# List of people from Ghent

This is a list of notable people from Ghent, who were either born in Ghent, or spent part of their life there.

## People born in Ghent
### Before the 19th century

* Henry of Ghent, scholastic philosopher (c. 1217 – 1293)
* Jacob van Artevelde, statesman and political leader (c. 1290 – 1345)
* Franz Ackerman, statesman (c. 1330 – 1387)
* Philip van Artevelde, Flemish patriot (c. 1340 – 1382)
* John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (1340–1399)
* Hugo van der Goes, painter (c. 1440 – 1482)
* Alexander Agricola, composer of the Renaissance (1445/6 - 1506)
* Jacob Obrecht, composer of the Renaissance (c. 1457 – 1505)
* Adrianus Todeschinus, captain of the papal guard (1471–1546)
* Jacques Buus, Franco-Flemish composer and organist of the Renaissance (c. 1500 – 1565)
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (‘’Charles Quint’’, 1500–1558)
* Cornelius Canis, Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, music director for Charles V in the 1540–1550s
* Jan Utenhove, writer (c. 1520 – 1566)
* Lieven de Key, architect (1560–1627)
* Philippe van Lansberg, astronomer (1561–1632)
* Daniel Heinsius, scholar of the Dutch Renaissance (1580–1655)
* Jean-Baptiste Loeillet (of London), flutist, oboist, and harpsichordist (1680–1730)
* Jean-Baptiste Loeillet (of Ghent), composer (1688 – c. 1720)
* Josse Boutmy, organist and harpsichordist (1697–1779)
* Peter Anton von Verschaffelt, sculptor and architect (1710–1793)
* Lieven Bauwens, industrialist (1769–1822)

### 19th century

* Josse Joseph de Lehaye, politician, (1800–1888)
* Henri Colson, burgomaster of Ghent (1819-1900)
* Eugène Van Bemmel, author and educator (1824–1880)
* Frans de Potter, writer, (1834–1904)
* Charles John Seghers, Jesuit clergyman and missionary (1839–1886)
* Paul de Vigne, sculptor (1843–1901)
* De Vriendt brothers, painters (second half of 19th century)
* Pierre De Geyter, socialist, composer, and wood carver (1848–1932)
* Victor Horta, Art Nouveau architect (1861–1947)
* Henri Lammens, Jesuit and orientalist (1862–1937)
* Maurice Maeterlinck, poet, playwright, essayist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature (1862–1949)
* Théo van Rysselberghe, neo-impressionist painter 1862–1926)
* Constant Montald, monumental and symbolic painter 1862-1944
* Brice Meuleman, Jesuit, 2nd Archbishop of Calcutta (now Kolkata) (1862–1924)
* Leo Baekeland, chemist and inventor of Bakelite (1863–1944)
* Pierre Louÿs, poet and romantic writer (1870–1925)
* Karel van de Woestijne, writer (1878–1929)
* George Van Biesbroeck, astronomer (1880–1974)
* Gustave Van de Woestijne, painter (1881–1947)
* Geo Verbanck, sculptor (1881–1961)
* Frits Van den Berghe, expressionist painter (1883–1939)
* Valerius Geerebaert, Redemptorist (1884–1957)
* Maurice Langaskens, painter (1884—1946)
* George Sarton, historian of science (1884–1956)
* Désiré Defauw, conductor and violinist (1885–1960)
* Jean Ray, writer (1887–1964)
* Richard Minne, writer and poet (1891–1965)
* Corneille Jean François Heymans, physiologist and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1892–1968)
* Edgard Colle, chess master (1897–1932)
* Henri Story, politician (1897–1944)
* Emma De Vigne, painter (1850-98)

