Famous Dutch Men

They say that a man's greatness outlives him and rightly so! Netherland's history is pregnant with extraordinary feats of exceptional Dutchmen who have redefined the way the world works. We laud Germans for their technology, adore the Swedes for the design, envy Italians for their fashion, and drool over French for their food. But when it comes to the Dutch, we cannot just stop at one single trait. From their quintessential humor to their strong sense of accountability, several things define a true Dutch. But above all, a Dutch is known for his ingenuity. No wonder, some of the world's greatest inventions have originated in Netherlands. From telescope to fire hose and from electrocardiograph to chocolate bar, the Dutch has pioneered some of world's greatest inventions. Listed below are famous Dutch men whose contribution and achievements have earned them exceptionally influential place in the world arena today. Let us explore the timeline, trivia, timeline and interesting facts and study the biographies of the Dutch men who matter.
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 1 
Vincent van Gogh
(One of the Most Famous and Influential Artists of All Time)
Vincent van Gogh
95
Birthdate: March 30, 1853
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Zundert, Netherlands
Died: July 29, 1890
 2 
Max Verstappen
(Belgian-Dutch Motorsports Racing Driver)
Max Verstappen
64
Birthdate: September 30, 1997
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
 3 
Eddie Van Halen
(Guitarist and Keyboardist of the Rock Band Van Halen)
Eddie Van Halen
60
Birthdate: January 26, 1955
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died: October 6, 2020
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 4 
Johan Cruyff
(One of the Greatest Football Players & One of the Best Managers Ever)
Johan Cruyff
31
Birthdate: April 25, 1947
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died: March 24, 2016
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 5 
Arjen Robben
(Dutch Former Professional Football Player Who Played as a Winger)
Arjen Robben
23
Birthdate: January 23, 1984
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bedum, Netherlands
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 6 
Rembrandt
(One of the Greatest Visual Artists in the History of Art)
Rembrandt
14
Birthdate: July 15, 1606
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Leiden, Netherlands
Died: October 4, 1669
 7 
Ronald Koeman
(Dutch Professional Football Manager and Former Player Who Played as a Defender and as a Midfielder)
Ronald Koeman
14
Birthdate: March 21, 1963
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Zaandam, Netherlands
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 8 
Johannes Vermeer
(One of the Greatest Painters of the Dutch Golden Age)
Johannes Vermeer
11
Birthdate: October 31, 1632
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Delft, Netherlands
Died: December 15, 1675
 9 
Baruch Spinoza
(One of the Most Important Philosophers of the Early Modern Period)
Baruch Spinoza
23
Birthdate: November 24, 1632
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died: February 21, 1677
 10 
Hieronymus Bosch
12
Birthdate: 1450 AD
Birthplace: Burgundian Netherlands
Died: August 9, 1516
 11 
Ruud Gullit
(One of the Greatest Football Players of All Time)
Ruud Gullit
24
Birthdate: September 1, 1962
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
 12 
Dennis Bergkamp
(Dutch Retired Football Forward)
Dennis Bergkamp
12
Birthdate: May 10, 1969
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 13 
Virgil van Dijk
(Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Centre-Back)
Virgil van Dijk
19
Birthdate: July 8, 1991
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Breda, Netherlands
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 14 
Marco van Basten
(One of the Greatest Football Strikers of All Time)
Marco van Basten
8
Birthdate: October 31, 1964
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Utrecht, Netherlands
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 15 
Robin van Persie
(One of the Best Football Strikers of His Generation)
Robin van Persie
16
Birthdate: August 6, 1983
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 16 
Piet Mondrian
(One of the Greatest Artists of the 20th Century)
Piet Mondrian
8
Birthdate: 1872
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Amersfoort, Netherlands
Died: January 31, 1944
 17 
Memphis Depay
(Dutch Football Forward)
Memphis Depay
27
Birthdate: February 13, 1994
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Moordrecht, Netherlands
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 18 
Clarence Seedorf
(Dutch Professional Football Manager and Former Player Who is Considered One of the Best Midfielders of His Generation)
Clarence Seedorf
19
Birthdate: April 1, 1976
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Paramaribo, Suriname
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 19 
Martin Garrix
(Dutch Disc Jockey and Music Producer )
Martin Garrix
16
Birthdate: May 14, 1996
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Amstelveen, Netherlands
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 20 
King Willem-Alexander
(King of the Netherlands )
King Willem-Alexander
7
Birthdate: April 27, 1967
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 21 
Wesley Sneijder
(Retired Footballer Who Was One of the Best Midfielders of His Time)
Wesley Sneijder
7
Birthdate: June 9, 1984
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Utrecht, Netherlands
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 22 
Michiel Huisman
(Dutch Actor Known for His Role as 'Daario Naharis' on HBO’s Fantasy Series 'Game of Thrones')
Michiel Huisman
9
Birthdate: July 18, 1981
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Amstelveen, Netherlands
