List of Swiss people

This is a list of people associated with the modern Switzerland and the Old Swiss Confederacy. Regardless of ethnicity or emigration, the list includes famous natives of Switzerland and its predecessor states as well as people who were born elsewhere but spent most of their active life in Switzerland. For more information see the articles Swiss people and Demographics of Switzerland.

Archaeology

• Eric Breuer, archaeologist
• Ferdinand Keller (1800–1881), archaeologist
• Heinrich Menu von Minutoli (1772–1846), archaeologist
• Jean-Marc Moret (born 1942), archaeologist and art historian

• Fritz Puempin (1901–1972), archeologist and painter
• Karl Schefold (1905–1999), classical archaeologist

Architecture

Main article: List of Swiss architects

Francesco Borromini

• Adolphe Appia (1862–1928), architect and scenic designer
• Hans Auer (1847–1906), known for his design of the Federal Palace
• Erwin Friedrich Baumann (1890–1980), architect and sculptor
• Hans Benno Bernoulli (1876–1959), architect
• Melchior Berri (1801–1854), architect
• Max Bill (1908–1994), architect, artist, designer
• Francesco Borromini (1599–1667), architect in Italy
• Mario Botta (born 1943), architect
• Le Corbusier (Charles-Edouard Jeanneret), (1887–1965), architect
• Ernst Cramer (1898–1980), renowned garden architect
• Justus Dahinden (born 1925), architect, professor
• Albert Frey (1903–1998), architect
• Carlo Fontana (1634–1714), architect in Italy

• Domenico Fontana (1543–1607), architect in Rome
• Domenico Gilardi (1785–1845), architect charged with rebuilding Moscow after 1812
• Jacques Herzog (born 1950), architect
• Pierre Jeanneret (1896–1967), architect
• William Lescaze (1896–1969)
• Carlo Maderno (1556–1629), architect in Italy
• Pierre de Meuron (born 1950), architect
• Hannes Meyer (1889–1954), architect, director of the Bauhaus Dessau
• Flora Steiger-Crawford (1899–1991), first woman architect to graduate in Switzerland
• Domenico Trezzini (1670–1734), architect in Saint Petersburg
• Bernard Tschumi (born 1944), architect associated with Deconstructivism
• Peter Zumthor (born 1943), winner of the 2009 Pritzker Prize

Actors

Ursula Andress

• Ursula Andress (born 1936), actress
• Giuseppe Bausilio (born 1997), performs on Broadway in the titular role of Billy in the Tony-award winning musical Billy Elliot
• Dimitri (born 1935), clown
• Annemarie Düringer (born 1925), film, television and stage actress
• Bruno Ganz (born 1941), actor
• Viktor Giacobbo (born 1952), actor and comedian
• Mathias Gnädinger (born 1941), actor
• Curt Goetz (1888–1960), actor and film director
• Grock (1880–1959), clown
• Irène Jacob (born 1966), actress
• Marthe Keller (born 1945), actress and opera director

Maximilian Schell

• Mathis Künzler (born 1978), film, television and stage actor.
• Max Loong (born 1980), actor and producer
• Vincent Pérez (born 1964), actor and director
• Liselotte Pulver (born 1929)
• Maximilian Schell (born 1935), actor and producer
• Michel Simon (1895–1975), actor and comedian
• Emil Steinberger (born 1933), comedian

Art

See also: List of Swiss painters

Albert Anker

• Jacques-Laurent Agasse (1767–1849), painter
• Cuno Peter Amiet (1868–1961)
• Thomas Ammann (1950–1993), art dealer and collector
• Albert Anker (1831–1910)
• Jean Arp (1886–1966), sculptor, painter and poet
• Jean Arcelin (born 1962), painter
• René Auberjonois (1872–1957), painter
• François Bocion (1828–1890), painter
• Arnold Böcklin (1827–1901), painter
• Karl Bodmer (1809–1893), painter of the American West
• Ferdinand Brader (1833-?), Folk Art sketch artist of rural farm life in USA
• Mark Staff Brandl (born 1955), painter, installation artist, and critic
• Frank Buchser (1828–1890), painter
• Alexandre Calame (1810–1864), painter
• Jean Crotti (1878–1958), painter
• Jean Dunand (1877–1942), decorative artist, sculptor
• Hans Erni (born 1909)

