This is a list of notable Romani people and people of Romani descent.

Activists

* Alba Flores – Spanish actress *

Alfonso Mejia-Arias Alfonso Mejia Arias is a Mexican musician, writer, social activist and politician. He was born in Veracruz, Mexico on 11 September 1961 and has lived mostly in Mexico City, where his family settled. Career From his childhood joined musical associ ...

– Mexican musician and politician * Ceija Stojka – Austrian artist and writer * Constantin S. Nicolăescu-Plopșor – Romanian historian, archeologist, anthropologist and writer * Delia Grigore – Romanian writer * Ian Hancock – English linguist *

Katarina Taikon Katarina Taikon-Langhammer (29 July 1932 – 30 December 1995) was a Swedish Romany activist, leader in the civil rights movement, writer and actor, from the Kalderash caste. She was the sister of Rosa Taikon. Biography During Taikon's chil ...

– Swedish actress and author *

Marcel Courthiade Marcel Courthiade (2 August 1953 – 4 March 2021) was a French linguist and researcher. Biography Courthiade studied medicine at the University of Clermont-Ferrand, which he abandoned to study Slavic languages, particularly Serbo-Croatian and Po ...

– French linguist *

Milena Hübschmannová Milena Hübschmannová (1933-2005) was Czech professor of Romani studies at Charles University of Prague. She was one of the leading experts on Romani society and culture, as well as Romani language. She founded the academic study program on t ...

– Czech professor *

Paul Polansky Paul Polansky (February 17, 1942 – March 26, 2021) was an American writer and Romani activist. Paul Polansky held a degree in journalism, history and rhetoric from Marquette University. In the early 1990s, he founded the Czech Historical Resear ...

– American writer * Ronald Lee – Canadian writer *

Saša Barbul Saša Barbul (born in 1981 in Žabalj Žabalj ( sr-cyrl, Жабаљ, ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town Žabalj has a population of 9,107 and the municipa ...

– Serbian actor and film director

Artists

* Damian Le Bas, English artist * Delaine Le Bas, English artist * Joe Machine, English painter *

La Chunga Micaela Flores Amaya, La Chunga (''The Difficult Woman''), (Marseille, 1938) is a Spanish flamenco dancer and painter of Naïve art, naïf art. Biography Micaela Flores Amaya was born in Marseille in 1938, although the exact date of her birth rem ...

, Spanish painter * Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter *

Tracy Emin Tracey Karima Emin, Order of the British Empire, CBE, Associate of the Royal Academy, RA (; born 3 July 1963) is a British artist known for her autobiographical and confessional artwork. Emin produces work in a variety of media including drawi ...

, English artist

Athletes

Johnboy Smith - British parathlete

Boxers

* Billy Joe Saunders – English * Randolph Turpin – English * Dick Turpin – English * Dorel Simion – Romanian * Faustino Reyes – Spanish *

Ivailo Marinov Ivailo Marinov ( bg, Ивайло Маринов; born 13 July 1960 in Varna, also known as Ismail Mustafov, Ismail Huseinov or Ivailo Khristov) is a Bulgarian boxer of Muslim Romani ancestry, who won the bronze medal at the 198 ...

– Bulgarian * Marian Simion – Romanian * Samuel Carmona Heredia – Spanish * Serafim Todorov – Bulgarian *

Zoltan Lunka Zoltan Lunka (born 22 May 1970 in Miercurea Nirajului, Romania) was a professional boxing, boxer, who won a Olympic medalists in boxing, Flyweight bronze medal at the Boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics, 1996 Summer Olympics for Germany. A year ea ...

– Hungarian

Kickboxers

* Nieky Holzken – Dutch *

Václav Sivák Václav Sivák (born 27 May 1999) is an undefeated Czech professional kickboxer who competes in the welterweight division. He is the current WAKO-PRO World Light Welterweight Champion. Biography and career Václav Sivák was born in Ostrava, Cz ...