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 23 
Rutger Hauer
(Dutch Actor Known for His Films: 'Turkish Delight', 'Nighthawks' and 'Blade Runner')
Rutger Hauer
11
Birthdate: January 23, 1944
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Breukelen, Netherlands
Died: July 19, 2019
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 24 
Hakim Ziyech
(Dutch Football Attacking Midfielder or Winger)
Hakim Ziyech
17
Birthdate: March 19, 1993
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dronten, Netherlands
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
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 25 
Wim Hof
(Extreme Athlete Known for His Ability to Withstand Low Temperatures)
Wim Hof
12
Birthdate: April 20, 1959
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sittard, Limburg, Netherlands
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 26 
Matthijs de Ligt
(Dutch Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Centre-Back)
Matthijs de Ligt
11
Birthdate: August 12, 1999
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Leiderdorp, Netherlands
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 27 
Alex van Halen
(The Drummer and Co-Founder of the Rock Band 'Van Halen')
Alex van Halen
3
Birthdate: May 8, 1953
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 28 
Frenkie de Jong
(Dutch Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder)
Frenkie de Jong
14
Birthdate: May 12, 1997
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Gorinchem, Netherlands
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 29 
Georginio Wijnaldum
(Dutch Football Midfielder)
Georginio Wijnaldum
14
Birthdate: November 11, 1990
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 30 
Paul Verhoeven
(Director)
Paul Verhoeven
1
Birthdate: July 18, 1938
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 31 
Otto Frank
(German Businessman and Father of ‘Anne Frank', the Author of 'The Diary of a Young Girl’)
Otto Frank
7
Birthdate: May 12, 1889
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Province of Hesse-Nassau
Died: August 19, 1980
 32 
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
4
Birthdate: October 24, 1632
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Delft, Netherlands
Died: August 26, 1723
 33 
Alistair Overeem
(First Fighter to Hold World Titles in MMA and K-1 Kickboxing at the Same Time)
Alistair Overeem
9
Birthdate: May 17, 1980
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 34 
Frank Rijkaard
(Dutch Former Football Player and Former Manager Who Played as a Defensive Midfielder)
Frank Rijkaard
7
Birthdate: September 30, 1962
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 35 
M. C. Escher
(Dutch Graphic Artist Best Known for His Works: ‘Hand with Reflecting Sphere’, ‘Relativity’ and ‘Waterfall’)
M. C. Escher
8
Birthdate: June 17, 1898
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Died: March 27, 1972
 36 
Nathan Aké
(Dutch Footballer Who Plays as a Defender)
Nathan Aké
9
Birthdate: February 18, 1995
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: The Hague, Netherlands
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 37 
Edwin van der Sar
(Former Dutch Football Goalkeeper)
Edwin van der Sar
5
Birthdate: October 29, 1970
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Voorhout, Netherlands
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 38 
Bas Rutten
(Dutch-American Actor, Former Mixed Martial Artist, Kickboxer and Professional Wrestler)
Bas Rutten
5
Birthdate: February 24, 1965
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tilburg, Netherlands
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 39 
Xavi Simons
(Dutch Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder)
Xavi Simons
4
Birthdate: April 21, 2003
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 40 
Patrick Kluivert
(Retired Dutch Football Striker)
Patrick Kluivert
4
Birthdate: July 1, 1976
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 41 
André Rieu
(Violinist and Conductor Best Known for Creating the Waltz-Playing 'Johann Strauss Orchestra')
André Rieu
3
Birthdate: October 1, 1949
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Maastricht, Netherlands
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 42 
Louis van Gaal
(One of the Greatest and Most Decorated Managers in World Football)
Louis van Gaal
8
Birthdate: August 8, 1951
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
Pieter Bruegel the Elder
1
Birthdate: 1525 AD
Birthplace: Breda or nearby, Duchy of Brabant, Habsburg Netherlands (modern-day Netherlands)
Died: September 9, 1569
 44 
Cody Gakpo
(Dutch Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Forward)
Cody Gakpo
3
Birthdate: May 7, 1999
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 45 
Jan van Eyck
(Painter)
Jan van Eyck
3
Birthdate: 1390 AD
Birthplace: Maaseik, Belgium
Died: July 9, 1441
 46 
Carel Struycken
(Dutch Actor Best Known for His Role as ‘The Giant’ in the TV Series ‘Twin Peaks’)
Carel Struycken
2
Birthdate: July 30, 1948
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: The Hague, Netherlands
Height: 7'0" (213 cm)
 47 
Guido van Rossum
(Dutch Programmer Known for Creating the 'Python' Programming Language)
Guido van Rossum
9
Birthdate: January 31, 1956
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Haarlem, Netherlands
 48 
Aleister Black
(Wrestler)
Aleister Black
5
Birthdate: May 19, 1985
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Alkmaar, Netherlands
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 49 
Christiaan Huygens
(Mathematician, Physicist)
Christiaan Huygens
2
Birthdate: April 14, 1629
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: The Hague, Netherlands
Died: July 8, 1695
 50 
Michael van Gerwen
(Darts player)
Michael van Gerwen
4
Birthdate: April 25, 1989
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Boxtel, Netherlands