Lists of Albanians explained

This is a list of lists of historical and living Albanians (including ethnic Albanians and people of full or partial Albanian ancestry) who are famous or notable, sorted by occupation and alphabetically.

Religious

Priests

Dhimitër Frangu (1443 – 1525), friar and scholar of a noble family, treasurer and councilor of Giorgio Castriota, in 1480 wrote the first biography, in Latin, on the life of Skanderbeg, from which all later writers drew.
Father Marin Barleti (1450 – 1513), Catholic ecclesiastic and writer, author of the life of Skanderbeg.
Gjon Buzuku (1499 – 1577), bishop Catholic, author of the oldest known document in Albanian: a translation of the Roman Missal, "Meshari" (1555).
Pjetër Budi (1565 – 1622), Catholic priest and writer, published three books in Albanian and I leave several poems in his native language.
Papa Luca Matranga (1567 – 1619), priest and scholar, author of the first literary expression arbëresh of the Albanians in diaspora.
Frang Bardhi (1606 – 1644), Catholic bishop, lexicographer, folklorist and ethnographer, author of the first dictionary of the Albanian language known so far.
Pjetër Bogdani (1630 – 1689), Catholic bishop and writer, author of the first Albanian work in prose.
Papa Nikollë Filja (1691 – 1769), priest and writer.
Nicoleta Kenini (2005-), writer and priest
Mons. Giuseppe Crispi (1781 – 1859), one of the major figures of the Arbëresh community of Sicily of that era, wrote a number of works on the Albanian language.
Papa Francesco Antonio Santori (1819 – 1894), writer, poet and playwright.
Nikoll Kaçorri (1862 – 1917), Catholic religious, politician and patriot, deputy prime minister with Ismail Kemal, in the first Albanian government (1912–1913).
Gjergj Fishta (1871 – 1940), Franciscan friar, poet, politician and translator.
Mons. Theofan Stilian Noli (1882 – 1965), bishop and intellectual, writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, founder of the Orthodox Church of Albania.
Papa Marco La Piana (1883 – 1958), priest and scholar, gave his contribute through his studies on Albanian language.
Anton Harapi (1888 – 1946), Franciscan friar, teacher, writer and politician.
Zef Valentini (1900 – 1979), Italian Jesuit, albanologist, byzantinist and historian, naturalized Albanian.
Cyril of Bulgaria (1901 – 1971), the first Patriarch of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, born of an Albanian family.
Father Zef Pllumi (1924 – 2007), Franciscan priest and writer, author of the memoirs of Christian religious persecution in Albania.
Mons. Ercole Lupinacci (1933 – 2016), Bishop of Italo-Albanian Catholic Eparchies of Piana degli Albanesi and Lungro.
Mons. Sotir Ferrara (1937 – 2017), the Bishop of the Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi, a diocese of the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church in Sicily, Italy.
Papa Eleuterio Francesco Fortino (1938 – 2010), priest of the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church, Archimandrite in the Eparchy of Lungro in Calabria, served as the Under Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and albanolog.
Arch. Rrok Kola Mirdita (1939 – 2015), Catholic archbishop.
Mons. Angelo Massafra (born 1949), metropolitan archbishop of Scutari-Pult and president of the Albanian Episcopal Conference.
Mons. Donato Oliverio (born 1956), Bishop of the Eparchy of Lungro.
Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, Islamic scholar (specialising in the field of Hadith sciences) and Muslim revivalist in the 20th century. He is well known for his anti-extremist leanings all over the Muslim world.

Martyrs

Papa Kristo Negovani (1875 – 1905), religious leader and writer for the Albanian cause.
Father Daniel Dajani (1906 – 1946), Jesuit religious and martyr, of the Catholic Church, killed by the regime during the communist dictatorship in Albania.

Pope

Pope Clement XI (1649 – 1721), Pope of the Catholic Church.

