51.9225° N, 4.4793° E
ROTTERDAM
Most Famous People Born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Notable people
- 1,222
- Peak decade
- 1980s
- Median birth year
- 1938
- Most distinctive
- Swimmer 5.9×
The port-city blend: a theologian index of 2.7× that starts with Erasmus and never quite stops, a mathematician footprint in the Dijkstra tradition, and a painter lineage running from Willem de Kooning back through four centuries of Dutch light. The swimmer, rower, and boxer over-indexes are a different Rotterdam entirely — the concrete port city rebuilt after the 1940 Blitz, not the medieval town that didn't survive it.
One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Rotterdam during each.
Notable Births by Decade
Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1980s with 132 notable births.
What Rotterdam Is Known For
Click any row to filter the list of people below.
Football is Rotterdam's biggest profession — 24% of all notables (290).
Rotterdam over-indexes on swimmer — 5.9× the global rate.
Rotterdam under-produces politician — only 0.6× the global rate.
Profession Mix Over Time
Each band shows a profession family's share of Rotterdam's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.
- Sports
- Art & Design
- Politics & Law
- Science
- Music
- Writing
- Other
Sophie de Vries-de Boer
1882 - 1944
Alexander Katan
1899 - 1943
Johan van Loon
1934 - 2020
Jan van Ossenbeeck
1623 - 1674
Silvio Diliberto
Born 1963
Felino Jardim
Born 1985
Peter van Walenburch
1610 - 1675
Paul van Kemenade
Born 1957
Hidde Turkstra
Born 1988
Henri van de Waal
1910 - 1972
Jan Zoon
1923 - 2016
Corneille Osy de Zegwaart
1757 - 1831
Willy Schootemeijer
1897 - 1953
Raymond Libregts
Born 1964
Francina Louise Schot
1816 - 1894
Dick Willebrandts
1911 - 1970
Leon Sametini
1886 - 1944
Christian Sandrock
1865 - 1924
Jean-Marie van Staveren
Born 1946
Mimoun Eloisghiri
Born 1989
Lambertus Christoffel Vonk
1757 - 1846
Martin de Jonge
Born 1981
Andrew Pitcairn-Knowles
1871 - 1956
William Frederick de Haas
1830 - 1880
Jeroen van Dijk
Born 1971
Karim Mossaoui
Born 1988
Stephan Doering
Born 1966
Arthur Farenhout
Born 1972
Onno Boelee
1945 - 2013
Ineke Donkervoort
Born 1953
Jacob Cramer
1833 - 1895
Bertus Bul
1897 - 1972
Sanny Monteiro
Born 1989
Brenda Starink
Born 1974
Arie van der Velden
1881 - 1967
Cornelis Christiaan Berg (Philologe)
1900 - 1990
Raymond van Driel
Born 1983
Salif Diao (Dutch footballer)
Born 1990
Panic (musicien)
Born 1975
Eline Jurg
Born 1973
David Baan
1908 - 1984
Laura van Dolron
Born 1976
John B. Hogenesch
Born 1967
Marc Réville
1863 - 1920
Cas Ruffelse
1888 - 1958
Ronald Lengkeek
Born 1960
Georgius Damen
1887 - 1954
Ad Slinger
1913 - 1984
Gianni dos Santos
Born 1998
Jesper Hogedoorn
Born 1985
Jan-Jaap Natte
Born 1979
Sebald Schwarz
1866 - 1934
Rachel Kramer
Born 1980
Matty van Toorn
1950 - 2007
Cornelis Ooms
Born 1940
Ben Verhagen
Born 1926
Klaas-Jan van Noortwijk
Born 1970
Nel Garritsen
1933 - 2014
Herman Timme
Born 1933
Lilly Becker
Born 1976
Victor Kros
Born 1981
Melvin Moti
Born 1977
Gustav Steinbömer
1881 - 1972
Carlos Ramos (Dutch footballer)
Born 1986
Jan van Tilburg
1900 - 1977
Machiel Brandenburg
1907 - 1984
Gilles van Overbeek de Meijer
1831 - 1918
Bouke Benenga
1888 - 1968
Joop Bergsma
