This is a list of historical and living
Albanians (ethnic Albanians or people of full and partial Albanian ancestry) who are famous or notable, sorted by occupation and alphabetically.
Dhimitër Frangu (1443 – 1525), friar and scholar of a noble family, treasurer and councilor of Giorgio Castriota, in 1480 wrote the first biography, in Latin, on the life of Skanderbeg, from which all later writers drew.
Father
Marin Barleti (1450 – 1513), Catholic ecclesiastic and writer, author of the life of Scanderbeg.
Gjon Buzuku (1499 – 1577),
bishop Catholic, author of the oldest known document in Albanian: a translation of the Roman Missal, "
Meshari" (
1555).
Pjetër Budi (1565 – 1622), Catholic priest and writer, published three books in Albanian and I leave several poems in his native language.
Papa
Luca Matranga (1567 – 1619), priest and scholar, author of the first literary expression arbëresh of the Albanians in diaspora.
Frang Bardhi (1606 – 1644), Catholic bishop, lexicographer, folklorist and ethnographer, author of the first dictionary of the Albanian language known so far.
Pjetër Bogdani (1630 – 1689), Catholic bishop and writer, author of the first Albanian work in prose.
Papa
Nikollë Filja (1691 – 1769), priest and writer.
Nicoleta Kenini (2005-), writer and priest
Mons.
Giuseppe Crispi (1781 – 1859), one of the major figures of the Arbëresh community of Sicily of that era, wrote a number of works on the Albanian language.
Nikoll Kaçorri (1862 – 1917), Catholic religious, politician and patriot, deputy prime minister with Ismail Qemali, in the first Albanian government (1912–1913).
Mons.
Theofan Stilian Noli (1882 – 1965), bishop and intellectual, writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, founder of the Orthodox Church of Albania.
Papa
Marco La Piana (1883 – 1958), priest and scholar, gave his contribute through his studies on Albanian language.
Anton Harapi (1888 – 1946), Franciscan friar, teacher, writer and politician.
Zef Valentini (1900 – 1979), Italian Jesuit, albanologist, byzantinist and historian, naturalized Albanian.
Cyril of Bulgaria (1901 – 1971), the first Patriarch of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, born of an Albanian family.
Father
Zef Pllumi (1924 – 2007), Franciscan priest and writer, author of the memoirs of Christian religious persecution in Albania.
Mons.
Ercole Lupinacci (1933 – 2016), Bishop of Italo-Albanian Catholic Eparchies of Piana degli Albanesi and Lungro.
Papa
Eleuterio Francesco Fortino (1938 – 2010), priest of the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church, Archimandrite in the
Eparchy of Lungro in Calabria, served as the Under Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and albanolog.
Papa
Kristo Negovani (1875 – 1905), religious leader and writer for the Albanian cause.
Father
Daniel Dajani (1906 – 1946), Jesuit religious and martyr, of the
Catholic Church, killed by the regime during the communist dictatorship in Albania.
Saint Papa
Josif Papamihali (1912 – 1948), priest of
Byzantine rite, formed in the Albanian communities of Italy, martyr of the
Albanian Greek-Catholic Church, arrested, sentenced to forced labor, and killed during the communist dictatorship in Albania.
Saint
Mother Teresa (1910 – 1997), Roman Catholic religious and missionary.
Saint
Astius (2nd century AD), bishop of
Dyrrhachium, martyr and saint venerated by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
Saint
Pelinus (c. 620 – 5 December 662), native of
Dyrrhachium and later Bishop of Brindisi in Italy.
