Famous People From Kazakhstan

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Updated June 9, 2017688 items

List of famous people from Kazakhstan, including photos when available. The people below are listed by their popularity, so the most recognizable names are at the top of the list. Some of the people below are celebrities born in Kazakhstan, while others are simply notable locals. If you're from Kazakhstan you might already know that these prominent figures are also from your hometown, but some of the names below may really surprise you. This list includes people who were born and raised in Kazakhstan, as well as those who were born there but moved away at a young age.

This list contains people like Erken Ialgashev and Vitali Kolesnik.

If you want to answer the questions, "Which famous people are from Kazakhstan?" or "Which celebrities were born in Kazakhstan?" then this list is a great resource for you.
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  • Akhmad Kadyrov

    Akhmad Kadyrov

    Dec. at 52 (1951-2004)
    • Birthplace: Karaganda, Kazakhstan
    Akhmad-Haji Abdulkhamidovich Kadyrov (Russian: ะั…ะผะฐั‚-ะฅะฐะดะถะธ ะะฑะดัƒะปั…ะฐะผะธะดะพะฒะธั‡ ะšะฐะดั‹ั€ะพะฒ; Chechen: ะšัŠะฐะดะธั€ะธ lะฐะฑะดัƒะปั…ัŒะฐะผะธะดะฐะฝ ะบlะฐะฝั‚ ะั…ัŒะผะฐะด-ะฅัŒะฐะถะธ / Qฬ‡adiri Jabdulแบ‹amidan khant Aแบ‹mad-แบŠaฦถi; 23 August 1951 โ€“ 9 May 2004), also spelled Akhmat, was the Chief Mufti of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in the 1990s during and after the First Chechen War. At the outbreak of the Second Chechen War he switched sides, offering his service to the Russian government, and later became the President of the Chechen Republic from 5 October 2003, acting as head of administration since July 2000. On 9 May 2004, he was assassinated by Chechen Islamists in Grozny, using a bomb blast during a World War II memorial victory parade. His son, Ramzan Kadyrov, who led his father's militia, became one of his successors in March 2007 as the President of the Chechen Republic.
  • Nursultan Nazarbayev
    • Birthplace: Ushkonyr, Kazakhstan
    Nursultan ร„bishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is the Chairman of the Security Council of Kazakhstan who served as the first President of Kazakhstan, in office from 24 April 1990 until his resignation on 19 March 2019. He was named First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Kazakh SSR in 1989 and was elected as the nation's first president following its independence from the Soviet Union. He holds the title "Leader of the Nation". In April 2015, Nazarbayev was re-elected with almost 98% of the vote, as he ran "virtually unopposed".Nazarbayev has been accused of human rights abuses by several human rights organisations and suppressed dissent and presided over an authoritarian regime. No election held in Kazakhstan since independence has been judged to be free or fair by the West. In 2010, he announced reforms to encourage a multi-party system. In January 2017, Nazarbayev proposed constitutional reforms that would delegate powers to the Parliament of Kazakhstan.
  • Irina Karpova
    • Birthplace: Almaty, Kazakhstan
    Irina Karpova is a track and field athlete.
  • The French Angel

    The French Angel

    Dec. at 50 (1903-1954)
    • Birthplace: Ural Mountains
    Maurice Tillet (October 23, 1903 โ€“ September 4, 1954) was a French professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, The French Angel. Tillet was a leading box office draw in the early 1940s and was twice contracted to act as World Heavyweight Champion by the American Wrestling Association run by Paul Bowser in Boston.
  • Andrey Kivilev

    Andrey Kivilev

    Dec. at 29 (1973-2003)
    • Birthplace: Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan
    Andrei Mikhailovich Kivilev (Russian: ะะฝะดั€ะตะน ะœะธั…ะฐะนะปะพะฒะธั‡ ะšะธะฒะธะปั‘ะฒ, 20 September 1973 โ€“ 12 March 2003) was a professional road bicycle racer from Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan. In March 2003, he crashed during the Parisโ€“Nice race and subsequently died of his injuries. His death was the trigger for the UCI to implement the compulsory wearing of helmets in all endorsed races.
  • George Tsypin
    • Birthplace: Kazakhstan
    George Tsypin is an American stage designer, sculptor and architect. He was an artistic director, production designer and coauthor of the script for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.