List of Portuguese people

Navigators, explorers and pioneers

15th century

• Afonso Gonçalves Baldaia, explorer of the African coast
• Álvaro Caminha, explorer of the Atlantic islands
• Álvaro Martins, explorer of the African coast
• Alvise Cadamosto, explorer of the Atlantic islands and of the African coast
• André Gonçalves, explorer of the sea route to Brazil
• Antão Gonçalves, explorer of the African coast
• Álvaro Fernandes, explorer of the African coast
• Bartolomeu Dias, explorer of the African coast
• Bartolomeu Perestrelo, explorer of the Atlantic islands
• Dinis Dias, explorer of the African coast
• Diogo Cão, explorer of the African coast
• Diogo de Azambuja, explorer of the African coast
• Diogo de Teive, explorer of the Atlantic islands
• Diogo Dias, explorer of the Atlantic islands, of the African coast and the Indian Ocean, discovered Madagascar
• Diogo Silves, explorer of the Atlantic islands
• Duarte Pacheco Pereira, explorer of the Atlantic
• Fernão do Pó, explorer of the African coast
• Gil Eanes, explorer of the African coast
• Gonçalo Velho, explorer of the Atlantic islands
• João de Santarém, explorer of the Atlantic islands
• João Gonçalves Zarco, explorer of the Atlantic islands
• João Grego, explorer of the African coast
• João Infante, explorer of the African coast
• João Vaz Corte-Real, explorer of North America
• Lopes Gonçalves, explorer of the Atlantic
• Luís Pires, explorer of the sea route to Brazil
• Nicolau Coelho, explorer of the sea route to Brazil
• Nuno Tristão, explorer of the African coast
• Paulo da Gama, explorer of the sea route to India
• Pedro Álvares Cabral, discoverer of Brazil in 1500
• Pedro Escobar, explorer of the Atlantic islands
• Pêro de Alenquer, explorer of the African coast
• Pêro de Sintra, explorer of the African coast
• Pêro Dias, explorer of the African coast
• Pêro Vaz de Caminha, explorer of the sea route to Brazil
• Tristão Vaz Teixeira, explorer of the Atlantic islands
• Vasco da Gama, led the discovery of the sea route to India in 1498
• Christopher Columbus, identity disputed, led Spain to the Caribbean islands in 1492

  15th/16th century

• Afonso de Paiva, diplomat and explorer in Ethiopia
• Fernão de Noronha, explorer of the Atlantic
• Gaspar de Lemos, explorer of the Atlantic and of the sea route to Brazil
• Gonçalo Coelho, explorer of the South American coast
• João Fernandes Lavrador, explorer of North America
• Pêro da Covilhã, diplomat and explorer in Ethiopia and India
• Pêro de Barcelos, explorer of North America

  16th century

• Afonso de Albuquerque, naval admiral and viceroy of India
• António de Abreu, explorer of Indonesia
• António Mota, among the first to reach Japan
• Bento de Góis, explorer
• Cristóvão Jacques, explorer of the Brazilian coast
• Cristóvão de Mendonça, some have claimed he discovered Australia; this is disputed
• Diogo Lopes de Sequeira, explorer of the Indian Ocean
• Diogo Rodrigues, explorer of the Indian Ocean
• Duarte Fernandes, diplomat in Thailand
• Estevão da Gama, explorer of the Indian Ocean
• Fernão Lopez, soldier in India and first resident of the island of Saint Helena
• Fernão Mendes Pinto, among the first to reach Japan
• Fernão Pires de Andrade, merchant in China
• Francisco Álvares, missionary and explorer in Ethiopia
• Francisco de Almeida, explorer and viceroy of India
• Gaspar Corte-Real, explorer of North America
• Gomes de Sequeira, some claim he discovered Australia; this is disputed
• João da Nova, explorer of the Atlantic and of the Indian Ocean
• Jorge Álvares, the first to reach China
• João Rodrigues Cabrilho, discoverer of California
• Lourenço Marques, trader and explorer in East Africa
• Martim Afonso de Sousa, explorer and soldier in India
• Miguel Corte-Real, explorer of North America
• Paulo Dias de Novais, colonizer of Africa
• Pedro Mascarenhas, explorer of the Indian Ocean
• Tristão da Cunha, naval general and discoverer
• Ferdinand Magellan, led the first successful attempt to circumnavigate the Earth ; explorer of the Pacific Ocean