1928 - 2011
Winston Bakboord
Born 1971
Peter Otto
1955 - 2017
Ria van der Horst
Born 1932
Burak King
Born 1992
Truus Klapwijk
1904 - 1991
Dionys Verburg
1655 - 1722
Olga Oderkerk
1924 - 1987
Freek van der Lee
1935 - 2020
Tania Bari
Born 1936
Hans Fokker
1900 - 1943
Jermaine Sandvliet
Born 1977
Cornelis de Liefde
1617 - 1673
Ali Benomar
Born 1988
Leen Sanders
1908 - 1992
Dave de Jong
Born 1975
Jacob Zekveld
1945 - 2002
Vilma Henkelman
Born 1944
Leonie Bennett
Born 1993
Jan Pekelder
Born 1956
Albertus Paulus Hermanus Hotz
1855 - 1930
Didericus van der Kemp
1731 - 1780
Herman Levij
1904 - 1983
Johan Reuchlin
1874 - 1912
Ab van Bemmel
1912 - 1986
William Francken
1889 - 1962
Hans Kuypers
1925 - 1989
Paul von Woringen
1859 - 1928
Junior Livramento
Born 1987
A. Laurence Lyon
1934 - 2006
Herman Zaanen
Born 1948
Joop Demmenie
1918 - 1991
Jamel Aattache
Born 1974
Tin Dekkers
1916 - 2005
Arie Vosbergen
1882 - 1918
Cora Baldock
Born 1935
Maritzka van der Linden
Born 1962
Cornelis Brouwer (athlete)
1900 - 1952
Frits de Ruijter
1917 - 2012
Marvin Brunswijk
Born 1976
Jan Verveer
1775 - 1838
Georg Jung (Politiker, 1814)
1814 - 1886
Karin Krappen
Born 1973
Rodney Blaze
Born 1973
Johannes Marinus Simon Baljon (Theologe)
1861 - 1908
Pieter van Senus
1903 - 1968
Hein van Suylekom
1904 - 1982
Klaas Aldert Hendrik Hidding
1902 - 1986
Rachel Harel
1923 - 1989
Rachid El Khalifi
Born 1979
Hens Dekkers
1915 - 1966
André Brantjes
Born 1958
Adrian van Walenburch
1609 - 1669
Peter Bakker (rower)
Born 1934
Ronald Landa
Born 1983
Delia Meulenkamp
1933 - 2013
Anthonie Braakman
1811 - 1870
Rosalinde Kikstra
Born 1987
Maarten van Gent
Born 1947
Pieter Arnout Dijxhoorn
1810 - 1839
Daniel ter Braak
Born 1991
Rie van Veen
1923 - 1995
Steven Bakker
Born 1949
Lamme Benenga
1886 - 1963
Leopold Carl Bleibtreu
1796 - 1865
Leo Stracké
1851 - 1923
Frank Moerman
Born 1937
Aloysius Ignatius Maria Keulemans
1908 - 1977
Hans Pluijgers
1886 - 1974
Harald Bergmann
Born 1965
Jan Emmens
1924 - 1971
Jacques Stroucken
1884 - 1975
Matthijs van den Adel
Born 1944
Louis Meeuwessen
1903 - 1985
Monica Barendrecht
Born 1953
Kyarha van Tiel
Born 2000
Willem Nolen
1854 - 1939
Andro Franca
Born 1987
Bartina Harmina Wind
1891 - 1974
Arnold Hörburger
1886 - 1966
Willem Jan Pieter van der Does
1889 - 1966
Jan Linssen
1913 - 1995
Han van Senus
1900 - 1976
Mariska Kornet
Born 1988
Lorenzo Rimkus
Born 1984
Ludwig Gerstein
1928 - 1994
Jan Huijgen
1888 - 1964
Willem Labeij
1943 - 2011
Peter van Rij
Born 1976
Jan Frederik Niermeyer
1907 - 1965
Wim van Til
Born 1953
Mary Meyer-van der Sluis
1917 - 1994
Marinus van Aalst
Born 1947
Fais (musician)
Born 1990
Ronald Woutering
Born 1959
Erik Van't Hof
Born 1960
Jacob van den Belt
Born 1981
Maud Megens
Born 1996
Lara Weller
Born 1975
Daniel de Superville (1700-1762)
1700 - 1762
Luis Tavares
Born 1991
Ype Stelma
Born 1936
Piet van der Wolk
1892 - 1952
George Karreman
1921 - 1997
Anna van der Heide
Born 1978
Carl Kuntze
Born 1922
G. T. van Ysselsteyn
1892 - 1975
Pia Rijsdijk
Born 1992
Ferry Piekart
Born 1974
Patsy Backx
Born 1944
Willem van Walt Meijer
Born 1958
Serge Kats
Born 1971
Henri van Zanten
1957 - 2020
Pieter Adrianus Kooijman
1891 - 1975
Cornelis Opthof
1930 - 2008
Georg Beijers
1895 - 1978
Philip Jongeneel
1893 - 1985
