This is a list of famous Basque people. It includes people born or resident in the Basque Country and people born elsewhere with significant Basque ancestry.

Artists

• Jean Anouilh, dramatist
• Imanol Arias , actor
• Bernardo Atxaga, writer
• Pío Baroja, writer
• Eduardo Chillida, sculptor
• Chumy Chúmez , cartoonist
• Juana Inés de la Cruz , poet
• Álex de la Iglesia , filmmaker
• Alfredo Landa, actor
• Robert Laxalt, writer
• Jesús Mari Lazkano, painter
• Julio Medem, filmmaker
• Leopoldo María Panero , poet
• Jorge Perugorría , Cuban actor
• Miguel de Unamuno, writer
• Jenaro de Urrutia Olaran, painter
• Ignacio Zuloaga, painter

Musicians

• Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga, composer
• Julián Gayarre , singer
• Jesús Guridi , composer
• Mikel Laboa, singer and songwriter
• Luis Mariano , singer
• Fermin Muguruza, singer and songwriter
• Maurice Ravel, composer
• Domingo Samuido, from Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs

Business

• Dominique Amestoy, Farmers and Merchants Bank
• Karlos Arguiñano , cook and entertainer
• José María Arizmendiarrieta, founder of the Mondragón cooperatives.
• Robert Goizueta, Coca-Cola Company
• José Ignacio López de Arriortúa , automotive industry

Clergy

• Pedro Arrupe
• Martín de Azpilicueta
• Valentín de Berrio-Ochoa
• Ignacio Ellacuría
• Roger Cardinal Etchegaray
• Michel Garicoïts
• Ignatius of Loyola
• Francisco de Vitoria
• Francis Xavier
• Fray Juan de Zumarraga

Explorers and conquistadors

• Lope de Aguirre
• Juan Bautista de Anza
• Juan Sebastián de Elcano
• Alonso de Ercilla
• Martin de Hoyarçabal
• Miguel López de Legaspi
• Catalina de Erauso
• Cosme Damián de Churruca y Elorza

Some of the Basque clergymen can be included in this explorers' chapter.

Politics

• Abd-al-Rahman Sanchuelo
• Jose Antonio Aguirre, leader of Basque Nationalist Party during 1930s
• Sabino Arana, founder of the Basque Nationalist Party.
• Xabier Arzalluz, PNV leader.
• Eugene Biscaluz sheriff of Los Angeles County, California
• Fernando Buesa
• Peter Cenarrusa , secretary of State of Idaho
• Luis Echeverria, president of Mexico
• Manuel Fraga Iribarne, Spanish politician
• Hisham II, caliph of Cordoba
• Dolores Ibárruri, Communist leader
• Maria Soledad Iparraguirre, ETA leader.
• Paul Laxalt, governor of Nevada
• Telesforo de Monzón , founder of Ertzaina regional police and Herri Batasuna party
• Arnaldo Otegi leader of Batasuna party
• Ron Parraguirre , Nevada Supreme Court Justice
• Eva Peron, Argentine first lady (Basque mother)
• Augusto Pinochet, dictator of Chile
• Indalecio Prieto, Socialist politician
• María San Gil, San Sebastian councilor
• Máxima Zorreguieta, wife of the heir of the Dutch throne
• Tomás de Zumalacárregui, Carlist general

See also Kings of Navarre

Sports

• Joseba Beloki, cyclist
• Josune Bereziartu, climber
• Serge Blanco, rugby player (Basque mother)
• Jean Borotra, tennis player
• Didier Deschamps, footballer
• Pierre Etchebaster
• Joseba Etxeberria, footballer
• José Eulogio Gárate Ormaechea, footballer
• Julen Guerrero López, footballer
• Andoni Goikoetxea Olaskoaga, footballer
• Imanol Harinordoquy, rugby player
• Miguel Induráin, cyclist
• Bixente Lizarazu, footballer
• Iban Mayo, cyclist
• Abraham Olano , cyclist
• Joane Somarriba , cyclist
• Iñaki Urdagarín , handball player and aristocrat
• José Ibar Urtain , boxer
• Paulino Uzcudun , boxer

Scientists

• Louis Daguerre, inventor of photography
• Fausto Elhuyar and José Elhuyar, first to isolate wolfram/tungsten.
• Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Nobel Prize of Medicine.

Philosophers

• Miguel de Unamuno