Saints and blessed

Saint Papa Josif Papamihali (1912 – 1948), priest of Byzantine rite, formed in the Albanian communities of Italy, martyr of the Albanian Greek-Catholic Church, arrested, sentenced to forced labor, and killed during the communist dictatorship in Albania.
Saint Mother Teresa (1910 – 1997), Roman Catholic religious and missionary.
Saint Astius (2nd century AD), bishop of Dyrrhachium, martyr and saint venerated by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
Saint Pelinus (c. 620 – 5 December 662), native of Dyrrhachium and later Bishop of Brindisi in Italy.
Saint Angelina of Serbia (1440–1520), the Albanian Despotess consort of Serbian Despot Stefan Branković (r. 1458–1459), and a daughter of Albanian nobleman Gjergj Arianiti. She was proclaimed a saint and venerated as such by the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Saint John Koukouzelis (1300–c. 1350) recognized as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Saints Eleutherius and Antia venerated as Christian saints and martyrs in Greece and Albania by both the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Literature

Writers

See main article: List of Albanian writers.

T–Z

Poets

See main article: List of Albanian-language poets.

Folklorists

Translators

Academic sciences

Scientists

Teki Biçoku (1926–2009) geologist; former member and president of the Academy of Sciences of Albania
Gjon Gazulli (1400–1465) astronomer
Pandi Geço geographer
Shtjefën Gjeçovi (1874–1929) ethnographer
Sotir Kuneshka physicist
Rexhep Meidani physicist
Laura Mersini-Houghton Albanian-American cosmologist and theoretical physicist; associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; proponent of the multiverse hypothesis which holds that our universe is one of many^[1]
Betim Muço seismologist
Ferid Murad (1936–2023) physician and pharmacologist; co-winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Shefqet Pllana (1918–1994) ethnographer
Niko Qafzezi (1914–1998) agronomist and pedagogue
Nijazi Ramadani (born 1964) ethnographer
Andrea Shundi (born 1934) – agronomist of the 20th and 21st century
Xhezair Teliti mathematician

Philosophers

Marin Beçikemi (1468–1526) 15th- and 16th-century humanist, orator, and chronist
Sami Frashëri (1850–1904)
Gani Bobi (1943–1995) philosopher and sociologist from Kosovo
Ibrahim Gashi (born 1963) Kosovar Albanian academic and philosopher
Ukshin Hoti (1943–1999) Kosovo Albanian philosopher and activist
Zef Jubani (1818–1880)
Muhamedin Kullashi
Shkëlzen Maliqi (born 1947) Kosovo Albanian philosopher, art critic, political analyst and intellectual; was involved in politics in the 1990s
Arshi Pipa (1920–1997) Albanian-American philosopher, writer, poet and literary critic
Petro Zheji (1929–2015) linguist, translator, philosopher, and author from Gjirokastër; lived and worked in Tiranë, Albania^[2] ^[3] ^[4]

Social scientists

Gëzim Alpion academic, political analyst, writer, playwright, and civil society activist
Albert Doja (born 1957) social anthropologist, member of the National Albanian Academy of Sciences and University Professor of Anthropology at the University of Lille, France.^[5]

Economists

Kostandin Boshnjaku (1888–1953) banker, politician, one of the earliest Albanian communists
Shkëlqim Cani (born 1956) Governor of the Bank of Albania, 1997–2004
Sokrat Dodbiba (1899–1956) economist and politician who served as Minister of Finance of Albania, 1943–44
Ardian Fullani (born 1955)
Ilir Hoti (1957–2016) economist and banker
Arben Malaj (born 1961)
Qirjako Mihali (1929–2009)
Filip Noga (1867/1868–1917) politician; Minister of Finance of the country for four months in 1914; also known as Philippe Nogga
Gramoz Pashko (1955–2006) economist and politician
Ferit Vokopola (1887–1969)
Vrioni family one of the great aristocratic and biggest landowner families of Albania

Scholars and linguists

Rulers

See main article: List of Albanian monarchs.

