Global Leaderboard 100 in view

Most Famous People from Netherlands

All 152,953
Netherlands 1,713
13 VV Vincent van Gogh Vincent van Gogh Dutch Painter 1853–1890
153 R Rembrandt Rembrandt Dutch Painter 1606–1669
263 BS Baruch Spinoza Dutch Philosopher 1632–1677
381 JV Johannes Vermeer Johannes Vermeer Dutch Painter 1632–1675
435 E Erasmus Erasmus Dutch Humanist 1466–1536
568 HB Hieronymus Bosch Hieronymus Bosch Dutch Painter 1450–1516
812 PM Piet Mondrian Piet Mondrian Dutch Painter 1872–1944
992 MC M. C. Escher Dutch Artist 1898–1972
1,183 AV Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Dutch Zoologist 1632–1723
1,485 CH Christiaan Huygens Christiaan Huygens Dutch Astronomer 1629–1695
1,487 WT William the Silent William the Silent Dutch Count 1533–1584
2,114 AV Anthony van Dyck Dutch Painter 1599–1641
2,323 RH Rutger Hauer Rutger Hauer Dutch Actor 1944–2019
2,674 FJ Famke Janssen Famke Janssen Dutch Actor b. 1964
2,742 T Tiësto Tiësto Dutch Producer b. 1969
2,839 HL Hendrik Lorentz Hendrik Lorentz Dutch Physicist 1853–1928
2,959 WO Wilhelmina of the Netherlands Wilhelmina of the Netherlands Dutch Queen 1880–1962
3,177 AH Ayaan Hirsi Ali Dutch Politician b. 1969
3,252 PA Pope Adrian VI Dutch Church 1459–1523
3,267 AV Armin van Buuren Armin van Buuren Dutch Producer b. 1976
3,330 BO Beatrix of the Netherlands Beatrix of the Netherlands Dutch Monarch b. 1938
3,942 AT Abel Tasman Abel Tasman Dutch Explorer 1603–1659
3,953 AR Arjen Robben Arjen Robben Dutch Football b. 1984
3,970 RV Rogier van der Weyden Rogier van der Weyden Dutch Painter 1390–1464
4,825 RK Ronald Koeman Ronald Koeman Dutch Football b. 1963
4,855 CV Carice van Houten Carice van Houten Dutch Actor b. 1976
4,903 RV Ruud van Nistelrooy Ruud van Nistelrooy Dutch Football b. 1976
5,001 GW Geert Wilders Geert Wilders Dutch Politician b. 1963
5,255 A Afrojack Afrojack Dutch Producer b. 1987
5,518 OD Orlande de Lassus Orlande de Lassus Dutch Composer 1532–1594
5,671 MD Michiel de Ruyter Michiel de Ruyter Dutch Officer 1607–1676
5,884 JD Johan de Witt Johan de Witt Dutch Politics 1625–1672
6,036 RV Rafael van der Vaart Rafael van der Vaart Dutch Football b. 1983
6,389 PB Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld Dutch Prince 1911–2004
6,609 CS Clarence Seedorf Clarence Seedorf Dutch Football b. 1976
6,752 NT Nikolaas Tinbergen Nikolaas Tinbergen Dutch Biologist 1907–1988
6,765 WB Willem Barentsz Willem Barentsz Dutch Explorer 1550–1597
6,809 HM Hans Memling Hans Memling Dutch Painter 1435–1494
7,173 FB Fanny Blankers-Koen Fanny Blankers-Koen Dutch Sprint 1918–2004
7,340 JV Jacob van Ruisdael Jacob van Ruisdael Dutch Painter 1628–1682
7,639 TÀ Thomas à Kempis Thomas à Kempis Dutch Moine 1380–1471
7,686 FJ Floor Jansen Floor Jansen Dutch Singer b. 1981
7,752 AR André Rieu André Rieu Dutch Conductor b. 1949
7,800 AC Anton Corbijn Anton Corbijn Dutch Film b. 1955
7,817 TV Theo van Doesburg Theo van Doesburg Dutch Poet 1883–1931
7,893 PF Pim Fortuyn Pim Fortuyn Dutch Teacher 1948–2002
8,041 DK Dirk Kuyt Dirk Kuyt Dutch Football b. 1980
8,770 HV Han van Meegeren Dutch Painter 1889–1947
8,805 JX Junkie XL Junkie XL Dutch Producer b. 1967
8,808 SK Sven Kramer Sven Kramer Dutch Skater b. 1986
8,945 WI William III of the Netherlands William III of the Netherlands Dutch King 1817–1890
9,459 G Giambologna Giambologna Dutch Sculptor 1529–1608
9,800 G' Gerard 't Hooft Gerard 't Hooft Dutch Physicist b. 1946
10,278 KH Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Dutch Football b. 1983
10,332 MD Memphis Depay Memphis Depay Dutch Football b. 1994
10,834 JA Jacobus Arminius Jacobus Arminius Dutch Theologian 1560–1609
10,949 PZ Pieter Zeeman Pieter Zeeman Dutch Physicist 1865–1943
11,488 AM Annie M. G. Schmidt Annie M. G. Schmidt Dutch Playwright 1911–1995