Alberto Giacometti

• Fischli & Weiss (born 1946 & 1952), artist duo
• Johann Caspar Füssli (1706–1782), portrait painter
• Henry Fuseli (Johann Heinrich Füssli) (1741–1825), painter
• Johann Kaspar Füssli (1743–1786), entomologist
• Karl Gerstner (born 1930), graphic designer and painter
• Salomon Gessner (1730–1788)
• Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966), sculptor, painter
• H. R. Giger (born 1940), illustrator
• Anton Graff (1736–1813), painter
• Eugène Grasset (1845–1917), decorative artist
• Willi Gutmann (born 1927), sculptor

Angelica Kauffmann

• Ferdinand Hodler (1853–1918), painter
• Max Huber (1919–1992), graphic designer
• Nicolas N Hunziker (born 1974), automotive fine artist
• Patrick Múllerson Ántonio Ónváanó (1901–1999), painter, wildlife artist and illustrator
• Angelica Kauffmann (1741–1807), painter
• Jorg Khun (1940–1964), wildlife artist and illustrator
• Paul Klee (1879–1940), painter
• Rudolf Koller (1828–1905), painter
• Albert "Lindi" Lindegger (1904–1991), illustrator and painter
• Niklaus Manuel (1484–1530), painter
• Auguste de Niederhausern-Rodo (1863–1913), sculptor
• Roger Pfund (born 1943), painter, graphic designer
• James Pradier (1790–1852), sculptor
• Oskar Reinhart (1885–1965), collector
• Iris von Roten-Meyer (1917–1990), lawyer and artist

Félix Vallotton

• Jacques Sablet (1749–1803), painter
• Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002), sculptor, became Swiss in 1971
• Théophile Steinlen (1859–1923), painter and printmaker
• Niklaus Stoecklin (1896–1982), painter and graphic designer
• Harald Szeemann (1933–2005), curator
• Sophie Taeuber-Arp (1889–1943), painter, sculptor
• Jean Tinguely (1925–1991), kinetic artist
• Rodolphe Toepffer (1799–1846)
• Félix Vallotton (1865–1925), painter
• Emile Vouga (1840–1908), painter
• Ricco Wassmer (1915–1972), painter
• Marianne von Werefkin (1860–1938), painter
• Fabian Bürgy (born 1980), designer and sculptor

Aviation

Oskar Bider

• Oskar Bider (1891–1919), aviation pioneer
• Alfred Comte (1895–1965), pilot, co-director Ad Astra Aero, engineer
• Henri Dufaux (1879–1980)
• Armand Dufaux (1883–1941)
• Ernest Failloubaz (1892–1919), pilot, instructor, Swiss pilot's brevet number 1
• René Grandjean (1884–1963), pilot, engineer

Bertrand Piccard

• Walter Mittelholzer (1894–1937), pilot, director Ad Astra Aero, Swissair
• Claude Nicollier (born 1944), pilot, astronaut
• Bertrand Piccard (born 1958), psychiatrist and balloonist
• Yves Rossy (born 1959), pilot, "jet-man"
• Eduard Spelterini (1852–1931), balloonist
• Emile Taddéoli (1879–1920), pilot, Swiss pilot's brevet number 2, chief pilot on seaplanes Ad Astra Aero

Business

Alfred Escher

• Carl Franz Bally (1821–1899), founder of the Bally Shoe company
• Ernesto Bertarelli (born 1965), entrepreneur, founder of Team Alinghi
• Daniel Borel (born 1950), founder of Logitech
• Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823), watchmaker
• François-Louis Cailler (1796–1852), chocolatier
• Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941), automobile engineer, founder of Chevrolet
• Gottlieb Duttweiler (1888–1962), entrepreneur, founder of Migros
• Alfred Escher (1819–1882), statesman, businessman and railway constructor
• Hans Conrad Escher von der Linth (1767–1823), architect of the Lint melioration
• Louis Favre (1826–1879), engineer of the Gotthard tunnel
• Nessim Gaon (born 1922), financier, founder of the Noga company
• Adolf Guyer-Zeller (1839–1899), railway entrepreneur

Henri Nestlé

• Nicolas Hayek (1928–2010), entrepreneur, chairman, Swatch Group
• Baron Jean-Conrad Hottinguer (1764–1841), banker
• Jürg Marquard (born 1945), magazine publisher
• Henri Nestlé (1814–1890), founder of Nestlé S.A.
• Daniel Peter (1836–1919), inventor of milk chocolate
• Georges Edouard Piaget (1855–1931), watchmaker
• Beat Fischer von Reichenbach (1641–1698), held postal monopoly in Berne
• Werner Reinhart (1884–1951), industrialist, philanthropist, music and literature patron
• Daniel Jean-Richard (1665–1741), watchmaker
• Philippe Suchard (1797–1884), chocolatier
• Ernst Thomke (born 1939 in Biel/Bienne, turnaround manager, e.g. Swatch
• Daniel Vasella (born 1953), chairman
• William de Vigier (1912–2003), entrepreneur

