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Revision as of 21:16, 31 May 2007
Note: Names that cannot be confirmed in Misplaced Pages database nor through given sources are subject to removal. If you would like to add a new name please consider writing about the person first.If a notable Pole is missing and without article, please add your request for a new article here.
The Polish people, who in 1930 had a world-wide population of some 22 million, experienced a major population surge in the 1960s and by 2005 had attained a world-wide population of over 53 million.
This is a partial list of famous Polish or Polish-speaking/writing persons. In the interest of fairness and accuracy, a minority of persons of mixed heritage have their respective ancestries credited.
Please add names to the various categories of this list in alphabetical order. The order of the Polish alphabet is:
a ą b c ć d e ę f g h i j k l ł m n ń o ó p r s ś t u w y z ź ż.
 | This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. |
History
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Science
Astronomy
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Biology
Chemistry
Engineering
 
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Economics
- Leszek Balcerowicz, implementer of 1990s "shock therapy."
- Władysław Grabski
- Michał Kalecki
- Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski
- Oskar Lange, PRL economy
- Jerzy Bolesław Lewandowski, III RP Economic Sciences
- Hilary Minc, PRL economy
- Sławomir Szwedowski
Invention
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Computer Science
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Linguistics
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Mathematics
Physics
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Social sciences
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Other sciences
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Music
see also: List of Polish composers
Literature
See also: List of Polish writers
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Poetry
See also: List of Polish poets.
Philosophy
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Fine arts
see also: List of Polish artists and painters
Entertainment
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- Piotr Adamczyk, actor
- Piotr Andrejew, film director
- Michael Anthony (Sobolewski), Van Halen band
- Józef Arkusz, film director
- Tomasz Bagiński, BAFTA Award winning short animated movies maker, nominated to Academy Award
- Andrzej Bartkowiak, cinematographer, director and actor.
- Eugeniusz Bodo, singer and actor
- Ewa Braun, Academy Award winning set decorator, costume designer, production designer
- Zbigniew Cybulski, actor
- Ewa Demarczyk, actress, poetry singer
- Dagmara Dominczyk, actress
- Paweł Edelman, cinematographer, European Film Award winner.
- Katarzyna Figura, actress
- Aleksander Ford, director
- Małgorzata Foremniak, actress, starred in Avalon
- Piotr Fronczewski, actor and singer
- Sir John Gielgud, English theatre and film actor of Polish father from szlachta
- Samuel Goldwyn, legendary film producer
- Jerzy Grotowski, theatre reformer
- Agnieszka Holland, film director, nominated to Academy Awards and BAFTA Award
- Adam Hanuszkiewicz, actor
- Gustaw Holoubek, actor
- Sławomir Idziak, cinematagrapher, nominated to Oscar
- Krystyna Janda, actress
- Kalina Jędrusik, actress
- Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Academy Award winning composer, nominated to BAFTA Award
- Jane Kaczmarek, American actress of Polish parents
- Jacek Kaczmarski, protest songwriter and singer
- Janusz Kaminski, two Oscars and BAFTA Award winning cinematographer and film director
- Bronislau Kaper, Academy Award winning composer
- Krzysztof Kieślowski, film director, nominated to Academy Awards
- Bogumił Kobiela, actor
- Jane Krakowski, American actress born into a Polish family
- Kazimierz Kutz, film director
- Martin Kunert(born Marcin Kunert-Dziewanowski) - writer/director
- Bogusław Linda, actor
- Tadeusz Łomnicki, actor
- Rudolph Maté, accomplished cinematographer and film director, nominated for 5 Oscars
- Helena Modjeska/Modrzejewska, actress (born Helena Opid)
- Pola Negri, actress
- Wacław Niżyński (Vaslav Nijinsky), ballet dancer and choreographer
- Karen O (Orzołek), the lead vocalist for the New York art punk band Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Daniel Olbrychski, actor
- Jerzy Owsiak, broadcaster
- Joanna Pacuła, actress
- Ludwika Paleta, Polish-Mexican actress
- Cezary Pazura, actor
- Roman Polański, award winning film director educated in Poland
- Jeremi Przybora
- Wojciech Pszoniak, actor of Comedie Francaise
- Krzysztof Ptak, cinematographer
- Zbigniew Rybczynski, Oscar and Emmy Award winning filmmaker
- Mstislav Rostropovich, Russian cellist and conductor of Polish father from szlachta
- Lew Rywin, film producer and criminal
- Izabella Scorupco, Polish-born Hollywood-actress and singer.
