Global Leaderboard 100 in view

Most Famous People from Switzerland

All 152,953
Switzerland 2,161
157 CJ Carl Jung Carl Jung Swiss Therapist 1875–1961
219 LC Le Corbusier Le Corbusier Swiss Architect 1887–1965
384 LE Leonhard Euler Swiss Mathematician 1707–1783
650 JP Jean Piaget Jean Piaget Swiss Psychologist 1896–1980
815 P Paracelsus Paracelsus Swiss Physician 1493–1541
1,814 HZ Huldrych Zwingli Huldrych Zwingli Swiss Patriot 1484–1531
1,924 AG Alberto Giacometti Alberto Giacometti Swiss Sculptor 1901–1966
2,039 MH Martina Hingis Martina Hingis Swiss Player b. 1980
2,405 JH Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi Swiss Education 1746–1827
2,564 FD Friedrich Dürrenmatt Friedrich Dürrenmatt Swiss Playwright 1921–1990
3,538 HR H. R. Giger H. R. Giger Swiss Painter 1940–2014
3,678 AH Albert Hofmann Albert Hofmann Swiss Chemist 1906–2008
3,717 EV Erich von Däniken Erich von Däniken Swiss Writer b. 1935
4,028 DB Daniel Bernoulli Daniel Bernoulli Swiss Mathematician 1700–1782
4,384 UA Ursula Andress Ursula Andress Swiss Actor b. 1936
4,512 FB Francesco Borromini Francesco Borromini Swiss Architect 1599–1667
6,449 SB Sepp Blatter Sepp Blatter Swiss Football b. 1936
7,488 ST Sophie Taeuber-Arp Sophie Taeuber-Arp Swiss Painter 1889–1943
7,562 HK Hans Küng Swiss Theologian b. 1928
7,606 FC Fabian Cancellara Fabian Cancellara Swiss Sport b. 1981
7,824 JS Johanna Spyri Johanna Spyri Swiss Writer 1827–1901
8,049 AP Auguste Piccard Auguste Piccard Swiss Explorer 1884–1962
8,173 RW Robert Walser (writer) Robert Walser (writer) Swiss Poet 1878–1956
8,443 DB DJ BoBo DJ BoBo Swiss Singer b. 1968
8,544 JT Jean Tinguely Jean Tinguely Swiss Sculptor 1925–1991
9,545 EB Eugen Bleuler Eugen Bleuler Swiss Psychiatrist 1857–1939
9,613 FH Ferdinand Hodler Ferdinand Hodler Swiss Painter 1853–1918
9,802 HU Hans Urs von Balthasar Swiss Priest 1905–1988
10,426 NW Niklaus Wirth Niklaus Wirth Swiss Computer Scientist b. 1934
10,428 JI Johannes Itten Johannes Itten Swiss Painter 1888–1967
10,684 MB Mario Botta Mario Botta Swiss Architect b. 1943
10,824 BR Brother Roger Brother Roger Swiss Ecumenical 1915–2005
10,924 AY Alexandre Yersin Alexandre Yersin Swiss Physician 1863–1943
11,262 AC Alfred Cortot Alfred Cortot Swiss Pianist 1877–1962
12,149 AM Alice Miller (psychologist) Swiss Psychologist 1923–2010
12,581 CK Christian Kracht Christian Kracht Swiss Novelist b. 1966
13,305 LA Lys Assia Lys Assia Swiss Actor 1924–2018
14,017 XS Xherdan Shaqiri Xherdan Shaqiri Swiss Football b. 1991
15,332 AF Adrian Frutiger Adrian Frutiger Swiss Designer 1928–2015
15,651 CS Carl Spitteler Carl Spitteler Swiss Poet 1845–1924
16,864 AJ Antoine-Henri Jomini Antoine-Henri Jomini Swiss Officer 1779–1869
17,033 HD Horace-Bénédict de Saussure Horace-Bénédict de Saussure Swiss Physicist 1740–1799
17,199 JG Jeremias Gotthelf Jeremias Gotthelf Swiss Writer 1797–1854
17,295 JS John Sutter John Sutter Swiss Explorer 1803–1880
17,748 CM Carlo Maderno Carlo Maderno Swiss Architect 1556–1629
19,006 LB Ludwig Binswanger Ludwig Binswanger Swiss Psychiatrist 1881–1966
19,162 GI Gökhan Inler Gökhan Inler Swiss Football b. 1984
19,302 HB Heinrich Bullinger Heinrich Bullinger Swiss Reformer 1504–1575
19,313 PM Patrick Moraz Swiss Music b. 1948
19,341 PR Pipilotti Rist Swiss Artist b. 1962
19,485 BD Blerim Džemaili Blerim Džemaili Swiss Football b. 1986
20,123 NO Nicholas of Flüe Nicholas of Flüe Swiss Saint 1417–1487
20,180 JD Josip Drmić Josip Drmić Swiss Football b. 1992
20,185 KW Kurt Wüthrich Kurt Wüthrich Swiss Chemist b. 1938
20,363 AA Albert Anker Albert Anker Swiss Painter 1831–1910
20,373 HG Henri Guisan Henri Guisan Swiss Officer 1874–1960
20,890 SL Stephan Lichtsteiner Stephan Lichtsteiner Swiss Football b. 1984
