List of Armenians
Prominent people of Armenian descent include:
By country
By occupation
Art
Business
Chefs
Entertainers
- Ed Alberian – (1920–1997) children's television actor and entertainer
- Charla Baklayan Faddoul - Amazing Race season 5 contestant
- Pierre Chammassian – comedian
- Cher – (born 1946) – singer, actress
- David Dickinson – (born 1941) British television personality
- George Duran – (born 1975) entertainer
- Leslie Erganian – artist and television personality
- Tina Kandelaki – Russian television personality
- Khloé Kardashian - Reality television personality, socialite and model
- Kourtney Kardashian - Reality television personality, socialite and model
- Bob Kevoian – (born 1950) Co-host of the Bob & Tom Show
- Vilen Kolouta – (1930–1999) cinematographer
- Tigran Khzmalyan (aka Xmalian) – (born April 8, 1963) Filmmaker, screenwriter and producer
- Robert Makłowicz – (born 1963) Polish TV personality.
- Henrik Malyan – (born 1925) film writer and director
- Rouben Mamoulian – (1897–1987) film and theater director
- Andre Manoukian – (born 1957) choreographer in France
- Garik Martirosyan – (born 1974) TV host and comedian
- Patrick Masbourian – (born 1970) Quebec (Canada) television personality
- Yvette Nelson – (born 1972) actress, singer-songwriter, model
- Michael Omartian – (born 1945) music producer of Donna Summer
- Kev Orkian – (born 1974) actor, musician & comedian
- Richard Ouzounian – (born 1950) Armenian by adoption; playwright, director, critic, artistic director
- Alice Panikian – (born 1985) 2006 Miss Universe Canada
- Sergei Parajanov – (1924–1990) filmmaker
- Rob Paravonian - comedian, musician
- Yevgeny Petrosyan – (born 1945) comedian
- Karen Shakhnazarov – (born 1952) filmmaker, producer and head of the Mosfilm studios
- Mikhail Vartanov – (1937-2009) filmmaker
- Henri Verneuil – (1920–2002) filmmaker
- Steven Zaillian – (born 1953) screenwriter, producer
Actors
Directors
Musicians
- Anahid Ajemian – (born 1924) violinist.
- Maro Ajemian – (1921–1978) pianist.
- Irina Allegrova – (born 1952) Russian singer.
- Lucine Amara – (born 1927) Lucine Tockqui Armaganian, soprano.
- Levon Ambartsumian – (born 1955) classical violinist.
- Armen Anassian – violinist.
- André – (born 1979) pop singer.
- Anoushka – (born 1960) Egyptian-Armenian singer
- Nareh Arghamanyan – (born 1989) pianist.
- Rosy Armen – French singer
- Raffi Armenian (born 1942), Armenian-Canadian conductor, pianist, composer, and teacher.
- Inga and Anush Arshakyans - singers
- Marc Aryan - (1926-1985), Fremch / Belgian singer, composer, producer
- Şahan Arzruni – (born 1943), pianist.
- Aram Asatryan – (1953–2006) pop singer.
- George Avakian – (born 1919) jazz producer.
- Charles Aznavour – (born 1924) French singer, songwriter, actor.
- Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. – (1919–1972, better known as "David Seville") creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks.
- Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. – (born 1949) American continues work of his father for Alvin and the Chipmunks.
- Clint Bajakian – USA; composer of video game music.
- Ani Batikian (born 1982), Armenian violinist living in the UK
- Isabel Bayrakdarian – (born 1974) Canadian soprano and engineer.
- Ara Berberian – (1930–2005) opera singer.
- Cathy Berberian – (1925–1983) mezzo-soprano singer.
- Lena Chamamyan – Syrian-Armenian singer.
- H.A. Der-Hovagimian – Armenian-Canadian record producer, composer, songwriter and arranger.
- Stéphan Elmas – (1862–1937) composer, pianist.
- Patrick Fiori – (born 1969) French singer.
- Vladimir Fontikov – (1941–1987) Russian-born opera singer.
- Ivan Galamian – (1903-1981) violinist.
- Sergio Galoyan – (born 1981) record producer and songwriter.
- Djivan Gasparyan – (born 1928) musician, composer.
- Hayko – singer.
- Slava Grigoryan – (born 1976) guitar virtuoso.
- J. Michael Hagopian – drummer of Deli Creeps.
