List of ethnic Assyrians

The following is a list of notable Assyrians.

Activists

• Ninos Aho – poet and founding father of modern Assyrian nationalism
• Freydun Atturaya – physician, poet and founder of the first Assyrian political party, the Assyrian Socialist Party
• Naum Faiq – writer, poet and founding father of modern Assyrian nationalism
• Jumana Hanna – involved in anti Baath war propaganda, torture victim
• Reine Hanna – Director of the Assyrian Policy Institute
• Nuri Kino – award-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker, author, human rights expert, and founder of A Demand for Action
• Rosie Malek-Yonan – actress, author, director, public figure and human rights activist
• Hurmiz Malik Chikko – martyr and leader of the Assyrian armed struggle against the Ba'ath regime in Iraq in the late 1950s – early 1960s
• Farid Nazha – journalist and founding father of modern Assyrian nationalism
• David B. Perley – philosopher and nationalist
• Juliana Taimoorazy – founder and president of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, senior fellow at the Philos Project

Actors, directors and entertainers

• Brian Awadis – YouTuber
• Paul Elia – Chaldean-Assyrian comedian from Detroit
• Dustin Kahia – Assyrian film director
• Henri Charr – director
• Michael Denkha – actor
• Naguib el-Rihani – actor
• F. Murray Abraham – Academy award-winning actor
• Josef Fares – film director and video game designer
• Ryan Bernier – Former Second City Artistic Director and Writer/Director of Gilgamesh! The Assyrian Epic...sorta
• Fares Fares – Swedish-Lebanese actor
• Iloosh Khoshabe – actor; bodybuilder
• Nuri Kino – journalist; filmmaker
• Terrence Malick – Academy Award-nominated director
• Winter Jones – actor

Artists and designers

• Eser Afacan – painter, and sculptor
• Hannibal Alkhas – sculptor, painter and author
• Issa Benyamin – calligrapher
• Raad Ghantous – interior designer
• Thea Halo – painter and writer
• Farouk Kaspaules – artist
• Paulus Khofri – painter, lyricist and composer
• Jim Marshall – photographer
• Bishara Morad – artist
• Fred Parhad – sculptor

Athletes

In the Middle East

Athletics (Track and field)

• George Malek-Yonan – Iranian Assyrian Track & Field Athlete. Iran's Champion of Champions, Gold medalist in Pentathlon and Track & Field

Boxing

• Mustafa Hamsho – Syrian Assyrian/Syriac boxer, middleweight
• George Issabeg – Iranian Assyrian boxer; represented Iran in 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics
• Anwar Oshana – Syrian Assyrian boxer, super middleweight in USA. Illinois State Champion
• Shoura Osipov – Iranian Assyrian boxer 1948 Summer Olympics representing Iran
• Thomas Younan – Assyrian boxer from Chicago

Football (soccer)

• Douglas Aziz – Iraqi Assyrian footballer
• Ammo Baba – Iraqi Assyrian footballer and Manager of Iraq – Iraq International. Voted best Iraqi Athlete of All Time
• Saad Benyamin – Iraqi Assyrian footballer – Iraq International
• Edison David – Iraqi Assyrian footballer
• Youra Eshaya – Iraqi Assyrian footballer, first Iraqi to play professionally in the west, for Bristol Rovers, England – Iraq International
• Basil Gorgis Hanna – Iraqi Assyrian footballer – World Cup Player 1986
• Aram Karam – Iraqi Assyrian footballer – Iraq International
• Ayoub Odisho – Iraqi Assyrian footballer and club manager (in Lebanon)
• Thamer Yousif – Iraqi Assyrian footballer – Iraq International

Tennis

Andrew Simon – Iraqi Assyrian tennis champion Andre Agassi American Assyrian-Armenian tennis champion

Diaspora

Basketball

• Scotty Pippen Jr.