– Czech

Professional Wrestlers

* Gigi Dolin – American

Footballers

* André-Pierre Gignac – French * Andrea Pirlo – Italian * Artur Quaresma – Portuguese *

Bănel Nicoliță Bănel Nicoliță (born 7 January 1985) is a Romanian professional footballer, currently under contract with CS Făurei. Club career Dacia Unirea Brăila and Politehnica Timișoara He made his debut in Romanian Liga II, playing for Dacia Unire ...

– Romanian * Carlos Martins – Portuguese * Carlos Muñoz Cobo – Spanish * Christos Patsatzoglou - Greek * Dani Güiza – Spanish * Dejan Savićević - Montenegrin * Diego Rodríguez – Spanish * Dragoslav Šekularac – Serbian *

Freddy Eastwood Freddy Eastwood (born 29 October 1983) is a former professional footballer. He started his career with West Ham United and also played for Southend United, Grays Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City. He played eleven times in ...

– Welsh * Georgi Ivanov - Gonzo – Bulgarian *

Gigi Meroni Luigi "Gigi" Meroni (; 24 February 1943 – 15 October 1967) was an Italian professional footballer who played as a winger. He played 145 matches in Serie A, scoring 29 goals. At international level, he represented Italy on six occasions betwe ...

– Italian *

István Pisont István Pisont (born 16 May 1970) is a Hungarian former international footballer, and manager. He is currently the coach of the Hungarian national U-17 team. He has been interim manager of Budapest Honvéd FC on two occasions. Career Pisont s ...

– Hungarian * János Farkas – Hungarian *

Jesús Navas Jesús Navas González (; born 21 November 1985) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right winger or a right-back for La Liga club Sevilla. He has spent the vast majority of his career with Sevilla, playing 605 official ma ...

– Spanish * José Antonio Reyes – Spanish * José Mari – Spanish * Marius Lăcătuș – Romanian * Milan Baroš – Czech *

Mykola Morozyuk Mykola Mykolayovych Morozyuk ( uk, Микола Миколайович Морозюк, born 17 January 1988) is a Ukrainian former professional footballer who played as a right midfielder. International goals :''Scores and results list Ukr ...

Lobo Carrasco Francisco José Carrasco Hidalgo (born 6 March 1959) is a Spanish retired football player and manager. Nicknamed Lobo, he played as a winger spending most of his 14-year professional career with Barcelona (11 seasons). He won ten major titles ...

– Spanish *

Rab Howell Rabbi "Rab" Howell (12 October 1869 – 21 July 1937) was a nineteenth-century professional footballer who played for Sheffield United and Liverpool primarily as a defender. Born in Wincobank in Sheffield, he was of Romani descent and was the f ...

– English * Rafael van der Vaart – Dutch * Ricardo Quaresma – Portuguese * Telmo Zarra – Spanish * Tony Vairelles – French * Zvonimir Boban – Croatian

Hockey players

* Dominik Lakatoš – Czech

Cinema and theater

* Alba Flores - Spanish actress *

Bob Hoskins Robert William Hoskins (26 October 1942 – 29 April 2014) was an English actor. His work included lead roles in films and television series such as '' Pennies from Heaven'' (1978), ''The Long Good Friday'' (1980), ''Mona Lisa'' (1986), ''Who ...

– English actor *

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

– English comic actor * Jesús Castro- Spanish actor * Joaquín Cortés – Spanish ballet and flamenco dancer *

Leonor Teles Leonor Teles (or Teles de Meneses; ) was queen consort of Portugal by marriage to King Ferdinand I, and one of the protagonists, along with her brothers and her daughter Beatrice, of the events that led to the succession crisis of 1383–1385, ...

– Portuguese film director * Michael Caine - English actor *

Manoush Manoush (born 1971) is a French actress and singer. Biography Early life Manoush was born 1972 or 1973 as Manoush Barandaj or Manoush Barandyai in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer as the third child of a mother of French Sinti origin and a German-Ameri ...

- French actress * Rita Hayworth - American actress * Sandro de América – Argentine actor *

Ștefan Bănică Sr. Ștefan Constantin Bănică (; November 11, 1933 – May 27, 1995) was a Romanian actor and singer from Călărași. Aside from starring in multiple films, he was also known for his interpretation of songs such as "Îmi acordați un dans", "Cum am ...