### 20th century

* Suzanne Lilar, playwright, essayist and novelist (1901–1992)
* Jozef Vergote, Egyptologist and coptologist (1910–1992)
* Johan Daisne, author, poet, and librarian (1912–1978)
* Théo Lefèvre, lawyer and prime minister of Belgium (1914–1973)
* Armand Pien, weatherman (1920–2003)
* Marc Sleen, comics artist and cartoonist (born 1922)
* Willy De Clercq, politician (born 1927)
* Marcel Storme, lawyer and professor at the Ghent University (born 1930)
* Jean-Marie Albert Bottequin, photographer and journalist (born 1941)
* Graba' (Ignace De Graeve), designer and artist (1940-2016)
* Jacques Rogge, former president of the IOC (born 1942)
* Gérard Mortier, musical artistic director (born 1943)
* René Jacobs, counter-tenor and conductor (born 1946)
* Philippe Herreweghe, conductor (born 1947)
* Marc Mortier, first CEO of Flanders Expo (1948–2004)
* Godfried-Willem Raes, composer, performer, and instrument maker (born 1952)
* Matthias Storme, lawyer, academic, thinker, and politician (born 1959)
* Dirk Brossé, composer, conductor
* Frank De Winne, cosmonaut (born 1961)
* Saul Akkemay (Panbello), freelance publicist and columnist (born 1964)
* Nic Balthazar, movie critic and film director (born 1964)
* Michel de Kemmeter, entrepreneur and author in the fields of Personal development and Intangible assets and Human Sustainable Development (born 1964)
* Peter Goes, children's author and illustrator
* Helmut Lotti, musician (born 1969)
* Filip Meirhaeghe, cyclist (born 1971)
* Matthew Gilmore, cyclist (born 1972)
* Freya Van den Bossche, socialist politician (born 1975)
* Cédric Van Branteghem, athlete (born 1979)
* Bradley Wiggins, British cyclist (born 1980)
* Jonas Geirnaert, creator of animation shorts (born 1982)
* Iljo Keisse, cyclist (born 1982)
* Eline Berings, athlete (born 1986)
* Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe, football player (born 1989)
* Kevin De Bruyne, professional footballer (born 1991)
* Gijs van Hoecke, cyclist (born 1991)
* Gaelle Mys, Olympic gymnast (born 1991)
* Xavier Henry, shooting guard/small forward for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers (born 1995)

## Lived in Ghent
### Before the 19th century

* Saint Amand, Roman Catholic saint (584–675)
* Saint Bavo, patron saint of Ghent (589–654)
* Jan Boeksent, Franciscan Sculptor.
* Hubert van Eyck, painter (c. 1366 – 1426)
* Jan van Eyck, painter (c. 1385 – 1441)
* Joos van Wassenhove, painter (c. 1410 – c. 1480)
* Maximilian I and Mary of Burgundy married in Ghent in 1477
* William Damasus Lindanus, Bishop of Ghent (1525–1588)
* Jodocus Hondius, artist, engraver, and cartographer (1563–1612)
* Tobie Matthew, English Catholic priest (1577–1655)
* Caspar de Crayer, painter (1582–1669)
* David 't Kindt, architect (1699–1770)
* Jan Frans Willems, writer (1793–1846)
* Jacques-Joseph Haus, criminal law and natural rights professor at Ghent University (1796–1881)

### 19th century

* Joseph Plateau, physicist, taught at the Ghent University (1801–1883)
* Louis XVIII of France was exiled in Ghent during the Hundred Days in 1815
* François-Auguste Gevaert, composer (1828–1908)
* Rosalie Loveling, poet, novelist, and essayist (1834–1875)
* Virginie Loveling, poet, novelist, and essayist (1836–1923)
* Frans Rens, writer, (1805–1874)

### 20th century

* Erwin Schrödinger, physicist (1877-1961)
* Paul van Imschoot, Roman Catholic biblical theologian (1889-1968)
* Arend Joan Rutgers, physical chemist and professors at the Ghent University (1903–1998)
* Jean Daskalidès, gynecologist and director of Leonidas chocolates (1922–1992)
* Hugo Claus, author, poet, dramatist, film and stage director (1929–2008)
* Jan Hoet, founder of SMAK (Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst) (born 1936)
* Wilfried Martens, Christian Democratic politician and prime minister (born 1936)
* Royden Rabinowitch, Canadian sculptor (born 1943)
* Patrick Sercu, Belgian track cyclist (born 1944)
* Guy Verhofstadt, liberal politician and prime minister (born 1953)
* Johan Vande Lanotte, lawyer and politician (born 1955)
* Herman Brusselmans, novelist and poet (born 1957)
* Leen Ryckaert, psychologist (born 1957)
* Dirk Braeckman, photographer (born 1958)
* Tom Lanoye, novelist and poet (born 1958)
* Peter Vermeersch, composer, clarinet player, and producer (born 1959)
* Michaël Borremans, painter (born 1963)
* Lucas de Lil, composer and conductor (born 1963)
* Erwin Mortier, author and poet (born 1965)
* Bianka Panova, rhythmic gymnast (born 1970)
* Swen Vincke, video game director (born 1972)
* Lorenz Bogaert, entrepreneur (born 1976)
* Gabriel Ríos, Puerto Rican musician (born 1978)
* Tyler Farrar, American cyclist (born 1984)
* Bolis Pupul, musician (born 1985)