Dancers

• Giuseppe Bausilio (born 1997), performs on Broadway in the titular role of Billy in the Tony-award winning musical Billy Elliot

Filmmakers

• Arthur Cohn (born 1927), film producer, received six Oscars
• Marc Forster (born 1969), director of such movies as: Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland, or the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace
• Jean-Luc Godard (born 1930), director, screen writer and critic
• Claude Goretta (born 1929), director

• Moritz de Hadeln (born 1940), director, film festival director
• Markus Imhoof (born 1941), director
• Xavier Koller (born 1944), director
• Daniel Schmid (1941–2006), director
• Alain Tanner (born 1929), director

Linguistics

• Ferdinand de Saussure (1857–1913), linguist

Mathematics

Johann Bernoulli

• Paul Bernays (1888–1977), made significant contributions to mathematical logic, axiomatic set theory, and the philosophy of mathematics
• Daniel Bernoulli (1700–1782), mathematician and physicist
• Jakob Bernoulli (1654–1705), Swiss mathematician
• Johann Bernoulli (1667–1748), Swiss mathematician
• Armand Borel (1923–2003), mathematician

Leonhard Euler

• Leonhard Euler (1707–1783), mathematician and geometer
• Michel Plancherel (1885–1967), mathematician
• Georges de Rham (1903–1990), mathematician
• Ludwig Schläfli (1814–1895), mathematician
• Jakob Steiner (1796–1863), mathematician and physicist
• Edward Kofler (1911–2007), mathematician
• Konrad Osterwalder, mathematician and physicist

Military

Guillaume-Henri Dufour

• Pierre Victor Besenval de Bronstatt (1721–1791)
• Guillaume-Henri Dufour (1787–1875), General, geographer
• Joachim Forrer (1782–1833)
• Henri Guisan (1874–1960), General during WWII
• Hans Herzog (1819–1894), General 1870–1871
• Antoine-Henri Jomini (1779–1869), General, military writer

Christophe Keckeis

• Christophe Keckeis (born 1945), Chief of the Armed Forces (2004–2007)
• Elmar Mäder, commander of the Swiss Guard (2002–)
• Franz Ludwig Pfyffer von Wyher (1716–1802)
• Pius Segmüller (born 1952), commander of the Swiss Guard (1998–2002)
• Theophil Sprecher von Bernegg (1850–1927)
• Ulrich Wille (1848–1925), General during WWI

Music

See also: List of Swiss composers

Claudia D'Addio

• Mia Aegerter (born 1976), pop musician
• Martin Eric Ain, Celtic Frost bassist
• Ernest Ansermet (1883–1969), conductor
• Lys Assia (born 1926), singer
• Chiara Banchini (born 1946), violinist, conductor
• Rene Baumann (born 1968), musician, dancer, known as DJ Bobo
• Urs Bühler (born 1971), tenor, member of Il Divo
• Dominik Burkhalter (born 1975), bandleader, composer, drummer
• Michel Corboz (born 1934), conductor
• Claudia D'Addio, pop musician, Eurovision Song Contest 2006 and MusicStars contestant
• Rachel Kolly d'Alba (born 1981), solo violinist
• Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865–1950), musician, educator, developer of Eurhythmics
• Philippe Decourroux (born 1962), Christian singer and drummer
• Henri Dès (born 1940), singer and songwriter
• Andy Egert (born 1961), blues guitarist/singer and songwriter
• Edwin Fischer (1886–1960), pianist and conductor
• Thomas Gabriel Fischer, Celtic Frost guitarist/singer
• Peter Giger (born 1939), percussionist and bandleader
• Peter-Lukas Graf (born 1929), conductor
• Ernst Haefliger (1919–2007), tenor
• Heinz Holliger (born 1939), oboe
• Arthur Honegger (1892–1955), composer
• Philippe Huttenlocher (born 1942), bass
• Christian Jacob (born 1958), jazz pianist
• Michael Jarrell (born 1958), composer
• Daniel Kandlbauer, pop musician and MusicStars contestant
• Kuno Lauener (born 1961), lead singer of Bernese rock band Züri West