  17th century

• Estêvão Cacella, missionary and explorer of Tibet, first European in Bhutan
• Baltasar Fernandes, explorer of Brazil's interior
• David Melgueiro, explorer of the Arctic
• Jerónimo Lobo, missionary and explorer of Ethiopia
• Luís Vaz de Torres, 16th-century/17th-century explorer of south-west Pacific
• Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, 16th-century/17th-century explorer of south-west Pacific, some claim he discovered Australia
• Pedro Teixeira, explorer of the Amazon River
• António Raposo Tavares, bandeirante

  18th century

• Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira, explorer of Brazil's interior
• Francisco de Lacerda, explorer of Africa

  19th century

• Alexandre de Serpa Pinto, explorer of Africa
• António da Silva Porto, explorer of Africa
• Hermenegildo Capelo, explorer of Africa
• Roberto Ivens, explorer of Africa

  20th century

• Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral, first to cross the South Atlantic Ocean by air

  Saints

• Amador of Portugal
• Anthony of Lisbon
• Basileus
• Beatriz da Silva Menezes
• Elizabeth of Portugal
• Felix the Hermit
• Francisco Marto
• Fructuosus of Braga
• Irene of Tomar
• Jacinta Marto
• João Baptista Machado
• John de Brito
• John of God
• Julia
• Mancius
• Martin of Braga
• Maxima
• Nuno Álvares Pereira
• Peter of Rates
• Quiteria
• Rita Amada de Jesus
• Rudesind
• Saint Ovidius
• Theotonius
• Verissimus
• Victor
• Wilgefortis

  Blessed

• Alexandrina of Balasar
• Amadeus of Portugal
• Bartolomeu dos Mártires
• Ferdinand the Holy Prince
• Inácio de Azevedo
• Joan, Princess of Portugal
• Mafalda of Portugal
• Sancha of Portugal
• Teresa of Portugal
• Elizabeth of Portugal

  Religious

• António de Andrade, missionary, explorer of Tibet
• António Vieira, writer, diplomat and preacher
• João Ferreira Annes de Almeida, missionary
• Paulo António de Carvalho e Mendonça, priest and cardinal, Inquisitor-General of the Holy Inquisition
• Lúcia de Jesus dos Santos, visionary, involved in the 1917 Fátima events
• Paulus Orosius, historian, theologian and disciple of St. Augustine

  Popes

• Damasus I, 4th-century pope
• John XXI, 13th-century pope

  Philosophers

• Agostinho da Silva
• António Castanheira Neves
• António Sérgio
• Damião de Góis
• Eduardo Lourenço
• José Gil