- Richard Hagopian – (born 1937) musician.
- Ruben Hakhverdyan – musician, songwriter.
- Vatche Hovsepian
- Levon Ichkhanian – (born 1964) guitarist/multi-instrumentalist.
- Herbert von Karajan – Austrian orchestra and opera conductor.
- Udi Hrant Kenkulian – (1901–1978) musician.
- Sergey Khachatryan – (born 1985) youngest violinist winner of Sibelius competition and 2005 winner Queen Elizabeth competition.
- Hampartsoum Limondjian – (1768–1839) an Ottoman Armenian composer of Armenian church music and Turkish classical music and musical theorist who developed the Hampartsoum notation system.
- Pavel Lisitsian – (1911–2004) Russian opera singer.
- Andranik Madadian – (born 1956) singer
- Norayr Mnatsakanyan – (1923–1986) Armenian national singer.
- Armen Movsessian – violinist.
- Armen Nalbandian – (born 1978) pianist, composer.
- Maria Nalbandian – (born 1983), Lebanese singer.
- Nourhanne – (born 1977) Egyptian singer from Armenian (Lebanon) parents.
- Sayat Nova (Harutin) – (1712–1795) Armenian-Georgian folk songwriter-musician
- Bulat Okudzhava – (1924–1997) Armenian-Georgian musician, poet and editor.
- Kev Orkian – (born 1974) actor, musician & comedian
- Harout Pamboukjian – (born 1950) Armenian singer and songwriter.
- Hasmik Papian – (born 1961) soprano.
- Karina Pasian – (born 1991) Grammy nominated singer and pianist.
- Krzysztof Penderecki – (born 1933) Polish composer and conductor of classical music.
- Lilit Pipoyan – (born 1955) Musician, singer and architect.
- Raffi – (born Raffi Cavoukian, 1948), Canadian children's singer, songwriter, musician.
- Gevorg Sargsyan – (born 1981) Opera-simfonic conductor.
- Karnig Sarkissian – Singer of Armenian revolutionary songs
- Hélène Ségara – (born 1971) French singer.
- Nariné Simonian – Armenian-French pianist, organist, Opera musical director.
- Stephanie (born 1987) Japanese singer.
- Harry Tavitian – (born 1952) jazz musician.
- Aram Tigran – (1934-2009) Kurdish singer.
- Onno Tunç – (1948–1996, born Ohannes Tunçboyacıyan) Turkish-Armenian musician, composer.
- Arto Tunçboyacıyan – (born 1957) percussionist and singer
- George Tutunjian – (died 2006) pioneering Armenian revolutionary songs performer.
- Komitas Vardapet – (1896–1935) musician.
- Sylvie Vartan – (born 1944) French singer.
- Samvel Yervinyan – (1966-) violinist.
- Nune Yesayan – (born 1969) pop musician.
- Vartan Vahramian – (born 1955) Iran, musician, painter.
- Karapetê Xaço – (1900-2005) Kurdish singer
Producers
Journalists
Military
Monarchs
Politicians
Religious leaders
Science
- Hovannes Adamian - inventor of the color television
- Evgeny Aramovich Abramyan - founder of several research directions in the Soviet and Russian nuclear technology
- Daron Acemoğlu - among the 20 most cited economists in the world, winner of the 2005 John Bates Clark Medal
- Sergei Adian - Soviet mathematician
- George Adomian- mathematician, developer of Adomian decomposition method
- Tateos Agekian - astrophysicist, one of the pioneers of Stellar Dynamics
- Hagop S. Akiskal – psychiatrist best known for his pioneering research on temperament and bipolar disorder (manic depression).
- Armen Alchian - economist
- Artem Alikhanian - one of the founders of experimental nuclear and cosmic-ray physics in USSR
- Abraham Alikhanov - one of the founders of nuclear physics in USSR, founder of the first nuclear reactor of USSR
- Viktor Ambartsumian - one of the founders of theoretical astrophysics
- Emil Artin - one of the leading algebraists of the 20th century, one of the founding fathers of modern algebra
- Michael Artin - mathematican, contributed to Algebraic geometry
- Gurgen Askaryan - physicist, inventor of light self focusing
- Lev Atamanov - one of the founders of Soviet animation art
- Boris Babaian - the father of supercomputing in the former Soviet Union and Russia. Second European to hold the Intel Fellow title. Originator of the world's first superscalar computer.