Skanderbeg (1405–1468) 15th-century Albanian lord; "Hero of Christianism"; initiated and organized the League of Lezhë, which proclaimed him Chief of the League of the Albanian people

Politicians and diplomats

Visual arts

Multimedia artists

Ilia Xhokaxhi (1948–2007) scenographer
Saimir Strati (born 1966) multi-media artist, achieved six Guinness World Records
Anri Sala (born 1974) – contemporary artist
Burim Myftiu (born 1961) – contemporary photographer
Armando Lulaj (born 1980) - contemporary artist
Pleurad Xhafa (born 1984) - contemporary artist

Architects

Andrea Alessi (1425–1505) – architect, painter and sculptor
Sedefkar Mehmed Agha (1540–1617) – chief architect of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque.
Architect Kasemi (1570–1659) master of Ottoman classical architecture
Carl Ritter von Ghega (1802–1860) – engineer and designer of railways
Qemal Butka (1907–1997) architect, painter, politician and postage stamps engraver
Enver Faja (1992–1996) architect and diplomat
Valentina Pistoli (1928–1993) architect

Painters

Cartoonists and illustrators

Ali Dino (1889–1938) cartoonist
Shyqri Nimani (1941–2023) graphic designer
Fahri Axhanela cartoonist
Agim Sulaj (born 1960) illustrator and cartoonist

Sculptors

See main article: List of Albanian sculptors.

Dhimitër Çani (1904–1990)
Agim Çavdarbasha (1944–1999)
Sadik Kaceli (1914–2000)
Kristina Koljaka (1916–2005)
Genc Mulliqi (born 1966)
Vasiliev Nini (born 1954)
Janaq Paço (1914–1991)
Odhise Paskali (1903–1985)
Ardian Pepa (born 1977)
Agim Rada (1953–2023)
Kristaq Rama (1932–1998)
Murad Toptani (1867–1918)
Sislej Xhafa (born 1970)
Helidon Xhixha (born 1970)

Photographers

Fadil Berisha (born 1973) official photographer for Miss Universe, Miss USA and Rolex
Emin Kadi fashion photographer, journalist, art director and magazine publisher
Gegë Marubi (1907–1984) photographer
Kel Marubi (1870–1940) photographer
Gjon Mili (1904–1984) photographer known for his work published in Life Magazine
Burim Myftiu (born 1961) photographer
Kristo Sulidhi (1858–1938) photographer and writer
George Tames (1919–1994) photographer for The New York Times
Mimoza Veliu (born 1979) photographer

Performing arts

Actors and actresses

See main article: List of Albanian actors.

Comedians and satirists

Spiro Çomora (1918–1973)
Besim Dina (born 1971)
Zyrafete Gashi (1955–2013)

Dancers and choreographers

Esdalin Gorani ballet dancer
Tringa Hysa ballet dancer
Ilir Kerni ballet dancer
Spartak Hoxha ballet dancer
Kledi Kadiu dancer on the popular talent show Amici di Maria De Filippi; starred in Passa a Due in 2005
Altin Kaftira ballet dancer
Eno Peçi ballet dancer
Enkel Zhuti ballet dancer
Tony Dovolani (born 1973)^[6] Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge; known for his involvement in the American version of Dancing with the Stars; appeared in Shall We Dance?; spent time coaching actress Jennifer Lopez
Angelin Preljocaj (born 1957) choreographer of contemporary dance
Ferbent Shehu dancer and choreographer

Models and beauty pageant participants

Television personalities

Blendi Fevziu (born 1969) – television host
Ardit Gjebrea (born 1963) – producer, television host, singer-songwriter
Baton Haxhiu (born 1967) – journalist, television host
Claudia Conserva (born 1974) Chilean actress, model and television presenter; of Italian-Albanian (Arbëreshë) descent
Benet Kaci (born 1978) Kosovan television personality; from Kosovo
Florina Kaja (born 1982) American reality-television participant, singer and actress
Drita D'Avanzo – reality TV star on the VH1 series Mob Wives

Music

See main article: List of Albanian musicians.

Composers

Pianists

Ilir Bajri (born 1969)
Mariela Cingo (born 1978)
Lola Gjoka(1910–1985)
Paul Leka (1943–2011)

Violinists

Shkëlzen Doli (born 1971)

Guitarists

Dren Abazi (born 1985)
D.J. Ashba (born1972)
Petrit Çeku (born 1985)
Faton Macula (born 1972)
Bledar Sejko (born 1972)

Singers