- Andrzej Seweryn, actor of Comédie Française
- Jerzy Skolimowski, film director
- Przemysław Skwirczyński, cinematographer
- Piotr Sobocinski, cinematographer
- Ladislas Starevich properly: Władysław Starewicz, film director, stop-motion animator
- Allan Starski, Oscar winning production designer, art director, set designer
- Leopold Stokowski, Academy Award winning composer
- Jerzy Stuhr, actor, film director
- Gloria Swanson, Hollywood actress of Polish origin on maternal side
- Loretta Swit,Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on M*A*S*H.
- Piotr Tokarski, actor
- Andrzej Wajda, Academy Award, Golden Palm, BAFTA Award, Silver Berlin Bear, César Award and Golden Lion winning film director
- The Warner Brothers
- Jerzy Wasowski
- Samuel "Billy" Wilder, six Oscars winning film director, screenwriter and producer
- Lilliana Wilczkowsky, actress
- Dariusz Wolski, cinematographer
- Krzysztof Zanussi, film director.
- Andrzej Żuławski, film director
Business
- Hipolit Cegielski
- Franciszek Czapek (Patek's partner in Patek, Czapek & Co.).
- Max Factor, Sr., businessman and cosmetician
- Andrew Filipowski, technology entrepreneur
- Nathan Handwerker
- Barbara Piasecka Johnson, humanitarian, philantropist, widow of J. Seward Johnson, Sr.
- Franciszek Jerzy Kulczycki, legendary merchant, spy, diplomat, opened the first café in Vienna in 1683
- Jan Kulczyk, one of the richest Poles
- Michael Marks, one of the two co-founders of the retail chain Marks and Spencer
- Antoni Patek (co-founder of watchmakers Patek Philippe & Co.).
- Izrael Poznański, philanthropist, textile magnate
- Helena Rubinstein, cosmetics industrialist
- Martha Stewart (Kostyra; business magnate, author, editor, homemaking advocate of Polish parentage).
- Ziggy Switkowski, the former Chief Executive Officer of Telstra
Sports
see also: list of Polish sports players
Athletics (track and field)
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Boxing
- Tomasz Adamek
- Aleksy Antkiewicz
- Charley Goldman (International Boxing Hall of fame)
- Andrzej Gołota
- Dariusz Michalczewski
- Jerzy Rybicki
- Jan Szczepański
- Paul Slowinski
Chess
Fencing
Ice hockey
Skiing
- Bronisław Czech
- Wojciech Fortuna, ski jumper
- Adam Małysz, ski jumper
- Stanisław Marusarz, ski jumper
Football
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Swimming
Weightlifting
Sports (Other)
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Royalty
- Mieszko I, first Duke of Poland.
- Świętosława (Gunhild), daughter of Mieszko I of Poland, mother of Canute the Great, King of England, Denmark and Norway.
- Bolesław I the Brave, first King of Poland.
- Mieszko II Lambert, second King of Poland.
- Casimir I the Restorer, duke of Poland.
- Bolesław II the Bold, third King of Poland.
- Bolesław III Wrymouth, duke of Poland.
- Henry I the Bearded, senior duke of Poland, duke of Silesia.
- Henryk II the Pious, senior duke of Poland, commander of Polish forces in the Battle of Legnica (1241).
- Władysław I the Elbow-high, King of Poland.
- Casimir III the Great, Piast Dynasty last King of Poland.
- Jadwiga Angevin, King and Queen of Poland.
- Władysław II Jagiełło, Lithuanian, King of Poland, victor at the Battle of Grunwald (1410).
- Władysław III of Varna (Ulászló I), King of Poland and Hungary, killed at the Battle of Varna (1444).
- Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, victor in the Thirteen Years' War (1454-1466).
- Sigismund I the Old, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
- Roxelana (Khourrem, wife of Suleiman the Magnificent).
- Sigismund II Augustus, Jagiello Dynasty last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- Stefan Batory, Hungarian-born King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- Sigismund III Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and King of Sweden.