- Mikhail Chailakhyan - founder of hormonal theory of plant development
- Artur Chilingarov - Russian polar explorer
- Richard Donchian - the father of Trend Following Trading, one of the most outstanding figures of all time in the field of commodity money management
- Grigor Gurzadyan - founder of space astronomy
- Spiru Haret - Romanian astronomer, who made a fundamental contribution to the n-body problem, initially aimed at modelling the planetary motions in our Solar System.
- Paris Herouni - projected and built the world's first radio-optical telescope
- Bagrat Ioannisiani - constructor of new astronomical instruments, chief designer of BTA-6, the largest telescope in the world
- Andronik Iosifyan - Soviet engineer, one of the founders of missilery and cosmonautics, the father of electromechanics in USSR, chief designer of the first Soviet meteorological satellites of Earth. Inventor of noncontact synchronized transmissions
- Anna Kazanjian Longobardo - author of contributions to the aerospace engineering field, the first woman to receive the Egleston Medal for Distinguished Engineering achievement
- Alexander Kemurdzhian - engineer, designer of the first rovers to explore another world, the founder of the school of space transport engineering.
- Edward Keonjian - pioneer of microelectronics, designer of the world's first solar-powered, pocket-sized radio transmitter
- Leonid Khachiyan - mathematician, computer scientist, who proved the existence of an efficient way to solve linear programming problems
- Semyon Davidovich Kirlian – inventor of Kirlian Photography, discovered that living matter emits energy fields.
- Ivan Knunyants - chemist, Major General, four times an awardee of the USSR State Award. In chemical science he introduced historical changes and significantly contributed to the advancement of Soviet Chemistry. Founder of Soviet school of fluorocarbon's chemistry, one of major developers of Soviet chemical weapons program.
- Ignacy Łukasiewicz - Polish pharmacist of Armenian descent, devised the first method of distilling kerosene from seep oil.
- Sergey Mergelyan - mathematician, the author of major contributions in Approximation Theory. The modern Complex Approximation Theory is based on Mergelyan's classical work.
- Artem Mikoyan - designer of MiG aircraft, including the first supersonic Soviet jet fighter.
- Robert Nalbandyan – chemist, the co-discoverer of photosynthetic protein plantacyanin, a pioneer in the field of free radicals.
- Yuri Oganessian - physicist, one of the founders of heavy ion physics, author of the discoveries of heaviest elements of the Periodic Table.
- Yuri Osipyan - physicist, author of fundamental contribution to the physics of movements in solid bodies and inventor of photoplastic effect. Y. A. Osipian for many years was the Vice-President of the USSR Academy of Sciences
- Anna Schchian - botanist
- Georgy Shakhnazarov - one of the founders of political science in USSR
- Luther George Simjian - inventor of ATM, flight simulator and more
- Norair Sisakian - one of the founders of space biology, pioneer in biochemistry of sub-cell structures and technical biochemistry, one of the first in the mid-1940s to start the studies of plant cell structures. Author of the new concept of chloroplasts as polyfunctional cell structures. The first Soviet scientist to work in UNESCO.
- Armen Takhtajan - botanist
- Karen Ter-Martirosian - theoretician, made important contributions to the understanding of high-energy physics phenomena. Created new trends in the theory of strong interactions, was one of the founders of theory of strong interactions at high-energies. Author of fundamental contributions to quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.
- Alenush Terian- first Iranian-Armenian female astrophysicist
- Avadis Tevanian - computer scientist, the architect of Apple’s OS X
- Nikolay Yenikolopov - chemist of the former USSR, one of the founders of Russian polymer science
Medicine
- George Aghajanian – physician, neuropharmacologist and pioneer in serotonin receptor research.
- Roger Altounyan – asthma researcher, pharmacologist who pioneered use of cromolyn sodium inhalation therapy for asthma
- A. V. Apkarian – pioneer in magnetic resonance spectroscopy research of the brain
- Viken Babikian – cardiovascular researcher
- John Basmajian - leader in Rehabilitation Medicine, father of “EMG Biofeedback”, author of pioneering works in electromyography.
- Aram Chobanian – Dean, Boston University School of Medicine, leader in cardiology research
- Raymond Vahan Damadian – inventor of MRI, inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
- Ara Darzi, Baron Darzi of Denham – surgeon, pioneer in minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgery
- Albert Kapikian – virologist and pioneer in vaccine development for rotavirus.
