclist and pacemaker
Jean Van Houtte (1907–1991), Christian Democrat financier and politician
Jean Beyer (1914–2002), Catholic priest, Jesuit and canon lawyer
Théo Lefèvre (1914–1973), politician
Robert Van Eenaeme (1916–1959), racing cyclist
Joseph van der Straeten (1918-2010), Jesuit Bollandist
Octave Landuyt (* 1922), painter and sculptor
Willy De Clercq (1927–2011), liberal politician
Guy Duijck (1927–2008), composer, lecturer, oboist and conductor
Raoul Van Caenegem , Baron of Caenegem (1927–2018), legal historian and medievalist
Gilbert Temmerman (1928–2012), politician
Roeland Raes (* 1934), lawyer and politician
David Ruelle (* 1935), physicist and mathematician
Jean-Marie Albert Bottequin (* 1941), photographer, photojournalist, photo artist and pantomime
Jef D'hont (* 1942), coach in cycling
Jacques Rogge (* 1942), orthopedic surgeon and President of the IOC
Willy De Bosscher (* 1943), racing cyclist
Walter Godefroot (* 1943), racing cyclist and manager
Gerard Mortier (1943–2014), artistic director and festival director
René Jacobs (* 1946), conductor and countertenor
Luc Coene (1947-2017), politician
Jozef De Kesel (* 1947), Archbishop of Mechlin-Brussels, Cardinal
Philippe Herreweghe (* 1947), conductor
Theo Custers (born 1950), football player

From 1951

Vera Dua (* 1952), politician
Johan Van Hecke (* 1954), politician
Frank Hoste (* 1955), racing cyclist
Florian Heyerick (* 1958), flutist, harpsichordist, conductor and music producer
Joël Kotek (* 1958), political scientist and historian
Matthias Storme (* 1959), lawyer, thinker, writer and politician
Dirk Brossé (* 1960), composer and conductor
Frank De Winne (* 1961), ESA astronaut
Rik Van Slycke (* 1963), cyclist and sports director
Nic Balthazar (* 1964), television journalist
Philip Claeys (* 1965), politician
Yves Defraigne (* 1965), basketball coach
Linde Ergo (* 1966), sculptor
Rudy Reunes (1967-2010), jazz trumpeter
Helmut Lotti (* 1969), crossover and pop singer
Filip Meirhaeghe (* 1971), mountain biker
Caroll Vanwelden (* 1971), jazz singer and pianist
Karin de Fleyt (* 1972), flautist
Matthew Gilmore (born 1972), racing cyclist
Vincent Van Quickenborne (* 1973), politician
Gunther Schepens (* 1973), soccer player
Kenny Verhoene (* 1973), football player and coach
Muhammet Kurtuluş (* 1974), Turkish football player
Isabelle A (* 1975), singer
Freya Van den Bossche (* 1975), politician
Felix Van Groeningen (* 1977), film director and screenwriter
Tomas van den Spiegel (* 1978), basketball player
Cédric Van Branteghem (* 1979), sprinter
Frederic Sioen (* 1979), singer-songwriter
Bradley Wiggins (* 1980), British cyclist
Steven Caethoven (* 1981), racing cyclist
Olivier Deschacht (* 1981), football player
Dimitri De Fauw (1981-2009), racing cyclist
Lady Linn (actually Lien De Greef , * 1981), singer
Iljo Keisse (* 1982), racing cyclist
Joeri Clauwaert (* 1983), racing cyclist
Evelien Callens (* 1984), basketball player
Ingmar De Poortere (* 1984), racing cyclist
Wouter Weylandt (1984–2011), racing cyclist
Evi Van Acker (* 1985), sailor
Eline Berings (* 1986), track and field athlete
Stijn Huys (* 1986), cyclocross rider
Bart Michiels (* 1986), chess player
Davy Tuytens (* 1986), racing cyclist
Steven Van Vooren (* 1986), racing cyclist
Laurens De Vreese (* 1988), racing cyclist
Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe (* 1989), football player
Jarl Salomein (* 1989), racing cyclist
Jolien D'hoore (* 1990), racing cyclist
Thomas Van der Plaetsen (* 1990), athlete
Xavier Henry (born 1991), American basketball player
Gijs Van Hoecke (* 1991), racing cyclist
Charlotte de Witte (* 1992), techno DJ and music producer
An-Sophie Mestach (* 1994), tennis player
Otto Vergaerde (* 1994), cyclist
Dries Van den Broecke (* 1995), ski racer
Bjorg Lambrecht (1997–2019), racing cyclist
Fabio Van den Bossche (* 2000), racing cyclist

Well-known residents of Ghent

Dominik Konstantin Munich (1763-1818), German theologian and historian
Franz Peter Cassel (1784–1821), German botanist and physician, director of the botanical garden and 1818/19 rector of Ghent University
Baron Jules François (1907–1984), world-famous ophthalmologist