- Władysław IV Vasa, elected Tsar of Russia, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- John II Casimir Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Beresteczko (1651).
- Jan III Sobieski, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Vienna (1683).
- Catherine I (Marta Skowrońska), second wife of Russian Tsar Peter the Great, and Empress of Russia (1725-27).
- Stanisław Leszczyński, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Duke of Lorraine.
- Maria Leszczyńska, consort of Louis XV, King of France.
- Stanisław August Poniatowski, last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, co-author of the Constitution of May 3, 1791.
Nobility (szlachta)
see: List of szlachta
Military
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- Władysław Anders, general, military commander during the Battle of Monte Cassino (1944)
- Józef Bem, military commander, commander-in-chief of Hungarian army (1849)
- Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, military commander, victor from Kircholm (1605)
- Michał Czajkowski (Sadyk Pasha), (1804-1886), Polish-Ukrainian commander-in-chief of an Ottoman Cossack Brigade during the Crimean War (1853-1856)
- Jerzy Pajaczkowski-Dydynski, (1894-2005), 111, - Polish soldier of World War I and of the 1920-1921 Polish War against Soviet Russia. He was the oldest man in the UK at the time of his death.
- Henryk Dąbrowski, general, military commander during the Napoleonic Wars
- Jarosław Dąbrowski, military commander during the January Uprising (1863), and the Paris Commune (1871)
- Henryk Dembiński, military commander in the November Uprising and the Hungarian uprising of 1849
- Józef Haller, politician, commander of the Polish Army in France during World War I
- Jan Nowak-Jezioranski, (1913-2005) - Polish journalist and WWII hero
- Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski, general, founder of the resistance movement "Polish Victory Service" (27 September 1939)
- Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, general, commander of the Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising (1944)
- Tadeusz Kościuszko, (born in modern day Belarus) Polish and American commander and revolutionist.
- Wladimir Krzyzanowski Polish general on the Union side during the American Civil War
- Marian Kukiel, general, military commander, historian
- Aleksander Lisowski, commander of Lisowczycy (17th c.)
- Stanisław Maczek, (1892-1994), commander of the Polish Armoured Division, later C-i-C of the Polish forces in exile after WWII
- Leopold Okulicki, general, last commander-in-chief of the Home Army
- Józef Poniatowski, prince, Polish general and marshal of France
- Kazimierz Pułaski (Cassimir Pulaski), Polish and American military commander
- Hyman G. Rickover, U.S. Navy Admiral, Father of the Nuclear Navy
- Konstantin Rokossovsky, (born Konstanty Rokossowski) Marshall of the Soviet Union and Polish defense minister, communist
- Stefan Rowecki, general, military commander, commander-in-chief of the Home Army
- John Shalikashvili, retired general of the United States Army
- Władysław Sikorski, general, commander-in-chief of the Polish Armed Forces and Prime Minister of Poland (1939-1943)
- Piotr Skuratowicz, General of the Polish Army
- Stanisław Sosabowski, commander of the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, which saw action at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden (1944)
- Kazimierz Sosnkowski, general, Commander-in-Chief of Polish Armed Forces (1943-1944)
- Edward Rydz-Śmigły, marshal, military commander, successful in the Polish-Bolshevik war, C-i-C of the Polish Army in the September Campaign
- Piotr Wysocki, led the November Uprising (1830)
- Stanisław Żółkiewski, chancellor of Poland, military commander, conqueror of Moscow (1610)
- Janusz Żurakowski, WWII fighter pilot and Avro Arrow test pilot
Politics
- Tomasz Arciszewski, first Prime Minister of Poland in exile (1944-1947)
- Kazimierz Feliks Badeni, count, Minister-President of Austria (1895-1897)
- Marek Belka, former director of economic policy in the interim coalition administration of Iraq & Prime Minister
- Bolesław Bierut, leader of communist Poland (1948-1956)
- Michał Bobrzyński, Governor of Galicia (1908-1913)
- Zbigniew Brzeziński , political scientist, advisor to US President Jimmy Carter.