  Musicians

• Adriano Correia de Oliveira, singer
• Alfredo Keil, composer of the Portuguese anthem
• Ana Free, singer
• Ana Moura, singer, fadista
• António Zambujo, singer, fadista
• Alfredo Marceneiro, fado singer
• Amália Rodrigues, the most famous fado singer
• António Fragoso, piano composer
• António Pinho Vargas, classical, jazz and piano composer
• António Variações, singer and songwriter
• Aurea, singer
• Camané, singer, fadista
• Carlos do Carmo, singer, fadista
• Carlos Paredes, Portuguese guitar player
• Carlos Seixas, composer
• Cristina Branco, fado singer
• Danny Fernandes, singer
• David Fonseca, singer
• Diogo Piçarra, singer
• DJ Vibe, DJ
• Duarte Lobo, composer
• Dulce Pontes, singer
• Fernando Lopes Graça, composer
• Fernando Ribeiro, Moonspell vocals
• Francisco d'Andrade, international opera baritone
• Guilhermina Suggia, cellist
• Isabel Soveral, composer
• Jay Kay, singer; Portuguese father
• João Domingos Bomtempo, composer
• Joaquim José Antunes, harpsichord maker
• Jorge Palma, singer, pianist and songwriter
• José Afonso, aka Zeca Afonso, composer, player
• Luciana Abreu, singer, composer, actress, TV host
• Lúcia Moniz, singer, actress
• Luís de Freitas Branco, composer
• Luísa Todi, lyrical singer
• Mafalda Arnauth, fado singer
• Malvina Garrigues, opera soprano
• Manuela Azevedo, singer
• Maria João Pires, piano player
• Maria João, jazz singer
• Mário Laginha, piano player
• Mariza, fado singer
• Mísia, fado singer
• Nelly Furtado, singer
• Nuno Bettencourt, guitarist, songwriter, singer
• Paulo Furtado, blues performer
• Pedro de Escobar, composer
• Rita Guerra, singer
• Rita Redshoes, singer
• Rui da Silva, disc jockey
• Rui Veloso, singer
• Sara Tavares, singer
• Shawn Desman, singer
• Shawn Mendes, singer
• Sérgio Godinho, singer
• Steve Perry, lead singer of band Journey
• Teresa Salgueiro, Madredeus vocals
• Tim, player, vocals Xutos & Pontapés
• José Vianna da Motta, piano player, composer
• Vitorino, singer

  Writers

• Agostinho da Silva, writer and philosopher
• Agustina Bessa-Luís, writer
• Alexandre Herculano, writer
• Alice Vieira, writer
• Almada Negreiros, writer
• Almeida Garrett, writer and playwright
• Álvaro Cunhal, neo-realist writer
• Álvaro Magalhães, writer
• Alves Redol, neo-realist writer
• Ana de Castro Osório, writer and pioneer feminist
• Ana Luísa Amaral, poet
• André de Resende, writer
• Antero de Quental, writer
• António José da Silva, playwright
• António Lobo Antunes, writer
• António Vieira, preacher and writer
• Aquilino Ribeiro, neo-realist writer
• Camilo Castelo Branco, writer
• Carlos de Oliveira, writer
• Damião de Góis, writer
• David Mourão-Ferreira, writer
• Eça de Queiroz, writer
• Fernando Pessoa, poet writer philosopher, described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century
• Fernão Lopes, royal chronicler
• Fiama Hasse Pais Brandão, poet and writer
• Gil Vicente, playwright
• Gomes Eanes de Zurara, writer
• Guerra Junqueiro, poet and writer
• Hélia Correia, writer
• Inês Pedrosa, writer
• Irene Lisboa, writer
• João Aguiar, writer
• João de Barros, writer and historian
• Jorge de Sena, writer and poet
• José Cardoso Pires, writer
• José Gomes Ferreira, writer
• José Rodrigues Miguéis, writer
• José Saramago, writer, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1998
• Luiz Pacheco, writer and editor
• Luís Vaz de Camões, poet, playwright
• Manuel Alegre, poet, writer and politician
• Mário de Sá-Carneiro, novelist and poet
• Miguel Torga, poet and writer
• Natália Correia, writer and poet
• Orlando da Costa, poet and playwright
• Ramalho Ortigão, writer
• Raul Brandão, writer
• Raul Proença, writer
• Rosa Lobato Faria, writer
• Rui de Pina, writer
• Soeiro Pereira Gomes, neo-realist writer
• Teixeira de Pascoaes, writer and poet
• Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, poet and writer
• Tomé Pires, author of the Suma Oriental
• Urbano Tavares Rodrigues, writer and journalist
• Vasco Graça Moura, writer
• Vergílio Ferreira, writer
• Vitorino Nemésio, poet and writer