- Varaztad Kazanjian – Father & Pioneer of Plastic surgery
- J. W. Kebabian – neuroscientist and pioneer in dopamine receptor research
- Hampar Kelikian - orthopedic-surgeon pioneer, who extended the surgical field
- Jack Kevorkian – pathologist, euthanasia activist
- Zaven Khatchaturian – neuroscientist; Alzheimer's disease researcher
- Edward Khantzian – Harvard psychiatrist; developed self medication hypothesis of substance abuse
- John Najarian – developed the practice of organ transplantation in medicine
- Leon Orbeli – (1882–1958) physiologist, known as the founder and pioneer of Evolutionary physiology.
- Hrayr Shahinian - a pioneer in microsurgical techniques of the brain
- Michel Ter-Pogossian – inventor of PET scan, which has revolutionized the understanding of how the brain functions
Sports
Writers
- Khachatur Abovian – (1805–1842)
- Nicholas Adontz – (1871–1942) historian and philologist
- Ghazaros Aghayan – (1840–1911)
- Vittoria Aganoor – (1855–1910) poet
- Michael Arlen – (1895–1956)
- Artine Artinian – (1907–2005) literature scholar
- Gheorghe Asachi – (1788–1869) writer, poet, historian, painter
- Atrpet – (1860–1937)
- Axel Bakunts – (1889–1937)
- Peter Balakian – (born 1951)
- Ara Baliozian – (born 1936)
- David Barsamian – writer, radio host
- Rick Bayan – (born 1950) essayist, humorist and philosopher
- A. I. Bezzerides – (1908–2007) screenwriter and novelist
- Chris Bohjalian
- Gary Braver
- Michael Casey – (born 1947) poet
- James Der Derian – international relations researcher and author
- Gevorg Emin – (1918–1998) poet, essayist, and translator
- Gregory of Narek (Krikor Naregatsi) – (951-1003) religious poet
- Arto Der Haroutunian (1940–1987)
- Zbigniew Herbert – (1924–1998) Polish poet.
- Garabet Ibrăileanu – (1871–1936) writer, literary critic, professor
- Avetik Isahakyan – (1885–1957) poet
- Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zaleski – (born 1956) Polish Armenian-catholic priest and author
- Silva Kaputikyan – (1919–2006) poet
- Martiros Kavoukjian – (1908–1988) Armenologist
- Nancy Kricorian – writer, activist
- Jan Lechoń – (1899–1956) (Leszek Józef Serafinowicz), Polish poet.
- M. M. Mangasarian – (1859–1943)
- Zara Mgoyan – (born July 26, 1983) writer, singer
- Moses of Chorene – (410–490) father of Armenian historiography
- Alexander Movsesyan – playwright and novelist
- Claude Mutafian – (born 1942) historian and mathematician
- Joseph Orbeli – (1887–1961) Orientalist
- George Ouzounian (known as "Maddox") – (born 1978) author, satirist and webmaster
- Vartan Pasha – Ottoman Armenian statesman, writer and journalist
- Raffi (Hagop Hagopian) – (1835–1888) novelist and poet
- Aram Saroyan – (born 1943) poet, novelist
- William Saroyan – (1908–1981) short story writer, novelist, playwright, essayist and memoirist
- Sayat-Nova – poet, (1712–1795) philosopher and poet
- Paruyr Sevak – (1924–1971) poet
- Marietta Shaginyan – (1888—1982)
- Smbat Shahaziz – (1840–1908)
- Levon Shant – (1869–1951) playwright, novelist
- Hovhannes Shiraz – (1915–1984) poet
- Siamanto – (1878–1915) poet and martyr
- Juliusz Słowacki – (1809–1849) Polish poet.
- George Stambolian – (1937–1991) a key figure in the early gay literary movement in New York
- Szymon Szymonowic – (1558–1629) Polish Renaissance poet.