- Józef Cyrankiewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1947-1952 and 1954-1970)
- Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, prince, statesman, Prime Minister (1830-1831)
- Ignacy Daszyński, Prime Minister of the Temporary People’s Government of the Republic of Poland (1918)
- Roman Dmowski, nationalist politician, statesman
- Feliks Dzierżyński, the founder of the Bolshevik secret police, the Cheka
- Jaś Gawroński, Italian politician
- Edward Gierek, leader of communist Poland (1970-1980)
- Władysław Gomułka, leader of communist Poland (1956-1970)
- Piotr Jaroszewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1970-1980)
- Wojciech Jaruzelski, last leader of communist Poland (1981-1989), first President of III RP (1989-1990)
- Ryszard Kaczorowski, sixth and last President of Poland in exile (1989-1990)
- Jarosław Kaczyński, identical twin brother of Lech, leader of the Law and Justice party, Prime Minister of Poland (since 2006)
- Lech Kaczyński, fourth President of III RP (since 2005)
- Wojciech Korfanty, leader of Silesians during the Third Silesian Uprising
- Janusz Korwin-Mikke, free market activist, economist
- Stanisław Kosior, Soviet politician
- Jan Kucharzewski first Prime Minister of Kingdom of Poland (1917-1918),
- Pedro Pablo Kuczynski - Prime Minister of Peru
- Aleksander Kwaśniewski, third President of III RP (1995-2005)
- Julian Marchlewski, Soviet politician
- Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Prime Minister of Poland (2005-2006)
- Tadeusz Mazowiecki, politician, first Prime Minister of III RP (Poland)
- Stanislaw Mikołajczyk, Prime Minister of Poland (1943-1944), politician of the agrarian party
- Jędrzej Moraczewski, first Prime Minister of II RP (1918-1919)
- Ignacy Mościcki, third President of II RP (1926-1939)
- Lewis Bernstein Namier, British politician and historian
- Gabriel Narutowicz, first President of II RP (1922)
- Marian P. Opala, Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
- Stanisław Ostrowski, third President of Poland in exile (1972-1979)
- Ignacy Paderewski, second Prime Minister of II RP (1919)
- Józef Piłsudski, statesman, politician and Marshal of Poland
- Michel Poniatowski, prince, French politician
- Alfred Józef Potocki, count, Minister-President of Austria (1870-1871)
- Władysław Raczkiewicz, first President of Poland in exile (1939-1947)
- Edward Raczyński, fourth President of Poland in exile (1979-1986)
- Antoni Radziwiłł, prince, the Duke-Governor of Grand Duchy of Posen (Poznań) (1815-1831)
- Dan Rostenkowski, American politician
- Kazimierz Sabbat, fifth President of Poland in exile (1986-1989)
- Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, vice-president of European Parliament (2004-2007)
- Władysław Sikorski, general, Prime Minister of Poland (1939-1943)
- Anatoly Sobczak, first post-Soviet mayor of St Petersburg
- Lech Wałęsa, trade unionist who started dismantling of the Soviet bloc, second President of III RP (1990-1995)
- Ludwik Waryński, socialist activist in 19th c.
