This is a list of notable people from Antwerp, who were either born in Antwerp, or spent part of their life there.
Born in Antwerp Pre-16th century Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, son of Edward III of England (1338–1368) Jacobus Barbireau, composer (1455–1491) Lucas Adriaens, painter (1459–1493) Daniel Bomberg, printer (c. 1475 – 1549) Joachim Sterck van Ringelbergh, scholar, humanist, mathematician, and astrologer (c. 1499 – c. 1556)
16th century
Hieronymus Cockx, painter and engraver (1510–1570) Hubert Waelrant, composer, teacher, and music editor of the Renaissance (c. 1517–1595) Frans Floris, painter (1520–1570) Abraham Ortelius, cartographer and geographer (1527–1598) Jacques Jonghelinck, sculptor and medalist (1530–1606) Emanuel van Meteren, historian and consul in London (1535–1612) Frédéric Perrenot de Granvelle, governor of Antwerp (1536–1602) Denis Calvaert, painter (1540–1619). Cornelis van Aarsens, statesman (1545–1627) Gillis van Coninxloo, painter of forest landscapes (1544–1607) Hans Collaert, engraver (c. 1545–1628) Joris Hoefnagel, painter and engraver (1545–1601) Bartholomeus Spranger, painter, draughtsman, and etcher (1546–1611) George de La Hèle (1547–1586), Franco-Flemish composer of the RenaissanceLavern J. Wagner: "La Hèle, George", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (Accessed June 26, 2007) Federigo Giambelli, Italian military and civil engineer (c. 1550-c. 1610) Paul Bril and Matthijs Bril, landscape painters (1554–1626, 1550–1583, respectively) Martin Delrio, Jesuit theologian (1551–1608) Andreas Schottus, academic, linguist, translator, and editor (1552–1629) Jan Gruter, critic and scholar (1560–1627). Jacob de Gheyn II, painter and engraver (1562–1629) Joachim van den Hove, composer and lutenist (c. 1567–1620) Frans Pourbus the younger, painter (1569–1622) Abraham Janssens, painter (c. 1570–1632) Ambrosius Bosschaert, still-life painter (1573–1621) Rodrigo Calderón, Count of Oliva, Spanish favourite and adventurer (died 1621) Gillis d'Hondecoeter, painter (birth in Antwerp uncertain, 1575/80–1638) Hendrick van Balen, painter (1575–1632) Frans Snyders, still-life and animal painter (1579–1657) Frans Hals, painter (1580–1666) Caspar de Crayer, painter (1582–1669) David Teniers the Elder, painter (1582–1649) Cornelis de Vos, painter (1584–1651) Jacob Le Maire, Dutch mariner (c. 1585–1616) Pieter de Carpentier, administrator and Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (1586/88–1659) Antonius Sanderus, historian, philologian, and theologian (1586–1664) Guilielmus Messaus, composer (1589–1640) Jacob Jordaens, painter (1593–1678) Clara Peeters, painter (1594–c. 1657) Jean-Charles de la Faille, Jesuit mathematician (1597–1652) Justus Sustermans, Baroque painter (1597–1681) Anthony van Dyck, painter (1599–1641) Adriaen van Utrecht, painter (1599–1652) Francken, family of painters (16th and 17th century)
17th and 18th century Quellinus, family of artists, painters, and sculptors (17th century) Gaspar Roomer, merchant and art patron (died 1674) Jan Brueghel the Younger, painter (1601–1678) François Ykens, painter (1601–1693) Theodorus Moretus, mathematician, theologian, geometer and Jesuit (1602–1667) Franciscus van den Enden, Baruch Spinoza's teacher (c. 1602 – 1674) Leonora Duarte, composer and musician (1610–1678) David Teniers the Younger, painter (1610–1690) Jan Fyt, animal painter (1611–1661) André Tacquet, mathematician (1612–1660) Gonzales Coques, painter (1614–1684) Carstian Luyckx, painter (c. 1623 – c. 1675) Arnold Geulincx (1624–1669), Flemish philosopher, metaphysician and logician Pieter Boel, still-life painter (1626–1674) Jan van Kessel, senior, still-life painter (1626–1679) Philip Fruytiers, painter (1627–1666) Jan Siberechts, painter (1627–1703) Abraham Brueghel, painter (1631–1690) Nikolaus van Hoy, Baroque painter, draughtsman, and etcher (1631–1679) David Teniers III, painter (1638–1685) Francisque Millet (1642–1679), Flemish-French landscape painter David de Coninck, painter (c. 1644 – c. 1701) Cornelis Huysmans (1648–1727), Flemish landscape painter. Gerard Edelinck, copper-plate engraver (1649–1707) Emmanuel Schelstrate (1649–1692), Roman Catholic theologian Pseudo-Simons (1650–1680), painter Jan van Kessel the Younger (1654–1708), painter Sebastiaen Slodtz (1655–1726), Flemish sculptor and decorator Thomas Quellinus, Baroque sculptor (1661–1709) Jan Frans van Bloemen, painter (1662–1740) Jan Frans van Bredael, painter (1683–1750) Peter Scheemakers, sculptor (1691–1781) John Michael Rysbrack, sculptor (1694–1770)