American football

• Alex Agase – Assyrian American – top level American Football (Gridiron) player
• Lou Agase – Assyrian American – top level American Football (Gridiron) player

Boxing

• Mustafa Hamsho
• Anwar Oshana – Assyrian American super middleweight boxer, Illinois State Champion

Football (soccer)

• Alexander Alkhazov – Assyrian Russian footballer – plays for FC Krylia Sovetov Samara
• Zaya Avdysh – Assyrian Ukrainian footballer – Ukrainian based
• Kennedy Bakircioglu – Assyrian Swedish international footballer – Sweden based – Swedish International player
• Abgar Barsom – Assyrian Swedish footballer
• Stefan Batan – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Assyriska
• Steven Beitashour – currently plays for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer, Iran international
• Louay Chanko – Assyrian Syrian footballer – Denmark based – Syrian International player
• Imad Chhadeh – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Assyriska
• Daniyel Cimen – Assyrian German footballer
• Christian Demirtas – Assyrian German footballer – German based
• Sargon Duran – Assyrian Austrian footballer – plays for FC Sollenau
• Jimmy Durmaz – Assyrian Swedish footballer
• David Durmaz – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Syrianska FC
• Ninos Gouriye – Assyrian Dutch footballer
• Andreas Haddad – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Assyriska
• Dani Hamzo – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Assyriska
• Zurab Ionanidze – Assyrian Georgian International footballer – Georgian International player
• Mikael Ishak – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Assyriska
• Leena Khamis – Assyrian Australian female footballer – Australian Women's Football International
• Sanharib Malki – Assyrian Syrian footballer – Dutch based (Roda JC) – Syrian International player
• Justin Meram – Assyrian USA based soccer player
• Ilyas Merkes – Assyrian Syrian footballer – Syrian International player, plays for Assyriska
• George Mourad – Assyrian Syrian footballer – Iran based – Syrian International player
• Eddie Moussa – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Assyriska
• Gabriel Özkan – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for AIK Fotboll
• Frans Dhia Putros – Assyrian Danish footballer – plays for Hobro IK in Denmark
• Mario Shabow – Assyrian Australian footballer – plays for Central Coast Mariners in the Australian A-League
• Suleyman Sleyman – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Syrianska FC
• Rebin Sulaka – Assyrian Swedish footballer – Iraq International
• Jasar Takak – Dutch based Assyrian footballer, formerly of Vitesse Arnhem
• Sharbel Touma – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Syrianska FC
• Gabriel Ucar – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for Ängelholms FF, and previously for Irish team Derry City
• Daniel Unal – Assyrian Turkish footballer – plays for FC Basle in Switzerland
• Andreas Yacoub-Haddad – Assyrian Swedish footballer – played for Assyriska
• Christer Youssef – Assyrian Swedish footballer – plays for DjurgÃ¥rdens IF

Martial Arts

• Beneil Dariush – Assyrian American Mixed martial arts (MMA)
• Randa Markos – Assyrian Canadian Mixed martial arts (MMA)
• Tiras Odisho – Assyrian Iraqi Karate champion, Director General of National Olympic Committee of Iraq
• Mikhail Sado – Assyrian Russian Wrestling champion
• David Teymur – Assyrian Swedish Mixed martial arts (MMA)

Poker

• Daniel Alaei

Tennis

• Susanne Celik – Assyrian Swedish tennis player
• Andre Khabbazi – American actor and semi-pro tennis player
• Michael Shabaz – American tennis player
• Andre Agassi - American tennis player

Educators and explorers

• Toma Audo – bishop, writer
• Paul Bedjan
• Louis Cheikhô – Assyrian Orientalist
• Hind Rassam Culhane – lecturer in Middle Eastern Studies and behavioural scientist
• Fuat Deniz – writer and professor of sociology at Örebro University
• Mor Philoxenos Yuhanon Dolabani – scholar, poet, editor, and translator
• Eprime Eshag – academic, professor
• Emanuel Kamber
• George Kiraz – computational linguist
• Kanan Makiya – academic, professor
• Eden Naby
• Estiphan Panoussi – philosopher and oriental philologist
• Hormuzd Rassam – Assyriologist, and first-known Middle Eastern archaeologist
• Thomas L. Saaty – Iraqi born Assyrian American mathematician
• Mikhail Sado – Russian linguist, scholar, professor of Semitic languages, orientalist, politician, former paratrooper, and wrestling champion
• Donny George Youkhanna
• Ashur Yousif