11,544 JP Jan Peter Balkenende Jan Peter Balkenende Dutch Politician b. 1956
11,594 WE Willem Einthoven Willem Einthoven Dutch Doctor 1860–1927
11,659 KS Kevin Strootman Kevin Strootman Dutch Football b. 1990
11,679 WO Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands Dutch Regent b. 1967
11,878 PS Peter Stuyvesant Peter Stuyvesant Dutch Politician 1612–1672
12,031 EH Etty Hillesum Etty Hillesum Dutch Writer 1914–1943
12,163 KV Kees van Dongen Kees van Dongen Dutch Painter 1877–1968
12,451 NR Nicky Romero Nicky Romero Dutch Producer b. 1989
12,537 DK Doutzen Kroes Doutzen Kroes Dutch Actor b. 1985
12,610 AK Abraham Kuyper Abraham Kuyper Dutch Minister 1837–1920
12,692 JH John Heitinga John Heitinga Dutch Football b. 1983
12,834 AF Anthony Fokker Anthony Fokker Dutch Manufacturer 1890–1939
12,874 EO Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont Dutch Queen 1858–1934
13,248 JO Jan Oort Jan Oort Dutch Astronomer 1900–1992
13,653 AJ Aletta Jacobs Aletta Jacobs Dutch Feminist 1854–1929
14,036 HB Herman Boerhaave Dutch Philosopher 1668–1738
14,319 CF Carel Fabritius Carel Fabritius Dutch Painter 1622–1654
14,404 GH Guus Hiddink Guus Hiddink Dutch Football b. 1946
14,709 AV Anneke van Giersbergen Anneke van Giersbergen Dutch Singer b. 1973
14,888 JD Jan de Bont Dutch Film b. 1943
15,073 FD Frank de Boer Frank de Boer Dutch Football b. 1970
15,215 RC Rudi Carrell Rudi Carrell Dutch Singer 1934–2006
15,339 MS Menno Simons Menno Simons Dutch Priest 1496–1561
15,509 CV Cornelis Vreeswijk Cornelis Vreeswijk Dutch Singer 1937–1987
15,615 BR Bas Rutten Bas Rutten Dutch Judo b. 1965
15,979 JV Jan van Riebeeck Jan van Riebeeck Dutch Explorer 1619–1677
16,071 SH Sylvia Hoeks Sylvia Hoeks Dutch Actor b. 1983
16,396 BF Bobby Farrell Bobby Farrell Dutch Singer 1949–2010
16,706 GK Gerard Kuiper Gerard Kuiper Dutch Astronomer 1905–1973
17,177 AS Ary Scheffer Ary Scheffer Dutch Painter 1795–1858
17,237 LE L. E. J. Brouwer L. E. J. Brouwer Dutch Mathematician 1881–1966
17,726 WK Wim Kok Wim Kok Dutch Politician 1938–2018
17,846 EE Eljero Elia Eljero Elia Dutch Football b. 1987
17,929 HN Henri Nouwen Henri Nouwen Dutch Writer 1932–1996
18,008 J( Jacqueline (Countess of Hainaut) Jacqueline (Countess of Hainaut) Dutch Duchess 1401–1436
18,036 JN Johan Neeskens Johan Neeskens Dutch Football b. 1951
18,046 CD Cornelis Drebbel Cornelis Drebbel Dutch Inventor 1572–1633
18,118 MV Mark van Bommel Mark van Bommel Dutch Football b. 1977
18,242 HG Hendrik Goltzius Hendrik Goltzius Dutch Painter 1558–1617
18,661 JZ Joop Zoetemelk Joop Zoetemelk Dutch Sport b. 1946
18,696 JR Johan Rudolph Thorbecke Dutch Statesman 1798–1872
19,276 CJ Cornelius Jansen Cornelius Jansen Dutch Theologian 1585–1638
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside the Netherlands

1,713 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in the Netherlands during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in the Netherlands peaked in the 1980s with 194 people.

What the Netherlands Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Sports is the Netherlands's biggest group — 38% of all notables (658).

The Netherlands over-indexes on sports — 1.8× the global rate.

The Netherlands under-produces military — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Sports658
  2. Politics & Law209
  3. Art & Design162
  4. Science152
  5. Writing139
  6. Music91
  7. Film & TV87
  8. Religion78
  1. Sports6581.8×
  2. Art & Design1621.6×
  1. Military270.4×
  2. Other730.6×
  3. Politics & Law2090.6×
  4. Writing1390.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of the Netherlands's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Art & Design
  • Science
  • Writing
  • Music
  • Other

Datelines

The biggest birthplaces of fame — every city is a doorway.