19th century Egide Charles Gustave Wappers, painter (1803–1874) Guillaume Geefs, sculptor (1805–1883) Hendrik Conscience, writer and author of De Leeuw van Vlaanderen ("The Lion of Flanders") (1812–1883) Jan August Hendrik Leys, painter (1815–1869) Jan van Beers, poet (1821–1888) Johann Coaz, Swiss forester, topographer and mountaineer (1822–1918) Michel Marie Charles Verlat, painter (1824–1890) Henri Jean Augustin de Braekeleer, painter (1840–1888). Julien Dillens, sculptor (1849–1904) Jef Lambeaux, sculptor (1852–1908) Georges Eekhoud, novelist (1854–1927) Libert H. Boeynaems, vicar apostolic of the Hawaiian islands (1857–1926) Hippolyte Delehaye, Jesuit and hagiographic scholar (1859–1941) Arthur Van Gehuchten, anatomist (1861–1914/15) Henry van de Velde, painter, architect, and interior designer (1863–1957) Eugénie Hamer (1865–after 1926), peace activist Johannes Jacobus Smith, botanist (1867–1947) Pierre de Caters, adventurer, aviator, car and motorboat racer (1875–1944) Eugeen Van Mieghem, painter (1875–1930) Willem Elsschot, writer and poet (1882–1960) Camille Clifford, actress (1885–1971) Constant Permeke, expressionist painter (1886–1952) Jef van Hoof, composer and conductor, (1886–1959) Georges Vantongerloo, abstract sculptor and painter (1886–1965) Jean Langenus, international football referee (1891–1952) Pierre Ryckmans, head of the Belgian colony of Congo (1891–1959) Paul van Ostaijen, poet and writer (1896–1928) Marnix Gijsen, writer (1899–1984)
20th century Albert Lilar, Minister of Justice (1900–1976) Gérard Blitz, water polo player (1901–1990) Lode Zielens, novelist and journalist (1901–1944) George Koltanowski, chess player and promoter (1903–2000) Frédérique Petrides, (née Frédérique Mayer) orchestral conductor and publisher (1903–1983) Karel Bossart, rocket designer (1904–1975) Frank Murdoch, British engineer and competive sailor (1904–1996) Maurice Anthony Biot, physicist and founder of the theory of poroelasticity (1905–1985) André Cluytens, conductor (1905–1967) Jef Maes, composer (1905–1996) Georges Ronsse, cyclo-cross and road bicycle racer (1906–1969) Maurice van Essche, Belgian-born South African painter (1906–1977) Edmond de Goeyse, student leader (1907–1998) Jean Servais, actor (1910–1976) Renaat Braem, architect and urban planner (born 1910) Willy Vandersteen, creator of comic books (1913–1990) Edward Schillebeeckx, theologian (1914–2009) Hubert Lampo, writer (1920–2006) Guy Thys, national football coach (1922–2003) Jan Yoors, photographer, painter, sculptor, writer, and Gypsy (1922–1977) Karel Goeyvaerts, composer (1923–1993) Jacques Sternberg, writer of science fiction (1923–2006) Ward de Ravet, actor (1924–2013) Leo Apostel, philosopher (1925–1995) Bob de Moor, comic artist (1925–1992) Karel Dillen, politician (1925–2007) Bobbejaan Schoepen, entertainer, singer, guitarist, composer, and actor (1925–2010) Paul Van Hoeydonck, printmaker and painter (1925–2025) Victor Mees, footballer (1927–2010) Jef Nys, comic book creator (1927–2009) Henry Spira, animal rights activist (1927–1998) Lilly Appelbaum Malnik, Holocaust survivor (born 1928) Bob Van der Veken, television actor (1928–2019) Maurice Tempelsman, diamond merchant and industrialist (born 1929) Jan Vansina, historian and anthropologist (1929–2017) Françoise Mallet-Joris, writer and member of the Académie Goncourt (born 1930) Bert Eriksson, neo-Nazi and Flemish nationalist (1931–2005) Simon