  Artists

• Sofia Areal, painter
• Almada Negreiros, 20th-century painter
• Amadeo de Souza Cardoso, 20th-century painter
• António Soares dos Reis, 19th-century sculptor
• Aurélia de Souza, 19th/20th-century painter
• Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, 19th/20th-century painter
• Eduardo Gageiro, 20th-century photographer
• Fernando Lanhas
• Filipe Alarcão, urban and modern contemporary designer
• João M. P. Lemos, cartoonist
• José Dias Coelho, 20th-century artist
• José Malhoa, 19th-century painter
• Joshua Benoliel, 19th/20th-century photographer
• Júlio Pomar, 20th-century painter
• Marco Mendes, comic artist
• Manuel Pereira da Silva, 20th-century sculptor
• Nadir Afonso, geometric abstract painter
• Nuno Gonçalves, 15th-century painter
• Paula Rego, 20th-century painter
• Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, 19th-century caricaturist
• Raquel Gameiro, painter and illustrator
• Vasco Fernandes, 15th-century painter
• Vieira da Silva, 20th-century painter

  Scientists

• Abel Salazar
• Alexandre Quintanilha
• André de Resende
• António A. de Freitas, immunologist
• António Damásio, neurologist
• Bartolomeu de Gusmão, inventor
• Bento de Jesus Caraça, mathematician
• Diogo Abreu, geographer
• Egas Moniz, neurologist and Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1949
• Freitas-Magalhães, psychologist
• Garcia de Orta, botanical scientist
• Hanna Damásio, neurologist
• Jacob de Castro Sarmento
• João de Pina-Cabral, anthropologist
• João Magueijo, physicist
• Miguel Vale de Almeida, anthropologist
• Benedita Barata da Rocha, immunologist
• Orlando Ribeiro, geographer
• Pedro Nunes, mathematician and cosmographer
• Sousa Martins
• Tomé Pires

  Engineers and architects

• Álvaro Siza Vieira, architect
• João Luís Carrilho da Graça, architect
• Edgar Cardoso, engineer
• Eduardo Souto de Moura, architect
• Fernando Távora, architect
• José Tribolet, engineer, IST professor
• Tomás Taveira, architect

  Psychiatrists

• João dos Santos

  Actors and directors

• Alexandra Lencastre, actress
• António Lopes Ribeiro, film director
• António Silva, actor
• Beatriz Batarda, actress
• Beatriz Costa, actress
• Carmen Miranda, singer and actress
• Constantino Esteves, film director
• Daniela Ruah, actress
• Diogo Infante, actor
• Diogo Morgado, actor
• Eunice Muñoz, actress
• Fernando Rocha, comedian, actor
• Francisco Ribeiro, actor, comedian, film director, theatre director
• Herman José, actor and humourist
• João César Monteiro, film director
• João Villaret, actor and poetry reader
• Joaquim de Almeida, actor
• Luís Miguel Cintra
• Manoel de Oliveira, film director
• Marco Martins, film director
• Ana Rita Machado, actor
• Maria de Medeiros, actress
• Maria Matos, actress
• Nicolau Breyner, actor
• Nuno Lopes, actor
• Raul Solnado, actor and humourist
• Vasco Nunes, director, cinematographer, producer
• Vasco Santana, actor
• Vera Mantero, dancer and choreographer

  Soldiers

• Álvaro Vaz de Almada , knight of the Garter, Captain-major of Portugal, killed in battle
• Fernando de Almada , Captain-major of Portugal
• Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, chief strategist of the Carnation Revolution of Portugal
• Aníbal Augusto Milhais, most decorated soldier Ordem de Torre e Espada do Valor, Lealdade e Mérito of Portugal
• Salgueiro Maia, Captain who lead a cavalry unit into Lisbon during the Carnation Revolution of Portugal