Andreas Vollenweider

• Carlos Leal (born 1969), rapper and actor. Best known as a member of the hip-hop group Sens Unik
• Pepe Lienhard (born 1939), band leader and saxophone player
• Frank Martin (1890–1974), composer
• Mani Matter (1936–1972) singer
• Jojo Mayer (born 1963), drummer
• Dieter Meier (born 1945), singer of electronica band Yello, which had such hits as "Oh Yeah" and "The Race".
• Mandy Meyer (born 1960) guitarist, played in bands as Asia, Gotthard and Krokus
• Patrick Moraz (born 1948) keyboardist with Yes and Moody Blues
• Paolo Pandolfo, violist (viola da gamba).
• Zlatko Perica (born 1969), better known as "Slädu", played guitar in bands as Tangerine Dream or Gölä
• Carlos Perón (born 1952), producer and former singer of electronica band Yello
• Werner Reinhart (1884–1951), industrialist, philanthropist, music and literature patron
• Othmar Schoeck (1886–1957), composer
• Ludwig Senfl (1486-1542/3), Renaissance composer
• Marc Storace (born 1951) Maltese-Swiss rock vocalist and songwriter. Best known as singer of hard rock band Krokus
• Eric Tappy (born 1931), tenor
• Martin Tillman (born 1964), film music composer
• Silvio Varviso (1924–2006), conductor, especially of opera
• Andreas Vollenweider (born 1953), Grammy award winning harpist
• Chris Von Rohr (born 1951), musician and producer. Best known as bassist of hard rock band Krokus
• August Wenzinger (1905–1996), cellist, violist (viola da gamba), pioneer of early music performance.
• Andreas Wettstein (born 1971), violinist, son of Niels Kaj Jerne
• Alberich Zwyssig (1808–1854), priest, composer of the Swiss Psalm
• Roland Zoss (born 1951), rock poetry musician

Philosophy

Benjamin Constant

• Richard Avenarius (1843–1896), formulated the radical positivist doctrine of "empirical criticism"
• Henri Frédéric Amiel (1821–1881), philosopher and poet
• Peter Bieri (born 1944), philosopher, author
• Benjamin Constant (1767–1830)
• Jeanne Hersch (1910–2000), philosopher
• Henri Lauener (1933–2002), philosopher

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Dominik Perler (born 1965), philosopher
• Hans A. Pestalozzi (1929–2004), social critic
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778), philosopher, author
• Hans Saner (born 1934), philosopher
• Alexandru Şafran (1910–2006), rabbi and philosopher

Psychology and Pedagogy

Carl Jung

• Peter Baumann (born 1935), psychiatrist
• Ludwig Binswanger (1881–1966), psychologist
• Eugen Bleuler (1857–1940), psychiatrist
• Hans-Werner Hunziker (1934), psychologist
• Max Lüscher (born 1923), inventor of the Lüscher color test
• C.G. Jung (1875–1961), psychiatrist

• Emma Jung (1882–1955), psycho-analyst and author
• Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (1926–2004), psychiatrist, pioneer in near-death studies
• Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746–1827), pedagogue
• Oskar Pfister (1873–1956), psychologist and pastor
• Jean Piaget (1896–1980), psychologist
• Hermann Rorschach (1884–1922),

Politics

Joseph Deiss

• Rudolf Brun (1290s–1360), first mayor of Zurich
• Gaudenz Canova (1887–1962)
• Étienne Clavière (1735–1793)
• Joseph Deiss (born 1946), Federal Councilor, President of the United Nations General Assembly
• Élie Ducommun (1833–1906), 1902 Nobel Peace Prize
• Henri Dunant (1828–1910), Founder of the Red Cross 1901 Nobel Peace Prize
• Nicholas of Flüe (1417–1487), diplomat, hermit, Catholic saint

Henry Dunant

• Albert Gallatin (1761–1849), US Secretary of the Treasury, diplomat
• Albert Gobat (1843–1914), 1902 Nobel Peace Prize
• Jörg Jenatsch (1596–1639), pastor, Protestant politician
• Elisabeth Kopp (born 1936), first woman elected to the Federal Council
• Josef Leu (1800–1845), Catholic politician from Lucerne
• Moritz Leuenberger (born 1946), Federal Councilor, advocate of sustainable transportation

Jacques Necker

• Jean-Paul Marat (1743–1793), revolutionary
• Giuseppe Motta (1871–1940), Federal Councilor (1911–1940) and President of the League of Nations
• Napoleon III (1808–1873) (naturalized in 1832)
• Jacques Necker (1732–1804), statesman and finance minister of Louis XVI
• Charles Pictet de Rochemont (1755–1824), statesman, diplomat

Carla del Ponte

• Pompejus von Planta-Wildenberg (1569–1621)
• Rudolf von Planta (died 1640), judge in lower Engadin
• Rudolf von Planta-Wildenberg (1603–1641)
• Fritz Platten (1883–1942), Communist
• Carla del Ponte (born 1946), Swiss attorney general, chief prosecutor of two international criminal law tribunals
• Nelly Wicky (born 1923), former member of the National Council