Teunis Sprong
1889 - 1971
George Buff
1874 - 1955
Willem Hudig
1894 - 1970
Mart Bras
Born 1950
Ferdinand Drijkoningen
1928 - 2003
Mels van Driel
Born 1983
Karel Kratz
1893 - 1962
Jermaine van Pijkeren
Born 1991
Pieter Wesseling
Born 1942
Leen Korpershoek
1904 - 1989
Mario Westbroek
Born 1961
Jordy van Oorschot
Born 1987
Niels Duinker
Born 1985
Pleun van Leenen
1901 - 1982
Johannes Deurloo
1930 - 2020
Toon van Vliet
1922 - 1975
Jack van den Berg
Born 1959
Gé Regter
1916 - 1987
Leen Hoogendijk
1890 - 1969
Truus Baumeister
Born 1907
Jan Johannes Swart
1901 - 1974
Lion Solser
1877 - 1915
Willy den Turk
1908 - 1937
Martin Rietveld
Born 1953
Stjepan Veselic
Born 1974
Philip Vischjager
Born 1958
Maitri (musician)
-
Jan Veentjer
1938 - 2020
Delvin Pinheiro Frederico
Born 1995
Jayson Trommel
Born 1982
Johan Oldert
1912 - 1984
Steven van Dijk
Born 1969
Daan den Bleijker
1928 - 2003
Alexander Mack (Medal of Honor)
1834 - 1907
Ko Janssens
1889 - 1970
Astrid Winkelman
Born 1970
Herbert James Willing
1878 - 1943
Henny Vegter
Born 1958
Toon Meerman
Born 1933
Jan Mergelkamp
1869 - 1934
Jelte Schoonheim
Born 1981
Ruth Frenk
Born 1946
Jean Osy
1792 - 1866
Jules Bijl
Born 1958
Tjakko de Vos
Born 1956
Mathieu Elie Matthes
1808 - 1868
Jan Snellinck (III)
1640 - 1691
Johan Nicolaas Valkhoff
1834 - 1900
Pim Kiderlen
1868 - 1931
Mandy Kornet
Born 1985
Joop van der Heide
1917 - 1980
Martine van Leeuwen
Born 1968
Raymond van der Schuit
Born 1995
Sophia Wilhelmina Evans
1772 - 1816
Jopie van Alphen
Born 1940
Adrianus Broekman
1724 - 1800
Marie C. van der Kolf
1894 - 1956
Henk van Gent
Born 1951
Gerson Rodrigues (footballer, born 1988)
Born 1988
Piet van de Pol
1907 - 1996
Arthur Benjamins
Born 1953
Anna Westerman
1802 - 1893
Davy Bakker
Born 1972
Ger C. Bout
Born 1950
Roos van der Hoeven
Born 1985
Joanna Cornelia Bingley
1785 - 1869
Nel Wambach
Born 1938
Esther Philipse
1913 - 1944
Tony Mulder
Born 1955
Pascal Langenhuijsen
Born 1971
Elena Neve
Born 1988
Willy van Zwieteren
1904 - 1983
Flor Silvester
1923 - 2008
Rodrigo Mascarenhas
Born 1982
Henk Mostert
1925 - 2002
Ria Meyburg
Born 1939
James Cloppenburg
1877 - 1926
Robbert Olijfveld
Born 1994
Tim Storm (rower)
Born 1956
Dani Baijens
Born 1998
Willem van den Berg
1910 - 1987
Marcellino van der Leeuw
Born 1990
Eric van Harpen
Born 1944
Ed de Noorlander
Born 1945
Jelle Esveldt
Born 1960
Rudy den Outer
Born 1954
Eddy Van Praagh
Born 1937
Johann Gutlich
1920 - 2000
Quincy Hogesteger
Born 2001
Line Kruse (Musikerin)
Born 1972
Ernst Hazenbroek
Born 1955
Abraham Schot
Born 1961
Karl Everad Ellinckhuysen
1763 - 1837
Craig Baumann
Born 1953
Soufiane Aouragh
Born 1991
Anthony van der Eb
1813 - 1852
Chantalle Zijderveld
Born 2000
Cornelia van Gelder
1904 - 1969
Nina Kleijweg
Born 1938
Nicolaas van Hoorn
1904 - 1946
Henriette Groenewegen-Frankfort
1896 - 1982
Rien Monshouwer
Born 1947
Tieleman Vuurman
1899 - 1991
Harvey Wijngaarde
Born 1981
Gerardus Samuel van Krieken
1864 - 1933
August Paul Brenninkmeijer
1925 - 2011
Antonie de Gee
1872 - 1940
Jan Hendrik Brussaard
1899 - 1969
Ludwig Adrian Sanders
1867 - 1956
Pieter van Waas
1878 - 1962
Jeanne Grendel
1913 - 1987
David Hart (Rennfahrer)
Born 1957
Francesco Conelli de' Prosperi
1801 - 1877
André van Middelkoop
Born 1940
Kevin Sluimer
Born 1985