  Sports

• Ana Rocha, professional wrestler
• António Jesus Correia
• António Livramento, hockey player
• Carlos Lopes, marathon Olympic champion
• Carlos Queiroz, football coach
• Carlos Sousa, off-road driver, world champion in 2003
• Costinha, football player
• Cristiano Ronaldo, football player
• Dinis Vital, football player
• Eusébio, football player, born in Portuguese Mozambique; later moved to Portugal
• Fernanda Ribeiro, 10,000m Olympic champion
• Francis Obikwelu, Nigerian-born runner
• Joaquim Agostinho, cyclist
• José Azevedo, cyclist
• José Mourinho, football coach
• João Félix, football player
• João Moutinho, football player
• Luís Figo, football player
• Luís Miguel Afonso Fernandes, football player
• Maniche, football player
• Nani, football player
• Nelson Évora, long jump Olympic and world champion
• Nuno Gomes, football player
• Pauleta, football player
• Paulo Ferreira, football player
• Paulo Futre, former football player
• Paulo Sousa, former football player
• Pedro Lamy, former Formula One and DTM driver
• Ricardo Carvalho, football player
• Ricardo Pereira, football player
• Ricardo Quaresma, football player
• Ricardo Sá Pinto, football player
• Rosa Mota, marathon Olympic champion
• Rui Costa, football player
• Rui Costa, cycling world champion
• Simão Sabrosa, football player
• Telma Monteiro, four times judo silver medalist at world championships
• Tiago Monteiro, former Champ Car and Formula One driver
• Ticha Penicheiro, WNBA player
• Vanessa Fernandes, triathlon world champion
• Vítor Baía, football player

  Politicians

• Afonso Costa, Prime Minister during the First Republic
• Alberto João Jardim, President of Regional Government of the Madeira Autonomous Region for 37 years
• Álvaro Cunhal, former General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party
• Aníbal Cavaco Silva, Prime Minister and President of the Republic
• Anton de Vieira, governor of St Petersburg and Okhotsk
• António de Oliveira Salazar, head of government and de facto leader of the Estado Novo dictatorial regime for 36 years
• António Guterres, Prime Minister, Secretary-General of the United Nations, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and President of the Socialist International
• António Vitorino, Minister, judge of the Constitutional Court, EU Commissioner and Director General of the International Organization for Migration
• Bento Gonçalves, General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party
• Carlos Alberto da Mota Pinto, Prime Minister
• Carlos Carvalhas, General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party
• Diogo Freitas do Amaral, President of the General Assembly of the United Nations and Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Duarte Pio, Duke of Bragança, claimant to the abolished throne of Portugal
• Francisco Sá Carneiro, Prime Minister
• Jaime Ornelas Camacho, first President of the Regional Government of Madeira
• Jerónimo de Sousa, General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party
• Jorge Sampaio, President of the Republic and Mayor of Lisbon
• José Manuel Barroso, Prime Minister and President of the European Commission
• José Sócrates, Prime Minister
• Manuel Pinho, Minister of the Economy and Innovation
• Marcelo Caetano, last head of government of the Estado Novo dictatorial regime, from 1968 to 1974
• Mário Soares, Prime Minister and President of the Republic
• Octávio Pato
• Pedro Santana Lopes, Prime Minister and Mayor of Lisbon
• Teresa Heinz Kerry, philanthropist and wife of US Senator John Kerry
• Vasco Gonçalves, Prime Minister
• Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal, statesman

  Historians

• Diogo do Couto, historian of India and Sri Lanka
• José Hermano Saraiva

  Businesspeople

• Américo Amorim
• Belmiro de Azevedo
• Francisco Pinto Balsemão
• Joe Berardo
• Salvador Caetano
• António Champalimaud
• Antonia Ferreira, winemaker

  Other

• Catarina de Albuquerque, UN Special Rapporteur
• Mariana Alcoforado, nun and writer
• Rita Almeida, World Bank economist
• Adelina da Gloria Berger Feminist and leader
• Jorge de Cabedo, jurist
• Catarina Eufémia, assassinated rural worker
• Abraham Aboab Falero, 17th century Jewish philanthropist
• Aires de Ornelas e Vasconcelos, 19th-century archbishop of the Portuguese colonial enclave Goa
• Fernando Pessa, journalist
• Sara Sampaio, model
• Zachery Ramos, President and Founder of Gustine Traveling Library in California
• Jason Pereira Viveros, Got his for-loop going and all round beauty