See also:

• List of members of the Swiss Federal Council (since 1848)
• List of members of the Swiss National Council (current)
• List of members of the Swiss Council of States (current)
• List of Presidents of the Swiss Confederation (since 1848)
• List of Presidents of the Swiss National Council (since 1848)
• List of Presidents of the Swiss Council of States (since 1848)
• List of Federal Chancellors of Switzerland (since 1803)
• List of Presidents of the Swiss Diet (before 1848)
• List of mayors of Baden, Berne, Fribourg
• List of mayors of Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne
• List of mayors of Lugano, Schaffhausen, St. Gallen
• List of mayors of Uster, Winterthur, Zofingen, Zurich
• List of 2005 office-holders in Switzerland
• List of the first female holders of political offices: Switzerland

Religion

See also: List of Swiss cardinals

John Calvin

• John Calvin (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564) Protestant Reformer, founder of Calvinism or reformed theology.
• Jakob Abbadie (1654–1727), Protestant preacher
• Gilberto Agustoni (born 1922), cardinal
• Jacob Amman (17th century)
• Karl Barth (1886–1968), theologian
• Theodore Beza (1519–1605), reformer in Geneva
• Heinrich Bullinger (1504–1575), reformer in Zurich
• Georges Cottier (born 1922), cardinal, theologian
• Niklaus Manuel Deutsch (1484–1530) painter, dramatician, politician and reformer in Berne
• Johann Augustanus Faber (c.1470-c.1530), theologian and historian
• William Farel (1489–1565), reformer in Geneva
• Theodosius Florentini (1808–1865)
• Gaston Frommel (1862–1906)
• Berchtold Haller (1492–1536), reformer in Berne
• Karl Rudolf Hagenbach (1801–1874)
• Johann Jakob Herzog (1805–1882)

Huldrych Zwingli

• Hans Küng (born 1928), theologian
• Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801), pastor and physiognomist
• Oswald Myconius (1488–1552)
• Johannes Oecolampadius (1482–1531), reformer in Basel
• Frère Roger (1915–2005), founder of Taizé
• Philip Schaff (1819–1893)
• Henri Schwery (born 1932), cardinal, former Bishop of Sion
• Guichard Tavelli (died 1375), Bishop of Sion
• Clemens Thoma (1932–2011)
• Alexandre Rodolphe Vinet (1797–1847), theologian and critic
• Pierre Viret (1511–1571), reformer in Vaud Canton
• Lukas Vischer (1926–2008), theologian and writer
• Johann Jakob Wettstein (1693–1754), theologian
• John Joachim Zubly (Hans Joachim Züblin), (1724–1781), pastor, delegate to the Continental Congress
• Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531), reformer in Zurich

Science

A-F

Felix Bloch

• Firmin Abauzit (1679–1767), scientist
• Alexander Emanuel Agassiz (1835–1910), American man of science
• Louis Agassiz (1807–1873), work on ice ages, glaciers
• Jacob Amsler (1823–1912), mathematician and inventor of measuring instruments
• Werner Arber (born 1929), 1978 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Johann Georg Baiter (1801–1877), philologist
• Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier (1840–1914) archaeologist
• Jean-François Bergier (born 1931), historian
• Eugene Bleuler (1857–1940), psychiatrist
• Felix Bloch (born 1905), 1952 Nobel Prize in Physics
• Charles Bonnet (1720–1793), botanist
• Daniel Bovet (born 1907), 1957 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Albert Einstein

• Joost Bürgi (1552–1632), mathematician and watchmaker
• Johann Büttikofer (1850–1929), zoologist
• Jean-André Deluc (1727–1817), geologist
• Paul Dirac (1902–1984), physicist
• Albert Einstein (1879–1955), 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics
• Richard R. Ernst (born 1933), 1991 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Edmond H. Fischer (born 1920), 1992 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Auguste Forel (1848–1931), myrmecologist, psychiatrist, neurologist
• François-Alphonse Forel (1841–1912), pioneer in the study of lakes
• Johann Kaspar Füssli (1743–1786), entomologist

G-O

Conrad Gessner

• Conrad Gessner (1516–1565)
• Jules Gonin (1870–1935), ophthalmologist
• André Guignard (born 1942), engineer
• Charles-Edouard Guillaume (1861–1938), 1920 Nobel Prize in Physics
• Albrecht von Haller (1708–1777)
• Walter Hess (1881–1973), 1949 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Carl Hilty (1833–1909), jurist
• Albert Hofmann (1906–2008), chemist, discoverer of d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
• Eugen Huber (1849–1923), jurist
• François Huber (1750–1831), naturalist
• Otto Frederick Hunziker (1873–1959), dairy professor and technical innovator