Saints
Eleutherius and Antia venerated as Christian saints and martyrs in Greece and Albania by both the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Nikollë Filja (1691–1769),
Italian: Nicola Figlia –
ArbëreshëByzantine rite priest, and writer of the 18th century; known for his translations of biblical fragments into
Arbëreshë for children; Arbëreshë folklorist
Shtjefën Gjeçovi (1874–1929) –
Catholic priest, ethnologist and folklorist; known for being the father of Albanian folklore studies[1]
Karl Gurakuqi (1895–1971) – Albanian linguist and folklorist
Gjergj Pekmezi (1872–1938) – also known as Georg Pekmezi; Albanian linguist and folklorist; in 1916 became a member of the Literary Commission of
Shkodër, which established the first standard form of the
Albanian language
Frang Bardhi, Frang Bardhi (
Latin: Franciscus Blancus, Italian: Francesco Bianchi, 1606–1643) – bishop and author of the early eras of
Albanian literature
Marin Barleti (1450–1512/13) – historian and
Catholic priest from
Shkodra;[10] considered the first Albanian historian because of his 1504
eyewitness account of the 1478
siege of Shkodra; better known for his second work, a biography on
Skanderbeg, translated into many languages in the 16th to the 20th centuries
Eqrem Çabej (1908–1980) – historical linguist and scholar who, through the publication of numerous studies gained a reputation as a key expert in research on
Albanian language, literature,
ethnology, and
linguistics
Demetrio Franco (1443–1525) – scholar, soldier and
Catholic priest; known for Comentario de le cose de' Turchi, et del S. Georgio Scanderbeg, principe d' Epyro, a biography of the national hero of Albania
Skanderbeg
Ndoc Nikaj (1864–1951) – priest, writer, and historian
Fan Noli (1882–1965) – writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, and founder of the
Albanian Orthodox Church; as prime minister and regent of Albania in 1924 during the
June Revolution
Pashko Vasa (born 1825–1892), also known as Vaso Pasha, Wasa Pasha or Vaso Pashë Shkodrani – writer, poet and publicist of the Albanian National Awakening, and
Governor of Lebanon from 1882 until his death
Skanderbeg (1405–1468) – 15th-century Albanian lord; "Hero of Christianism"; initiated and organized the League of Lezhë, which proclaimed him Chief of the League of the Albanian people
Marin Barleti – historian and Catholic priest; considered the first Albanian historian, especially because of his biography on
Skanderbeg, translated in many languages in the 16th to the 18th centuries
Pal Engjëlli – Catholic clergyman; Archbishop of Durrës and Cardinal of Albania; in 1462, wrote the first known sentence retrieved so far in the
Albanian language
Hasan Moglica (1854–1915) – also known as Hoxhë Moglica scholar, educator, leader, engineer, philosopher, patriot, nationalist figure proclaimed "martyr of Albanian language and nation" by the Albanian government
Joseph Ardizzone (born 1884, vanished 1931) – organized crime boss
Joseph J. DioGuardi (born 1940) – American certified public accountant and a Republican politician; his family traces its roots to the
Arbëreshë people
Kara DioGuardi (born 1970) – American contemporanean composer of Albanian descent
This is a list of historical and living
Albanians (ethnic Albanians or people of full and partial Albanian ancestry) who are famous or notable, sorted by occupation and alphabetically.
Dhimitër Frangu (1443 – 1525), friar and scholar of a noble family, treasurer and councilor of Giorgio Castriota, in 1480 wrote the first biography, in Latin, on the life of Skanderbeg, from which all later writers drew.
Father
Marin Barleti (1450 – 1513), Catholic ecclesiastic and writer, author of the life of Scanderbeg.
Gjon Buzuku (1499 – 1577),
bishop Catholic, author of the oldest known document in Albanian: a translation of the Roman Missal, "
Meshari" (
1555).
Pjetër Budi (1565 – 1622), Catholic priest and writer, published three books in Albanian and I leave several poems in his native language.
Papa
Luca Matranga (1567 – 1619), priest and scholar, author of the first literary expression arbëresh of the Albanians in diaspora.
Frang Bardhi (1606 – 1644), Catholic bishop, lexicographer, folklorist and ethnographer, author of the first dictionary of the Albanian language known so far.
Pjetër Bogdani (1630 – 1689), Catholic bishop and writer, author of the first Albanian work in prose.
Papa
Nikollë Filja (1691 – 1769), priest and writer.
Nicoleta Kenini (2005-), writer and priest
Mons.
Giuseppe Crispi (1781 – 1859), one of the major figures of the Arbëresh community of Sicily of that era, wrote a number of works on the Albanian language.
Nikoll Kaçorri (1862 – 1917), Catholic religious, politician and patriot, deputy prime minister with Ismail Qemali, in the first Albanian government (1912–1913).
Mons.
Theofan Stilian Noli (1882 – 1965), bishop and intellectual, writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, founder of the Orthodox Church of Albania.
Papa
Marco La Piana (1883 – 1958), priest and scholar, gave his contribute through his studies on Albanian language.
Anton Harapi (1888 – 1946), Franciscan friar, teacher, writer and politician.
Zef Valentini (1900 – 1979), Italian Jesuit, albanologist, byzantinist and historian, naturalized Albanian.
Cyril of Bulgaria (1901 – 1971), the first Patriarch of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, born of an Albanian family.