Entrepreneurs

• Narsai David – American restaurateur, chef, wine-maker, and author
• Daniel Hadad – Argentine businessman involved in telecommunications and media
• Milton Malek-Yonan – American inventor of Malekized Rice
• Bob Miner – American businessman, co-founder of Oracle Corporation
• Jeff Moorad – American businessman and investor, CEO of MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks, and Vice-Chairman and CEO of MLB's San Diego Padres
• Victor Nacif – Mexican businessman, Vice President of Design at Nissan Design Europe
• Tony Rezko – American businessman, political fundraiser, restaurateur, and real estate developer.

Leaders

• Malik Khoshaba – Assyrian military leader during World War I
• Agha Petros – World War I Assyrian General
• Ashur Yousif – professor and Assyrian nationalist
• Shamoun Hanne Haydo – Village leader and defender of Assyrians during Seyfo
• Melke Hanne Haydo – brother of Shamoun Hanne Haydo
• Malik Yaqo – Assyrian malik from Hakkari
• Malik Ismail II – one of the most powerful Assyrian malik’s
• Dawid Mar Shimun – Assyrian military general
• Surma D'Bait Mar Shimun – Assyrian military leader and sister of Shimun XIX Benyamin
• Toma Tomas - Iraqi Assyrian guerilla fighter

Media

• Ramona Amiri – Miss World Canada 2005
• John Batchelor – author; radio host
• Jack Douglas – television host
• Claudia Hanna – Miss Iraq 2006
• Craig Morgan – sports journalist
• Diane Pathieu – news anchor based in Chicago
• Larsa Pippen – reality television personality
• Younan Nowzaradan – reality television personality
• Cindy Sargon – Australian TV chef
• Nancy Oshana Wehbe – body builder and model
• Patrick Bet-David – American entrepreneur and TV personality of Assyrian-Armenian origin
• Obelit Yadgar – American radio personality
• Alfred Yaghobzadeh – Iranian photojournalist

Musicians and composers

• Fairuz
• Evin Agassi
• Mousey Alexander
• Ricky Rich
• Gabriel Asaad
• Jamil Bashir
• Munir Bashir
• Ashur Bet Sargis
• Aril Brikha
• Sargon Gabriel
• Linda George
• Nouri Iskandar
• Juliana Jendo
• Elias Karam
• Joseph Malke
• Paulus Khofri
• Adwar Mousa
• Habib Mousa
• Hanna Petros
• Janan Sawa
• Gaboro
• Ant Wan
• Ricky Rich
• Timz
• Marganita Vogt-Khofri
• Haitham Yousif
• Elias Zazi
• Santa Dimopulos

Politicians

Iraq

• Tariq Aziz – Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq 1979–2003 (Real name Michael Youkhana)
• Basim Bello – Mayor of Tel Kaif, Iraq
• Lara Yussif Zara – Mayor of Alqosh
• Yonathan Betkolia – Secretary General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance and Iran Parliament Representative
• Bahnam Zaya Bulos – Iraq Minister of Transport (2003–2004)
• Basimah Yusuf Butrus – Iraq Minister of Science and Technology 2005–2006
• Elizabeth Gawrie – Deputy Prime Minister of Rojava
• Kamel Hana Gegeo – chief bodyguard to Saddam Hussein
• Franso Hariri – Mayor of Erbil
• Fawzi Franso Hariri – Iraq Parliament Representative, Current Minister of Industry in Iraq
• Yonadam Kanna – Secretary General of the Assyrian Democratic Movement and Iraq Parliament Representative
• Sarkis Aghajan Mamendo – current Minister of Finance and Economy in Kurdistan Regional Government
• Wijdan Michael – current Minister of Human Rights in Iraq
• Ablahad Afraim Sawa – Iraq Parliament Representative
• Lady Surma D'Bait Mar Shimun (Surma Khanum)
• Pascal Esho Warda – Iraq Minister of Immigration and Refugees 2003–2004
• Albert Edward Ismail Yelda – Iraq Ambassador to the Vatican
• Yusuf Salman Yusuf – Secretary General of Iraqi Communist Party 1941–1949