• Stefan Janos (Physicist) Low temperature physicist
• Paul Karrer (1889–1971), 1937 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Emil Theodor Kocher (1841–1917), 1909 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac (1817–1894), chemist
• Michel Mayor (born 1942), astronomer
• Johannes von Müller (1752–1809), historian
• K. Alex Müller (born 1927), 1987 Nobel Prize in Physics
• Paul Müller (1899–1965), 1948 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Jean-Daniel Nicoud, computer scientist and researcher
• Johann Caspar von Orelli (1787–1849)

P-Z

Paracelsus

• Paracelsus (1493–1541), (Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim), alchemist
• Wolfgang Pauli (1900–1958), 1945 Nobel Prize in Physics
• Jean Piaget (1896–1980), psychologist
• Auguste Piccard (1884–1962), physicist and balloonist
• Bertrand Piccard (born 1958), psychiatrist and balloonist
• Jacques Piccard (born 1922), engineer and underwater explorer
• Jean Piccard (1884–1963), balloonist
• François-Jules Pictet de la Rive (1809–1872), zoologist and paleontologist
• Raoul Pictet (1846–1929), physicist
• Adolf Portmann (1897–1982), zoologist
• Vladimir Prelog (1906–1998), 1975 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Didier Queloz (born 1966), astronomer
• Tadeus Reichstein (1897–1996), chemist, 1950 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Eugene Renevier (1831–1906), geologist
• Heinrich Rohrer (born 1933), 1986 Nobel Prize in Physics

Horace-Bénédict de Saussure

• Leopold Ruzicka (1887–1976), 1939 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Horace-Bénédict de Saussure (1740–1799), botanist
• Johann Jakob Scheuchzer (1672–1733), Swiss savant
• Louis Secretan (1758–1839), mycologist
• Jack Steinberger (born 1921), 1988 Nobel Prize in Physics
• Alfred Werner (1866–1919), 1913 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Niklaus Wirth (born 1934), computer scientist, ACM Turing Award winner, inventor of the Pascal programming language
• Kurt Wüthrich (born 1938), 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Daniel Albert Wyttenbach (1746–1820)
• Alexandre Yersin (1894–1943), physician, isolates the Yersinia pestis
• Rolf M. Zinkernagel (born 1944), 1996 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Fritz Zwicky (1898–1974), astronomer
• Theodor Zwinger (1533–1588), scholar

Sports

Roger Federer

• Paul Accola (born 1967), skiing champion
• David Aebischer (born 1978), NHL goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens
• Daniel Albrecht (born 1983), Alpine skier
• Simon Ammann (born 1981), gold medallist in Ski jumping at the 2002 Winter Olympics
• Madeleine Berthod (born 1931), 1956 gold medallist in Downhill skiing
• Denise Biellmann (born 1962), World champion figure skater
• Sepp Blatter (born 1935), FIFA president
• Ursula Bruhin (born 1970), snowboarder
• Fabian Cancellara (born 1981), cyclist
• Claudio Castagnoli (born 1980), pro wrestler
• Stéphane Chapuisat (born 1969), footballer
• Didier Cuche (born 1974), Alpine skier
• Johan Djourou (born 1987), footballer
• Oscar Egg (born 1890), cyclist
• Roger Federer (born 1981), tennis champion: 16-time Grand Slam singles champion
• Michela Figini (born 1966), Alpine skiing champion
• Marcel Fischer (born 1978), Fencing champion, gold medallist in Athens Olympics
• Alexander Frei (born 1979), footballer
• Tanja Frieden (born 1976), snowboarder
• Martin Gerber (born 1974), NHL goaltender for the Ottawa Senators
• Arnold Gerschwiler (born c. 1914), skater
• Hans Gerschwiler (born c. 1921), World champion figure skater
• Jack Gerschwiler (1898–2000), coach
• Franz Heinzer (born 1962), Alpine skier
• Stéphane Henchoz (born 1974), footballer
• Erika Hess (born 1962), Alpine skiing champion
• Martina Hingis (born 1980), tennis champion: 5-time Grand Slam singles champion
• Jakob Hlasek (born 1964), tennis player
• Ambrosi Hoffmann (born 1977), Alpine skiing medalist
• Andy Hug (1964–2000), Karate and Kickboxing champion
• Benjamin Huggel (born 1977), professional footballer
• Patrick Hürlimann (born 1963), Olympic curling champion
• Bruno Kernen (born 1972), Alpine skier, Bronze medalist and former World Champion in downhill
• Bruno Kernen (born 1961), Alpine skier, winner of the 1983 Kitzbühel downhill race
• Hugo Koblet (1925–1964), cycling champion
• Franz Krienbühl (1929–2002), speed skater