– Romanian actor * Tony Gatlif - French film director * Yul Brynner – Russian actor and president honor of the Unión Romaní *

Blanca Romero Blanca Romero Ezama (born 2 June 1976) is a Spanish actress, model, and singer. Biography Blanca Romero was born on 2 June 1976 in Gijón. Her parents are of Peruvian and Romani descent. Career At age 14, she appeared in her first fashion ...

– Spanish actress *

Alina Serban Alina Șerban (born October 29, 1987) is the winner of Best Actress Award at the :de:Deutscher Schauspielpreis, German Actors Guild Awards 2020 for her leading role in “Gipsy Queen”, a nominee for Best Actress of the German Film Award 2020, t ...

– Romanian actress

Musicians

* 100 Kila – Bulgarian rapper *"

Falete Rafael Ojeda Rojas (born 1978 in Seville), better known as Falete (), is a Spanish flamenco singer. Biography Falete's father was a founding member of the musical group Cantores de Híspalis. At the age of 17, he made his debut at the Teatr ...

" Rafael Ojeda Rojas – Spanish singer *" Rayito" Antonio Rayo – Spanish guitarist, singer and composer. Father ''Gitano (Iberian Kalo)'' and mother Japanese * Adam Ant – English singer and musician *

Aggelopoulos Manolis Manolis Angelopoulos ( el, Μανώλης Αγγελόπουλος; 8 April 1939 – 2 April 1989) was a Greek singer of Gypsy origin. Biography During his childhood Angelopoulos traveled all over Greece with his Hellenized-Gypsy family carav ...

– (1939–1989) Greek singer and actor * Albert Lee - (born 1943) London born and raised country rock guitar legend. His father is Romanichal. *

Antonio Flores Antonio González Flores (14 November 1961 – 30 May 1995) was a Spanish singer-songwriter and actor. He was Romani on his father's side and maternal grandmother side. Antonio is known for his pop rock style of singing. His songs, which he ...

– (1961–1995) was a Spanish singer-songwriter and actor. * Azis - Bulgarian singer * Biréli Lagrène – (born 1966) French jazz guitarist, violinist and bassist * Boban Marković – Serbian brass bandleader and trumpet player * Camarón de la Isla – (1950–1992) Spanish flamenco singer * Carlos Montoya – (1903–1993) Spanish flamenco guitarist * Carmen Amaya – Spanish flamenco dancer * Cher Lloyd – English singer *

Connect-R Ștefan Relu Mihalache (born on June 9, 1982 in Bucharest, Romania), better known by his stage name Connect-R, is a Romanian roma rapper, singer, producer and occasional actor, best known for his association with Romanian hip hop group R.A.C.L.A. ...

– Romanian singer * Denny Laine – British musician ( The Moody Blues, Wings) * Didem – Turkish bellydancer * Diego el Cigala – Spanish flamenco singer * Django Reinhardt - French guitarist * Drafi Deutscher – (1946–2006) German ''Sinto'' songwriter, singer and composer *

Džej Ramadanovski Džej Ramadanovski (; 29 May 1964 – 6 December 2020) was a Serbian singer of folk, turbo-folk and pop-folk music. He started his career in 1987 and released a series of albums during 1990s, but retired from recording due to ill health in the ...

– (1964-2020), born in

Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...

(former Yugoslavia), modern Serbian folk singer * Edyta Górniak - (born 1972) Polish singer *

Elek Bacsik Elek Bacsik (22 May 1926 – 14 February 1993) was a Hungarian-American jazz guitarist and violinist. He was the cousin of guitarist Django Reinhardt. Career Bacsik was born in Budapest, Hungary. He was the son of Árpád Bacsik and Erzséb ...

– Hungarian-American jazz guitarist and violinist * Elvis Presley - American , King of Rock and Roll * Esma Redzepova – (1943-2016) Macedonian singer and songwriter * Eugene Hütz – Ukrainian singer, guitarist, DJ and actor * Fanfare Ciocărlia – (formed 1996) Romanian brass band * Félix Lajkó – (born 1974) Hungarian-Serbian violinist and composer (part Romani) *

Florin Salam Florin Stoian (born 1 October 1979), better known by his stage name Florin Salam, is a Romani people, Roma manele singer. Beginnings Salam was born into a family of lăutari. During his adolescence, he sang together with his father and uncle's ...