- Roy Welensky, Prime Minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
- Edward Werner, (born in Poland to parents of German origin) vice-Minister of Finance, and Polish diplomat during World War II
- Alexander Wielopolski, count, Marquis of Gonzaga, statesman
- Wincenty Witos, politician of the agrarian party
- Stanisław Wojciechowski, second President of II RP (1922-1926)
- August Zaleski, second President of Poland in exile (1947-1972)
Diplomats
- Władysław Bartoszewski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995 and 2000-2001)
- Józef Beck, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1932-1939)
- Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2001-2005)
- Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, prince, foreign affairs minister of the Russian Empire (1804-1806)
- Władysław Czartoryski, prince, the main diplomatic agent of the National Government (1863-1864)
- Roman Dmowski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1923)
- Bronisław Geremek, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1997-2000)
- Agenor Count Gołuchowski, foreign affairs minister of Austria-Hungary (1895-1906)
- Krzysztof Grzymułtowski, diplomat and voivod of Poznań, author of the Eternal Peace Treaty with Russia (1686)
- Julian Klaczko, Polish-Austrian diplomat
- Stefan Meller, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005-2006)
- Andrzej Olechowski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1993-1995)
- Ignacy Paderewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919)
- Adam Rapacki, foreign affairs minister of communist Poland (1956-1968)
- Joseph Retinger, Polish-Austrian-Mexican-British political adviser
- Dariusz Rosati, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995-1997)
- Adam Daniel Rotfeld, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005)
- Aleksander Skrzyński, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1922-1923 and 1924-1926)
- Krzysztof Skubiszewski, first foreign affairs minister of III RP (1989-1993)
- Alexandre Joseph Count Colonna-Walewski, French foreign affairs minister
- August Zaleski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1926-1932)
- Maurycy Klemens Zamoyski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1924)
- Josef Zieleniec, Czech foreign affairs minister
Spies
- Roman Czerniawski, Captain
- Jan Kowalewski, Colonel
- Andrzej Kowerski, Lieutenant and SOE agent
- Ryszard Kukliński, Colonel, CIA masterspy during the Cold War
- Kazimierz Leski, Captain
- Jerzy Pawłowski, Major
- Krystyna Skarbek, British SOE heroine of WW II
- Halina Szymańska, British spy of WW II
- Marian Zacharski, Colonel
Holocaust resistors
- Mordechaj Anielewicz, Military Leader of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943)
- Icchak Cukierman
- Marek Edelman
- Jan Karski
- Zofia Kossak-Szczucka, co-founder of Żegota
- Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz, Provisional Committee for Aid to Jews
- Witold Pilecki
- Irena Sendler
- Henryk Sławik, Polish politician and diplomat in Hungary
Religion
- Baal Shem Tov.
- Szymon Budny.
- St. Casimir Jagiellon (grandson of King Władysław II Jagiełło).
- St. Adam (Albert) Chmielowski.
- August Czartoryski (beatified Prince).
- Edmund Cardinal Dalbor (Primate of Poland, 1915-26).
- Albin Cardinal Dunajewski (Bishop of Kraków, 1879-94).
- Stanisław Cardinal Dziwisz (Archbishop of Kraków since 2005).
- Jacob Frank (Jewish messianic leader who merged Judaism and Christianity).
- Piotr z Goniądza (religious writer).
- Piotr Gamrat (Primate of Poland, 1541-45).
- Józef Cardinal Glemp (Primate of Poland, 1981-2007).
- St. Hedwig (Queen of Poland, 1384-99).
- August Cardinal Hlond (Primate of Poland, 1926-48).
- Stanislaus Hosius (legate to Poland, Cardinal and Prince-Bishop of Warmia).
- St. Hyacinth (Dominican).
- Marian Cardinal Jaworski (Polish Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, since 1991).
- Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki (Bishop of Kraków, statesman).
- Aleksander Cardinal Kakowski (Archbishop of Warsaw).
- St. Raphael Kalinowski (Carmelite).
- St. Jan Kanty (professor at Kraków University).
- St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe (Franciscan martyr, Auschwitz 1941).
- Hugo Kołłątaj (priest, statesman).
- St. Stanisław Kostka (Jesuit).
- St. Faustyna Kowalska (Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy).
- Ignacy Krasicki (Primate of Poland).
- Adam Stanisław Krasiński (Bishop of Kamieniec Podolski, 1757-98).
- John Cardinal Krol (Archbishop of Philadelphia, 1961-88).
- Mieczysław Cardinal Ledóchowski (Primate of Poland, 1866-86).
- Jan Łaski (Primate of Poland, 1510-31).
- Franciszek Cardinal Macharski (Archbishop of Kraków, 1978-2005).
- Walenty Potocki (Count; converted to Judaism as Avrohom ben Avrohom, the Ger Tzedek of Vilna; died 1749).
- Jan Cardinal Puzyna (Bishop of Kraków, 1895-1911).
- Jerzy Cardinal Radziwiłł (Bishop of Kraków, 1591-1600).
- St. Stanislaus of Szczepanów (Bishop of Kraków, martyr 1079).
- Adam Stefan Cardinal Sapieha (Bishop/Archbishop of Kraków, 1911-51).
- Piotr Skarga (Jesuit).
- Kajetan Sołtyk (Bishop of Kiev, 1756-59; Bishop of Kraków, 1759-88).
- Edmund Cardinal Szoka (Archbishop of Detroit, 1981-90).