Stéphane Lambiel

• Andreas Küttel (born 1979), ski jumper
• Peter Lüscher (born 1956), Alpine skiing champion
• Stéphane Lambiel (born 1985), figure skater, Olympic silver medalist
• Daniela Meuli (born 1981), snowboarder
• Nicolas Müller (born 1982), snowboarder
• Peter Müller (born 1957), Alpine skiing champion
• Lise-Marie Morerod (born 1956), Alpine skiing champion
• Marie-Theres Nadig (born 1954), Alpine skiing champion
• Maya Pedersen (born 1972), skeleton athlete
• Manuela Pesko (born 1978), snowboarder
• Walter Prager (1910–1984), Alpine skiing champion
• Clay Regazzoni (1939–2006), racing driver
• Tony Rominger (born 1961), cyclist who won major tours four times in his career
• Marc Rosset (born 1970), tennis player, gold medallist in Barcelona Olympics
• Bernhard Russi (born 1948), Alpine skiing champion
• Martina Schild (born 1981), Downhill skiing champion
• Hedy Schlunegger (1923–2003), downhill Olympic champion of 1948
• Vreni Schneider (born 1964), Alpine skiing champion
• Patty Schnyder (born 1978), professional tennis player
• Thabo Sefolosha (born 1984), NBA player for the Oklahoma City Thunder
• Philippe Senderos (born 1985), footballer
• Mark Streit (born 1977), NHL defenceman for the New York Islanders
• Alain Sutter (born 1968), footballer
• Kubilay Türkyilmaz (born 1967), footballer
• Maria Walliser (born 1963), Alpine skiing champion
• Stanislas Wawrinka (born 1985), professional tennis player
• Jean Wicki (born 1933), gold medallist in bobsleigh
• Hakan Yakın (born 1977), footballer
• Heidi Zurbriggen (born 1967), skier
• Matthias Zurbriggen (1856–1917), mountain guide and Alpinist
• Pirmin Zurbriggen (born 1963), Alpine skiing champion
• Silvan Zurbriggen (born 1981), skier

Writers

See also: List of Swiss poets

Blaise Cendrars

• Théophile Agustoni (born 1930)
• Peter Bichsel (born 1935)
• S. Corinna Bille (1912–1979), author, poet
• Ida Bindschedler (1854–1919), child book author
• Silvio Blatter (born 1946)
• Hans Boesch (1926–2003)
• Hermann Burger (1942–1989), author, poet, literary scholar, editor
• Erika Burkart (1922–2010), poet
• Charles Victor de Bonstetten (1745–1832)
• Nicolas Bouvier (1929–1998)
• Elias Canetti (1905–1994), 1981 Nobel Prize in Literature, Swiss resident
• Brett Michael Campbell (born 1967), author
• Blaise Cendrars (Frédéric Louis Sauser) (1887–1961), author
• Victor Cherbuliez (1829–1899), member of the Académie française
• Jacques Chessex (1934–2009)
• Anne Cuneo (born 1936)
• Erich von Däniken (born 1935), Ancient Astronauts writer
• Martin R. Dean (born 1955), writer
• Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–1990), author and dramatist
• Werner J. Egli (born 1943)
• Felix Epper (born 1967)

Hermann Hesse

• Heinrich Federer (1866–1928)
• Jürg Federspiel (1931–2007)
• Martin Frank (born 1950)
• Max Frisch (1911–1991), author and architect
• Salomon Gessner (1730–1788)
• Friedrich Glauser (1896–1938)
• Jeremias Gotthelf (Albert Bitzius) (1797–1854), author and pastor
• Roger Graf (born 1958)
• Jyoti Guptara and Suresh Guptara (born 1988), twin authors (Calaspia and sequels), Swiss residents
• Eveline Hasler (born 1933)
• Markus Hediger (born 1959)
• Hermann Hesse (1877–1962), 1946 Nobel Prize in Literature, Swiss resident
• Franz Hohler (born 1943), author and comedian
• Al Imfeld (born 1935), author and African specialist
• Meinrad Inglin (1893–1971)
• Philippe Jaccottet (born 1925)
• Zoë Jenny (born 1974)
• Gottfried Keller (1819–1890), author
• Christian Kracht (born 1966), author