- Romanian singer * Georges Cziffra – (1921–1994) Hungarian virtuoso pianist * Gigi Radics – Hungarian singer * Haris Džinović - (born 1951) Bosnian folk singer *

Harri Stojka Harri Stojka (born 22 July 1957 in Vienna) is a Viennese jazz guitarist. He comes from the diasporic Lovara-Roma dynasty of the Bagareschtschi clan. In the 1980s he played in Montreux with the likes of Larry Coryell and Biréli Lagrène. Nowad ...

– Austrian jazz guitarist * Ion Voicu – (1923–1997) Romanian violinist and orchestral conductor, founder of Bucharest Chamber Orchestra * Irini Merkouri – (born 1981) Greek pop singer *

Iva Bittová Iva Bittová (born 22 July 1958) is a Czech avant-garde violinist, singer, and composer. She began her career as an actor in the mid-1970s, appearing in several Czech feature films, but switched to playing violin and singing in the early 1980s. ...

– Czech singer and violinist * Ivo Papazov – (born 1952) Bulgarian jazz clarinetist * János Bihari – Hungarian violinist *

Jentina Jentina Rose Rees ( née Chapman, born 6 March 1984) is an English rapper, singer, songwriter and model of Romani descent. Biography Jentina Chapman was born on 6 March 1984 in Woking, England to a Romani family that consisted of fourteen child ...

– English rapper * Jerry Mason – American singer, guitarist *

Jimmy Rosenberg Joseph "Jimmy" Rosenberg (born 10 April 1980) is a Dutch Sinto-Romani guitarist known for his virtuoso playing of gypsy jazz. Music career A cousin of Stochelo Rosenberg, Jimmy Rosenberg started playing guitar when he was seven years old. Two y ...

– (born 1980) Dutch swing guitarist * Joaquín Cortés – Spanish flamenco dancer * Joe Longthorne – (born 1955) English singer and impressionist *

Joe Zawinul Josef Erich Zawinul ( '; 7 July 1932 – 11 September 2007) was an Austrian jazz and jazz fusion keyboardist and composer. First coming to prominence with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, Zawinul went on to play with Miles Davis and to bec ...

– Austrian jazz keyboardist * Johnny Răducanu – (born 1931) Romanian jazz musician * Joy Olasunmibo Ogunmakin – Ayọ (stage name), German singer * Kal – Romani world music band from Serbia *

Kibariye Bahriye Tokmak, better known by her stage name Kibariye (born 10 August 1960), is a Turkish Arabesque- pop singer. Life Kibariye was born Bahriye Tokmak on 10 August 1960 to a family with Romani origin, She is the daughter of Doğan and Makbule ...

- Turkish singer of Romani descent *

Lolita Flores María Dolores González Flores (born 6 May 1958), better known as Lolita Flores, is a Spanish actress and singer. Biography Lolita Flores is the daughter of Lola Flores and Antonio González, sister of Antonio Flores and Rosario Flores. S ...

– (1958) Spanish singer and actress. * Los Niños de Sara – French (Spanish origin, Iberian Kale) rumba and flamenco singers and guitar players * Manitas de Plata – (born 1921) Spanish guitarist * Marianne Rosenberg – (born 1955) German singer and songwriter. Daughter of German Gypsy who survived Auschwitz. * Mariska Veres – Dutch singer * Nicole Cherry – Romanian singer * Nicolae Neacşu ("Culai") – Lăutar, was the leader of ''Taraf de Haïdouks'' *

Nicolas Reyes Nicolas Reyes (born 22 November 1958) is the lead singer, guitarist, songwriter, arranger, producer and founder of the French musical group Gipsy Kings, along with Tonino Baliardo, the group popular for their Spanish music in the 1980s. Even tho ...