Iran

• Freydun Atturaya – co-founder of the Assyrian Socialist Party

Turkey

• Erol Dora – Deputy of Grand National Assembly of Turkey
• George Aslan – Deputy of Grand National Assembly of Turkey
• Naum Faiq – Assyrian nationalist

United Nations

• Dr. William Ishaya – Deputy Permanent Representative – Mission of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations in New York, USA.

In the Assyrian diaspora

United States

• Alina Habba – Counselor to Donald Trump (45th and 47th U.S. President)

• Mark Arabo – politician based in San Diego, California
• Adam Benjamin, Jr. – Indiana Congressman
• Wadie Deddeh – former California State Senator
• Anna Eshoo – California Congresswoman
• John Nimrod – Illinois Senator
• Atour Sargon – Lincolnwood Trustee

Australia

• Ninos Khoshaba – former Member of the New South Wales Parliament Sydney Australia
• Andrew Rohan – current State Member for Smithfield New South Wales Parliament, and Fairfield City Council Councillor for the Liberal Party of Australia

Sweden

• Metin Ataseven – Sweden Parliament Representative
• Ibrahim Baylan – Sweden Minister of Education 2004–2006 and Sweden Parliament Representative
• Yilmaz Kerimo – Sweden Parliament Representative
• Ilan De Basso – Former member of the European Parliament 2021-2024

Canada

• Helena Guergis – former Canadian Member of Parliament and Minister of State (Status of Women)

Netherlands

• Attiya Gamri – Netherlands Parliament Representative, president of the Assyrian Confederation of Europe

Other countries

• Iskender Alptekin – politician, singer and former President of the European Syriac Union
• José Murat Casab – (born to Assyrian Iraqi immigrants) Mexican politician and a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party also former Governor of Oaxaca
• Sargon Dadesho – activist, author and leader of Assyrian National Congress
• Eugene Dooman
• Emmanuel Kamber – Assyrian Universal Alliance Secretary General

Religious figures

• Basile Georges Casmoussa
• David Benjamin Keldani
• Dinkha IV, 1935–2015
• Elias Mellus
• Emil Shimoun Nona
• Emmanuel III Delly
• George Garmo
• Ignatius Isaac Azar
• Josephus Adjutus – 17th century theologian
• Louis Cheikho
• Mar Mari Emmanuel – bishop and influencer
• Paulos Faraj Rahho
• Pkidha, 104–114 – first Bishop of Adiabene
• Ragheed Aziz Ganni
• Raphael I Bidawid
• Shimun XXI Eshai
• Shimun XIX Benyamin, 1903–1918
• Shlemon Warduni
• Tatian, 120–180
• Youhannan Semaan Issayi
• Yosip Khnanisho, 1893–1977
• Yusuf Akbulut

Writers and poets

• Ilyas Mawsili
• Maria Theresa Asmar
• Yosip Bet Yosip
• Sargon Boulus
• Nina Burleigh
• William D. S. Daniel
• Fuat Deniz
• Thea Halo
• Samuel John Hazo
• Ivan Kakovitch
• Paulus Khofri
• George Lamsa
• Rosie Malek-Yonan
• Terrence Malick
• Dunya Mikhail
• Alphonse Mingana
• Leilah Nadir
• Heather Raffo
• Mikhael K. Pius
• Yuhanon Qashisho
• Ishaya Shamasha Dawid Bet-Zia

Other

• Lado Davydov – Soviet soldier during the Second World War and Hero of the Soviet Union
• Sergey Sarkhoshev – Soviet soldier during the Second World War and Hero of the Soviet Union

See also

• Assyrian people
• Assyrian diaspora
• Assyrian homeland

References