Father
Zef Pllumi (1924 – 2007), Franciscan priest and writer, author of the memoirs of Christian religious persecution in Albania.
Mons.
Ercole Lupinacci (1933 – 2016), Bishop of Italo-Albanian Catholic Eparchies of Piana degli Albanesi and Lungro.
Papa
Eleuterio Francesco Fortino (1938 – 2010), priest of the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church, Archimandrite in the
Eparchy of Lungro in Calabria, served as the Under Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and albanolog.
Papa
Kristo Negovani (1875 – 1905), religious leader and writer for the Albanian cause.
Father
Daniel Dajani (1906 – 1946), Jesuit religious and martyr, of the
Catholic Church, killed by the regime during the communist dictatorship in Albania.
Saint Papa
Josif Papamihali (1912 – 1948), priest of
Byzantine rite, formed in the Albanian communities of Italy, martyr of the
Albanian Greek-Catholic Church, arrested, sentenced to forced labor, and killed during the communist dictatorship in Albania.
Saint
Mother Teresa (1910 – 1997), Roman Catholic religious and missionary.
Saint
Astius (2nd century AD), bishop of
Dyrrhachium, martyr and saint venerated by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
Saint
Pelinus (c. 620 – 5 December 662), native of
Dyrrhachium and later Bishop of Brindisi in Italy.
Saints
Eleutherius and Antia venerated as Christian saints and martyrs in Greece and Albania by both the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Nikollë Filja (1691–1769),
Italian: Nicola Figlia –
ArbëreshëByzantine rite priest, and writer of the 18th century; known for his translations of biblical fragments into
Arbëreshë for children; Arbëreshë folklorist
Shtjefën Gjeçovi (1874–1929) –
Catholic priest, ethnologist and folklorist; known for being the father of Albanian folklore studies[1]
Karl Gurakuqi (1895–1971) – Albanian linguist and folklorist
Gjergj Pekmezi (1872–1938) – also known as Georg Pekmezi; Albanian linguist and folklorist; in 1916 became a member of the Literary Commission of
Shkodër, which established the first standard form of the
Albanian language
Frang Bardhi, Frang Bardhi (
Latin: Franciscus Blancus, Italian: Francesco Bianchi, 1606–1643) – bishop and author of the early eras of
Albanian literature
Marin Barleti (1450–1512/13) – historian and
Catholic priest from
Shkodra;[10] considered the first Albanian historian because of his 1504
eyewitness account of the 1478
siege of Shkodra; better known for his second work, a biography on
Skanderbeg, translated into many languages in the 16th to the 20th centuries
Eqrem Çabej (1908–1980) – historical linguist and scholar who, through the publication of numerous studies gained a reputation as a key expert in research on
Albanian language, literature,
ethnology, and
linguistics
Demetrio Franco (1443–1525) – scholar, soldier and
Catholic priest; known for Comentario de le cose de' Turchi, et del S. Georgio Scanderbeg, principe d' Epyro, a biography of the national hero of Albania
Skanderbeg
Ndoc Nikaj (1864–1951) – priest, writer, and historian
Fan Noli (1882–1965) – writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, and founder of the
Albanian Orthodox Church; as prime minister and regent of Albania in 1924 during the
June Revolution
Pashko Vasa (born 1825–1892), also known as Vaso Pasha, Wasa Pasha or Vaso Pashë Shkodrani – writer, poet and publicist of the Albanian National Awakening, and
Governor of Lebanon from 1882 until his death
Skanderbeg (1405–1468) – 15th-century Albanian lord; "Hero of Christianism"; initiated and organized the League of Lezhë, which proclaimed him Chief of the League of the Albanian people
Marin Barleti – historian and Catholic priest; considered the first Albanian historian, especially because of his biography on
Skanderbeg, translated in many languages in the 16th to the 18th centuries
Pal Engjëlli – Catholic clergyman; Archbishop of Durrës and Cardinal of Albania; in 1462, wrote the first known sentence retrieved so far in the
Albanian language
Hasan Moglica (1854–1915) – also known as Hoxhë Moglica scholar, educator, leader, engineer, philosopher, patriot, nationalist figure proclaimed "martyr of Albanian language and nation" by the Albanian government
Joseph Ardizzone (born 1884, vanished 1931) – organized crime boss
Joseph J. DioGuardi (born 1940) – American certified public accountant and a Republican politician; his family traces its roots to the
Arbëreshë people
Kara DioGuardi (born 1970) – American contemporanean composer of Albanian descent