Kornblit, film studio executive for Universal Pictures (1933–2010) Marc Rich, international commodities trader (1934–2013) Henry Geldzahler, curator of contemporary art (1935–1994) Fernando Sanchez, Spanish fashion designer (1935–2006) Martine Franck, photographer (1938–2012) Willy Steveniers, former professional basketball player (born 1938) Harry Kümel, film director (born 1940) Jean-Baptiste Baronian, critic, essayist, writer, and novelist (born 1942) Magda Francot, painter (born 1942) Hugo Heyrman, painter and multimedia artist (born 1942) Wim Blockmans, writer and professor of medieval history at Leiden University (born 1945) Ann Christy, singer (1945–1984) David Abraham (born 1946), American legal scholar and historian Georges Pintens, road bicycle racer (born 1946) Guillaume Bijl, artist (born 1946) Carl Verbraeken, composer (born 1950) Ronald Zollman, conductor (born 1950) Anne-Mie van Kerckhoven, painter, drawer, computer and video artist (born 1951) Ludo Coeck, footballer (1955–1985) Patrick Janssens, Socialist politician and mayor of Antwerp (born 1956) Jan Fabre, drawer, sculptor, director, writer, choreographer, and designer (born 1958) Jan Leyers, singer, songwriter, and television personality (born 1958) Dries Van Noten, fashion designer (born 1958) Luc Cromheecke, comic artist (born 1961) Rita Bellens, politician (born 1962) Robert C. Hancké, economist (born 1962) Rudy Trouvé, musician (born 1967) Tom Waes, television presenter, television director and actor (born 1968) Els Callens, professional tennis player (born 1970) Tom Barman, film director, musician, and singer of dEUS (born 1972) Alex Agnew, stand-up comedian (born 1972) Anke Vandermeersch, politician and former beauty queen (born 1972) Christian Olde Wolbers, bassist of the industrial metal band Fear Factory (born 1972) Mike Dierickx, also known as M.I.K.E., DJ and music producer (born 1973) An Pierlé, pianist and singer-songwriter (born 1974) Matthias Schoenaerts, actor (born 1977) Steven De Lelie, actor and director (born 1977) Jeffrey van Hooydonk, racing car driver (born 1977) Tia Hellebaut, track and field athlete (born 1978) Evi Goffin, vocalist of the musical group Lasgo (born 1981) Mousa Dembélé, former professional footballer (born 1987) Radja Nainggolan, professional footballer (born 1988) Toby Alderweireld, professional footballer (born 1989) Jean-Marc Mwema, professional basketball player (born 1989) Laetitia Beck, Belgian-born Israeli golfer (born 1992) Romelu Lukaku, professional footballer (born 1993) Coely Mbueno, singer (born 1994) Tamino, musician (born 1996) Mile Svilar, professional footballer (born 1999) Jérémie Makiese (born 2000), Belgian-Congolese singer and footballer who represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 Yisroel Mantel, Orthodox rabbi
21st century Jérémy Doku, professional footballer (born 2002)
Lived in Antwerp Pre-16th century Saint Pirmin, monk (c. 670–753) Lodewyk van Berken, inventor of the scaif (15th century) Johannes Pullois, Franco-Flemish composer (died 1478) Matthaeus Pipelare, composer, choir director, and wind instrument player (c. 1450 – c. 1515) Quentin Matsys, Renaissance painter, founder of the Antwerp school (1466–1530) Pierre Alamire, music copyist, composer, instrumentalist, mining engineer, merchant, diplomat, and spy (c. 1470 – 1536) Jan Mabuse, painter (c. 1478 – 1532) Jacob van Utrecht, painter (c. 1479 – c. 1525) Joachim Patinir, landscape and religious painter (c. 1480 – 1524) Richard Aertsz, historical painter (1482–1577)
16th century John Rogers, Minister of religion, Bible translator and commentator, and martyr (c. 1500 – 1555) Jan Sanders van Hemessen, painter (c. 1500 – c. 1566) Tielman Susato, composer, instrumentalist, and publisher of music (c. 1510/15 – after 1570) Joos van Cleve, painter (c. 1500 – 1540/41) Damião de Góis, Portuguese humanist philosopher (1502–1574) Gerard de Jode, cartographer, engraver, and publisher (1509–1591) Steven Mierdman, printer (born c. 1510)