- Mikołaj Trąba (Archbishop of Gniezno, first Primate of Poland, 1418-22).
- Jakub Uchański (Primate of Poland, 1562-81; Interrex, 1572-73 and 1574-75).
- Piotr Wawrzyniak (priest and economist).
- Karol Józef Wojtyła (Pope John Paul II, 1978-2005).
- Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński (Primate of Poland, 1948-81).
- Reverend Monsignor (Wawrzyniec) Lawrence Wnuk (Protonotary Apostolic).
Other
- George Adamski, controversial ufologist
- Benedykt Polak (Bendict the Pole, Benedictus Polonus), explorer
- Piotr Bikont, journalist
- Florian Ceynowa, Kashubian activist
- Franciszek Czapek, watchmaker
- Michał Drzymała
- Gaspar da Gama, traveller, interpreter, explorer
- Piotr Gawryś, contract bridge champion
- Wincenty Gostkowski, watchmaker
- Piotr Iwanicki, wheelchair dancing world champion
- Marek Kamiński, adventure traveller
- Piotr Naszarkowski, engraver
- Anthony Radziwill, U.S. news journalist/producer (nephew of John F. Kennedy)
- Włodzimierz Waloc Trubecki, prince
- Arkadiusz Weremczuk a.k.a. Arkadius (Ukrainian-Polish) fashion designer
- Warren Winiarski, California winemaker
- Magdalena Wróbel, top model
- Wilfrid Michael Voynich, bibliophile
Criminals
- Ignacy Hryniewiecki, assassin of Tsar Alexander II of Russia
- Severin Antoniovich Klosowski, Jack the Ripper suspect
- Julian Koltun, serial killer
- "Gruby" Janek, mobster
- Zdzisław Marchwicki, serial killer
- Władysław Mazurkiewicz, serial killer
- Stanisław Modzelewski, serial killer
- Eligiusz Niewiadomski, assassin of Polish President Gabriel Narutowicz, modernist painter and art critic
- Leszek Pękalski, serial killer
- Piotr Shabelsky-Bork, assassin
- Łucjan Staniak, serial killer - dubbed "The Red Spider" and "The Red Ripper"
- Hymie Weiss (Wojciechowski), Chicago mobster and rival of Al Capone, born into a Polish family
Controversial figures
- Paul Falkowski, gay rights activist
- Krzysztof Kononowicz, mayoral candidate for the city of Białystok
- father Tadeusz Rydzyk, infamous priest
Heroes and Freedom fighters
Legendary persons
- John of Kolno (Jan z Kolna, Johannes Scolnus or Scolvus), (semi-legendary explorer and discoverer of America before Columbus (1476)
- Twardowski (semi-legendary Faust-like sorcerer, in Polish legends first man on the Moon)
- Janek Wiśniewski Freedom fighter, hero of riots in Gdynia 1970.
Fictional characters
- Blackhawk
- Captain William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz from Wolfenstein 3D
- Waldemar Daninsky, wolfman from La Marca del Hombre Lobo
- Nicodemus Dyzma (in Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz's novel, The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma).
- Dr Judym (in Stefan Żeromski's novel, Homeless People).
- Pan Samochodzik
- Florentyna Kane from The Prodigal Daughter and Shall We Tell the President?
- Commander Keen, grandson of B.J. Blazkowicz
- Funky Koval, space detective
- Magneto
- Office Eddie Pulaski from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Abel Rosnovski from Kane and Abel
- Sasquatch (Dr. Walter Langkowski), Marvel superhero
- Silk Spectre I & II, from Watchmen
- Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek
- Walter Koskiusko Waldowski, the "Painless Pole" in MASH (film)
- Konrad Wallenrod (poem)
- John Paul Wiggin (Jan Paweł Wieczorek) from Ender Series
- Mike Nomad, aka Mike Nowak. Steve Roper and Mike Nomad was an American adventure comic strip that ran under various titles from November 1936 to December 26, 2004.
- Stanisław Wokulski (in Bolesław Prus' novel, The Doll).
- Piotr Zak, fictional composer
- Sophie Zawistowski from "Sophie's Choice", a book by William Styron and a film by Alan J. Pakula.
- Walter Sobchak, the "Polish Catholic" from the film Big Lebowski