(born 1958) – Franco-Spanish singer, guitar player; lead singer for the Gipsy Kings, a band made up mostly of members of his extended family *

Panna Cinka Panna Czinka ( hu, Czinka Panna, sk, Panna Cinková) (1711(?) – 1772) was a famous Hungarian-Romani violinist. Czinka was born in Sajógömör, Hungary (modern-day Gemer, Slovakia) to a Romani family of musicians. Her father was a court m ...

– (1711–1772) Hungarian violinist, born in Kingdom of Hungary in modern Slovakia *

Paulus Schafer Paulus is the original Latin language, Latin form of the English name Paul (disambiguation), Paul. It may refer to: Ancient Roman * Paul (jurist) or Julius Paulus (fl. 222–235 AD), Roman jurist * Paulus (consul 496), politician of the Eastern ...

- (born 1978) Dutch jazz guitarist * Pere Pubill Calaf "Peret" – (born 1935) Catalan Spanish singer, guitar player and composer *

Pista Dankó Pista Dankó (July 13, 1858 – March 29, 1903) was a Hungarian-born bandleader and composer belonging to the Romani people. He primarily worked in the folk music styles popular in Hungary in the 19th century. He was frequently known by the n ...

– Hungarian composer *

Radoslav Banga Gipsy.cz is a Czech Romani hip hop group. They performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2007 and represented their country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, with the song "Aven Romale". The band plays a combination of hip hop and ...

– of Czech group Gypsy.cz * Ramón Montoya – (1889–1949) Spanish flamenco guitarist *

Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980, when the band broke up following the ...

- (born 1948) English singer and songwriter (former vocalist of Led Zeppelin). Romanichal mother *

Robi Botos Robi Botos is a Hungarian-Canadian jazz pianist. He has recorded several albums as a leader and was the winner of the Concours de Jazz, TD Grand Jazz Award at the 2012 Montreal International Jazz Festival. In 2016, Botos won the JUNO Award for Bes ...

– Hungarian-Canadian jazz pianist *

Romica Puceanu Romica Puceanu ( rmy, Romika Puchanu; 1926–1996) was a Romanian Romani people singer and interpreter of urban lăutărească music from Romania. Early life Puceanu started to sing professionally when she was 14, with the "Brothers Gore taraf ...

– (1928–1996) Romanian singer (urban Lăutarească music) * Rosario Flores – (born 1963) Spanish singer and actress, Latin Grammy award winner * Šaban Bajramović – Serbian singer * Sandu Ciorbă – Romanian singer * Sasha Kolpakov – (born 1943) Russian guitarist *

Sinan Sakić Sinan Sakić (; 13 October 1956 – 1 June 2018) was a Serbian pop-folk singer. Sakić first reached massive popularity as a member of the Yugoslav turbo-folk band, Južni Vetar (''Southern Wind''). He also went on to have a successful career ...

- Serbian singer *

Sofi Marinova Sofiya "Sofi" Marinova Kamenova ( bg, София "Софи" Маринова Каменова, is a Bulgarian Romani pop-folk and ethno-pop singer. She has won multiple music awards and contests. She is often called "the Romani pearl" and "the ...

– Bulgarian singer * Sotis Volanis – Greek pop folk singer * Stochelo Rosenberg - (born 19 February 1968) is a Gypsy jazz guitarist who leads the Rosenberg Trio. * Taisto Tammi - Finland * Taraful Haiducilor – (Taraf de Haïdouks) Romanian band, formed 1989 * Tonino Baliardo – Franco-Spanish guitar player; also a member of the Gipsy Kings *

Valentina Ponomaryova Valentina Leonidovna Ponomaryova (russian: Валентина Леонидовна Пономарёва, born 18 September 1933) is a former Soviet cosmonaut, pilot and scientist. Ponomaryova left the school for girls No.156 in Moscow with a gol ...

– (born 1939) Russian singer * Vicente Escudero – Spanish flamenco dancer *

Wally Tax Wladimir "Wally" Tax (; 14 February 1948 – 10 April 2005) was a Dutch singer and songwriter. He was founder and frontman of the Nederbeat group The Outsiders (1959–1969) and the rock group Tax Free (1969–1971). After commercial and arti ...