- Serj Tankian – (born 1967) singer, songwriter
- Vahan Tekeyan – (1878–1948)
- Henri Troyat (born Levon Aslan Torossian) – (1911–2007)
- Hovhannes Tumanyan – (1869–1923)
- Kate L. Turabian – (1893–1987) educator
- Varand – (Born 1954), Poet, writer, translator, painter, Professor
- Alexander Varbedian – (born 1943) Armenologist and ethnologist
- Francis Veber – (born 1937) screenwriter
- Thomas Woods – (born 1972) author and scholar
- Perch Zeytuntsyan – (born 1938) novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and Minister of Culture of Armenia from 1990-1991
Historical
- Heraclius (575 – 641) Emperor from 610 to 641
- Basil I the Macedonian (Βασίλειος Α') (811–886, ruled 867–886) - married the Varangian Eudokia Ingerina
- Leo VI the Wise (Λέων ΣΤ') (866–912, ruled 886–912)
- Alexander(Αλέξανδρος) (870–913, ruled 912–913) – son of Basil I, regent for nephew
- Constantine VII the Purple-born (Κωνσταντίνος Ζ') (905-959, ruled 913-959)
- Romanos I Lekapenos (Ρωμανός Β') (870–948, ruled 919–944) – co-emperor, attempted to found his own dynasty. Deposed by his sons and entered monastery.
- Romanos II the Purple-born (Ρωμανός Β') (938–963, ruled 959–963) – son of Constantine VII
- Nikephoros II Phocas (Νικηφόρος Β') (912–969, ruled 963–969) – general, married Romanos II's widow, regent for Basil; assassinated
- John I Tzimiskes (Ιωάννης Α')(925-976, ruled 969–976) – general, brother-in-law of Romanos II, regent for Basil II and Constantine VIII
- Basil II (Βασίλειος Β') the Bulgar-slayer (958–1025, ruled 976–1025)
- Constantine VIII (Κωνσταντίνος Η') (960-1028, ruled 1025–1028) – son of Romanos II; silent co-emperor with Basil II, sole emperor after his brother's death
- Zoe Porphyrogenita (Ζωή Α') (c. 978–1050, ruled 1028–1050)
- Romanos III Argyros (Ρωμανός Γ')(968–1034, ruled 1028–1034) – eparch of Constantinople
- Michael IV the Paphlagonian (Μιχαήλ Δ') (1010–1041, ruled 1034–1041)
- Michael V the Caulker (Μιχαήλ Ε') (1015–1042, ruled 1041–1042)
- Theodora (Θεοδώρα)(980–1056, ruled 1042)
- Constantine IX Monomachos (Κωνσταντίνος Θ') (1000–1055, ruled 1042–1055)
- Theodora (Θεοδώρα) (ruled 1055–1056) – restored
- Alexios I Komnenos (Ἀλέξιος Α' Κομνηνός, 1056 – 15 August 1118), was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118.
- Manuel I Komnenos (Μανουήλ Α' Κομνηνός, Manouēl I Komnēnos) (November 28, 1118 – September 24, 1180) was a Byzantine Emperor
- Andronikos I Komnenos (Ανδρόνικος Α’ Κομνηνός, Andronikos I Komninos) (c. 1118 – September 12, 1185) was a Byzantine emperor (r. 1183–1185).
- John II Komnenos (Ίωάννης Β΄ Κομνηνός, Iōannēs II Komnēnos) (September 13, 1087 – April 8, 1143) was Byzantine emperor from 1118 to 1143.
- Isaac I Komnenos (Ισαάκιος A' Κομνηνός, Isaakios I Komnēnos) (c. 1005 – 1061) was Byzantine Emperor from 1057 to 1059
- Alexios II Komnenos (Αλέξιος Β’ Κομνηνός, Alexios II Komnēnos) (10 September 1169 – 24 September 1183), Byzantine emperor (1180–1183)
- Isaac II Angelos (Ισαάκιος Β’ Άγγελος, Isaakios II Angelos) (September 1156 – January 1204) was Byzantine emperor from 1185 to 1195, and again from 1203 to 1204.
- Alexios III Angelos (Αλέξιος Γ' Άγγελος) (c. 1153 – 1211) was Byzantine emperor from 1195 to 1203
- Alexios IV Angelos (Αλέξιος Δ' Άγγελος) (c. 1182 – February 8, 1204) was Byzantine Emperor from August 1203 to January 1204.
- Alexios V Doukas (Ἀλέξιος Δούκας Μούρτζουφλος, d. December 1205) was Byzantine emperor (5 February – 12 April 1204) during the second and final siege of Constantinople by the participants of the Fourth Crusade.
Fictional
References