20,914 RB Roman Bürki Roman Bürki Swiss Football b. 1990
21,849 PJ Philippe Jaccottet Philippe Jaccottet Swiss Poet b. 1925
21,967 CJ Carla Juri Carla Juri Swiss Actor b. 1985
22,364 WR Walter Rudolf Hess Walter Rudolf Hess Swiss Physician 1881–1973
23,435 WA Werner Arber Werner Arber Swiss Biologist b. 1929
23,534 HH Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza Swiss Collector 1921–2002
23,559 FM Friedrich Miescher Friedrich Miescher Swiss Biologist 1844–1895
24,035 DD Denis de Rougemont Denis de Rougemont Swiss Writer 1906–1985
24,872 EA Ernest Ansermet Swiss Conductor 1883–1969
24,908 HR Heinrich Rohrer Heinrich Rohrer Swiss Physicist 1933–2013
25,046 FS Fabian Schär Fabian Schär Swiss Football b. 1991
25,116 LF Lucien Favre Lucien Favre Swiss Football b. 1957
25,255 CG Charles Gleyre Charles Gleyre Swiss Painter 1806–1874
26,313 NB Nicolas Bouvier Nicolas Bouvier Swiss Writer 1929–1998
26,437 US Ueli Steck Ueli Steck Swiss Mountaineer 1976–2017
26,939 JS Jakob Steiner Jakob Steiner Swiss Mathematician 1796–1863
28,440 CD Carla Del Ponte Swiss Lawyer b. 1947
28,495 HH Heinz Holliger Heinz Holliger Swiss Conductor b. 1939
29,359 AM Admir Mehmedi Admir Mehmedi Swiss Football b. 1991
29,367 CA Charles Albert Gobat Charles Albert Gobat Swiss Politician 1843–1914
30,223 G Grock Grock Swiss Composer 1880–1959
30,518 EW Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf Swiss Politician b. 1956
30,606 PS Peter Stamm Peter Stamm Swiss Writer b. 1963
30,632 MB Maximilian Bircher-Benner Swiss Physician 1867–1939
31,802 EA Emil Abderhalden Emil Abderhalden Swiss Theorist 1877–1950
31,977 CN Carl Nägeli Carl Nägeli Swiss Botanist 1817–1891
32,053 VS Vreni Schneider Vreni Schneider Swiss Skier b. 1964
32,199 PJ Patrick Juvet Patrick Juvet Swiss Singer b. 1950
32,208 HD Henri Dès Swiss Singer b. 1940
32,307 RM Rolf M. Zinkernagel Rolf M. Zinkernagel Swiss Immunologist b. 1944
33,083 GI Gianni Infantino Gianni Infantino Swiss Lawyer b. 1970
33,804 FK Ferdinand Kübler Ferdinand Kübler Swiss Sport 1919–2016
33,874 JO Johannes Oecolampadius Johannes Oecolampadius Swiss Theologian 1482–1531
33,981 Z Zep Zep Swiss Artist b. 1967
34,231 JB Jost Bürgi Jost Bürgi Swiss Mathematician 1552–1632
34,500 UO Ulrich of Augsburg Ulrich of Augsburg Swiss Priest 890–973
34,831 BM Billy Meier Billy Meier Swiss Author b. 1937
35,138 OA Othmar Ammann Othmar Ammann Swiss Engineer 1879–1965
35,899 MC Micheline Calmy-Rey Micheline Calmy-Rey Swiss Politician b. 1945
36,263 PZ Pirmin Zurbriggen Pirmin Zurbriggen Swiss Skier b. 1963
36,332 CR César Ritz César Ritz Swiss Hotelier 1850–1918
36,528 DT Domenico Trezzini Domenico Trezzini Swiss Architect 1670–1734
36,811 LD Lisa Della Casa Lisa Della Casa Swiss Singer 1919–2012
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside Switzerland

2,161 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Centuries

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

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in Switzerland peaked in the 1940s with 165 people.

What Switzerland Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Sports is Switzerland's biggest group — 22% of all notables (478).

Switzerland over-indexes on art & design — 1.8× the global rate.

Switzerland under-produces film & tv — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Sports478
  2. Politics & Law377
  3. Writing281
  4. Science275
  5. Art & Design227
  6. Other148
  7. Religion130
  8. Music115
  1. Art & Design2271.8×
  2. Science2751.6×
  1. Film & TV650.4×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

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

Datelines

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