– Dutch rock singer, of The Outsiders. Son of a Dutch father and a Russian Romani mother.

Politicians

Ágnes Osztolykán Ágnes Osztolykán (born 3 November 1974, Csenger, Hungary) is a Hungarian politician and Romani people, Romani activist. She was a member of the National Assembly of Hungary for the LMP – Hungary's Green Party between 2010 and 2014. She is a ...

, Hungarian politician * Carlos Miguel – Portuguese minister and mayor * Idália Serrão – Portuguese secretary of state and MP *

Juan de Dios Ramírez Heredia Juan de Dios Ramírez Heredia (born 29 July 1942) is a Spanish politician, of Romani ethnic origin. He is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. In 1986-1999 he was a Member of the European Parliament. He was born in Puerto Real, Cád ...

- Spanish MEP * Juscelino Kubitschek - 21st President of Brazil *

Lívia Járóka Lívia Járóka (born 6 October 1974, in Tata) is a Hungarian politician. She is a Member of the European Parliament, first elected as part of the Fidesz list in 2004. Járóka is the second Romani (and the first Romani woman) ever elected to th ...

, Hungarian MEP * Washington Luís - 13th President of Brazil

Various

* Michael Costello – American fashion designer *

Ceferino Giménez Malla Ceferino Giménez Malla (also known as El Pelé, "the Strong One", or "the Brave One"; August 26, 1861 – August 9, 1936) was a Spanish Romani, a Roman Catholic catechist and activist for Spanish Romani causes, considered the patron saint of Roma ...

– Spanish beatified Roman Catholic catechist *

Timofey Prokofiev Timofey Ilyich Prokofiev (russian: Тимофей Ильич Прокофьев; 2 February 1913 – March 1944) was a Soviet marine of the Black Sea Fleet during World War II. He was posthumously awarded title Hero of the Soviet Union for h ...

– Soviet marine infantryman, Hero of the Soviet Union * Rodney Smith – English evangelist * Mother Teresa – Albanian nun * Cherry Valentine – drag queen * Alfie Best – British businessman

Writers

Bronisława Wajs Bronisława Wajs (17 August 1908, Lublin – 8 February 1987, Inowrocław) was a Polish-Romani people, Romani classic poet and singer. Life Bronisława Wajs, commonly known by her Romani people, Romani name Papusza (meaning ''Doll''), was one ...

– Polish *

Caren Gussoff Caren Sumption Gussoff (born February 16, 1973) is an American author. She writes both literary fiction and speculative fiction novels and short stories. She currently lives outside Seattle, Washington. In 2020, Gussoff began using her married ...

– American * Charlie Smith – English * David Morley – English *

Elena Lacková Elena Lacková (née Elena Doktorová; also known as Ilona Lacková;. 22 March 1921 – 1 January 2003) was a Slovak Romani writer and playwright, author of literature for Roma children and youth. Life and works Elena Lacková was born in Ve ...

– Slovak *

Hillary Monahan Hillary Monahan is an American author, best known for her New York Times Bestselling, New York Times-bestselling debut novel ''MARY: The Summoning.'' Her work includes Young adult fiction, young adult, horror fiction, horror, urban fantasy, and r ...

– American * Louise Doughty – English *

Mariella Mehr Mariella Mehr (26 December 1947 – 5 September 2022) was a Swiss novelist, playwright, and poet. She was born a member of the itinerant Yeniche people, but separated from her family by the program Kinder der Landstrasse, and raised in institut ...

– Swiss *

Matéo Maximoff Matéo Maximoff (; 17 January 1917 – 24 November 1999) was a French writer and Evangelicalism, Evangelical pastor of Romani people, Romani ethnicity. His eleven books have been translated into fourteen languages. Born in Spain, he had parents who ...

– French * Menyhért Lakatos – Hungarian * Muharem Serbezovski – Macedonian * Nina Dudarova – Russian * Rajko Đurić – Serbian * Veijo Baltzar – Finnish * Hedina Tahirović-Sijerčić - Bosnian * Vita Sackville-West - English

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romani People * Lists of people by ethnicity Romani-related lists