Johanna Spyri

• Hugo Loetscher (born 1929), author
• Ella Maillart (1903–1997)
• Niklaus Meienberg (1940–1993)
• Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (1825–1898)
• Adolf Muschg (born 1934)
• Suzanne Necker, née Suzanne Curchod (1739–1794)
• Juste Olivier (1807–1876)
• Giorgio Orelli (born 1921), poet, translator
• Giovanni Orelli (born 1928), poet, teacher
• Daniele Pantano (born 1976), poet, translator, editor
• Erica Pedretti (born 1930), author and artist
• Eugène Rambert (1830–1886)
• Charles Ferdinand Ramuz (1878–1947), writer
• Grisélidis Réal (1929–2005)
• Urs Richle (born 1965)
• Alice Rivaz (1901–1998), writer
• Gustave Roud (1897–1976), poet
• Léon Savary (1895–1968), writer and journalist
• Jakob Schaffner (1875–1944)
• Margrit Schriber (born 1939)
• Josias Simmler (1530–1576), theologian, historian
• Carl Spitteler (1845–1924), 1919 Nobel Prize in Literature
• Johanna Spyri (1827–1901), author of Heidi

Anne Louise Germaine de Staël

• Anne Louise Germaine de Staël (Madame de Staël) (1766–1817)
• Peter Stamm (born 1963)
• Albert Steffen (1884–1963), writer, anthroposophist
• Martin Suter (born 1948), columnist and novelist
• Adrien Turel (1890–1957)
• Otto F. Walter (1928–1994), novelist
• Robert Walser (1878–1956)
• Silja Walter (born 1919) sister of Otto F. Walter, Benedictinian nun and writer
• Markus Werner (born 1944)
• Urs Widmer (born 1938)
• Johann David Wyss (1743–1818), author of The Swiss Family Robinson
• Yvette Z'Graggen (born 1920)
• Albin Zollinger (1885–1941)
• Emil Zopfi (born 1943)
• Fritz Zorn (Fritz Angst) (1944–1976), author of Mars
• Roland Zoss (born 1951)
• Johann Heinrich Daniel Zschokke (1771–1848)
• Manfred Züfle (1936–2007), writer

Legendary and folk heroes

• Helvetia, personification ("mother") of Switzerland
• Arnold von Melchtal, legendary founding father of Switzerland
• Ueli Rotach, legendary hero of the 1405 battle at Stoss

• William Tell, legendary 14th century hero
• Arnold von Winkelried, legendary hero of the 1386 battle of Sempach

Others

• Crown Princess of Brunei Pengiran Minizack Renaldi Anak Hitchtafi Sarah (born 1987), wife of Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, half Swiss and half Bruneian.
• Othmar Ammann (1879–1965), civil engineer, bridge engineer to the New York Port Authority
• Nick Auf der Maur (1942–1998), Canadian journalist, Swiss parents
• Maximilian Bircher-Benner (1867–1939), physician and Muesli inventor
• Johann Georg Bodmer (1786–1864), inventor
• Johann Jakob Bodmer (1698–1783)
• Jacob Burckhardt (1818–1897), art historian
• Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (1784–1814), traveller and orientalist
• Michée Chauderon (died 1652), the last person to be executed for sorcery in Geneva
• Arthur Cohn (born 1927), film producer, received six Oscars
• Philipp Emanuel von Fellenberg (1771–1844)
• Marie Grossholtz (1761–1850), known as Madame Tussaud
• Paul Grueninger (1891–1972), commander of police and humanitarian
• Michelle Hunziker (born 1977), TV presenter previously married to the Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti

• Ingvar Kamprad (born 1926), founder of IKEA, Swiss resident since 1976
• Carl Lutz (1895–1975), diplomat and humanitarian
• Robert Maillart (1872–1940), Civil Engineer, inventor of many concrete bridge techniques
• Christoph Meili (born 1968), whistle-blower
• Christian Menn (born 1927), Civil Engineer
• Max Miedinger (1910–1980), typeface designer, inventor of Helvetica
• Archibald Reiss (1876–1929), criminologist
• Werner Reinhart (1884–1951), philanthropist, music and literature patron
• Beat Richner (born 1947), pediatrician, founder of children's hospitals in Cambodia
• Niklaus Riggenbach (1817–1899), engineer
• Anna Ringier (1896–2006), oldest living Swiss (as of 2006)
• Frithjof Schuon (1907–1998), Sufi writer, born in Basel
• John Sutter (1803–1880), California settler
• Alain Tanner (born 1929), film director
• Stefi Talman (born 1958), shoe designer
• Lukas Vischer (1780–1840), collector, traveler, artist

See also

• Swiss longevity recordholders
• Lists of people by nationality  for other lists of people by nationality, ethnicity, citizenship, language, or location