In this guide, we have listed all the Popes that have reigned in the history of the papacy by their county of origin. We have also listed them in chronological order in each of the sections.
Due to the fact that the Papacy has existed for almost two millennia, some countries and territories that a lot of the Popes came from, no longer exist. Where this is the case, we have put them under their modern country equivalents.
A Quick Overview of Popes and their Nationality
- 217 popes have come from from Italy
- 16 popes have come from France (Pope Sylvester II, Pope Stephen IX, Pope Urban II, Pope Callistus II, Pope Urban IV, Pope Clement IV, Pope Martin IV, Pope Clement V, Pope Nicholas II, Pope Innocent V, Pope John XXII, Pope Benedict XII, Pope Clement VI, Pope Innocent VI, Pope Urban V, and Pope Gregory XI)
- 6 popes came from Germany (Pope Gregory V, Pope Clement II, Pope Damasus II, Pope Victor II, Pope Leo IX, and Pope Benedict XVI)
- 5 popes came from the Byzantine Empire in modern-day Syria (Pope Anicetus, Pope John V, Pope Sisinnius, Pope Constantine, and Pope Gregory III)
- 4 popes came from Greece (Pope Anacletus, Pope Hyginus, Pope Eleutherius, and Pope Sixtus II)
- 3 popes came from the Holy Land in modern-day Israel (Pope Peter, Pope Evaristus, and Pope Theodore I)
- 3 popes came from the continent of Africa (Pope Victor I, Pope Miltiades, Pope Gelasius I)
- 2 popes came from Dalmatia in modern-day Croatia (Pope Caius and Pope John IV)
- 2 popes came from Spain (Pope Callixtus III and Pope Alexander VI)
- 2 popes came from Portugal (Pope Damasus I and Pope John XXI)
- 2 popes came from Anatolia in modern-day Turkey (Pope John VI and Pope Conon)
- 1 pope came from England (Pope Adrian IV)
- 1 pope came from the Netherlands (Pope Adrian VI)
- 1 pope came from Poland (Pope John Paul II)
- 1 pope came from Argentina (Pope Francis)
Pope Nationalities Table
| Nationality | Number of popes |
|---|---|
| Africa Province (Roman Empire) | 3 |
| Argentina | 1 |
| Asia Minor | 2 |
| Croatia (Kingdom of the Lombards) Dalmatia | 2 |
| England | 1 |
| Kingdom of France (medieval) French part of Holy Roman Empire | 16 |
| German part of Holy Roman Empire Modern Germany | 6 |
| Roman Greece Byzantine Greece | 4 |
| Italian Peninsula | 217 |
| Roman Galilee Iudaea Province (Roman Empire) Byzantine Palestine | 3 |
| Dutch part of Holy Roman Empire | 1 |
| People’s Republic of Poland | 1 |
| Lusitania (Roman Empire) Portugal | 2 |
| Roman Syria Byzantine Syria | 5 |
| Spain (Valencia in the Crown of Aragon) | 2 |
| Total | 266 |
Popes By Nationality
The concept of nationality only arose during the Middle Ages.
Popes from Argentina
Pope Francis (2013–present)
Popes from England
England is part of the modern United Kingdom.
Pope Adrian IV (1154–1159)
Popes from France
French is the most common non-Italian papal ancestry. Seventeen popes have had French ancestry, all in the second half of the medieval era.
The seven popes of the Avignon Papacy were French and are bolded. Since the end of the Avignon Papacy, no French person has been elected pope.
Kingdom of France (medieval)
Pope Silvester II (999–1003): Gerbert of Aurillac
Pope Urban II (1088–1099): Otho of Lagery (or Otto or Odo)
Pope Urban IV (1261–1264): Jacques Pantaléon
Pope Clement IV (1265–1268): Guy Foulques
Pope Martin IV (1281–1285): Simon de Brie
Pope Clement V (1305–1314): Bertrand de Got
Pope John XXII (1316–1334): Jacques d’Euse
Pope Benedict XII (1334–1342): Jacques Fournier
Pope Clement VI (1342–1352): Pierre Roger
Pope Innocent VI (1352–1362): Stephen Aubert
Pope Urban V (1362–1370): Guillaume de Grimoard
Pope Gregory XI (1370–1378): Pierre Roger de Beaufort
Holy Roman Empire
Pope Leo IX (1049–1054) (Alsace, Duchy of Swabia): Bruno, Count of Dagsbourg
Pope Stephen IX (1057–1058) (Duchy of Lorraine): Frederick of Lorraine
Pope Nicholas II (1059–1061) (Kingdom of Burgundy): Gerard of Burgundy
Pope Callixtus II (1119–1124) (County of Burgundy): Guido of Vienne
Pope Innocent V (1276) (Kingdom of Arles): Pierre de Tarentaise
Popes from Germany
Holy Roman Empire
Pope Stephen VIII (939–942)
Pope Gregory V (996–999) (Duchy of Saxony)
Pope Clement II (1046–1047) (Duchy of Saxony)
Pope Damasus II (1048) (Duchy of Bavaria)
Pope Victor II (1055–1057)
Netherlands
The Netherlands were at the time part of the Holy Roman Empire.
Pope Adrian VI (1522–1523) (Bishopric of Utrecht)
Federal Republic of Germany
Pope Benedict XVI (2005–2013)
Popes from Italian peninsula
Ostrogothic Kingdom
Pope Hormisdas (514–523)
Pope John I (523–526)
Pope Felix IV (526–530)
Pope Boniface II (530–532)
Pope John II (533–535)
Pope Agapetus I (535–536)
Pope Vigilius (537–555)
Papal States
Pope Paul I (757–767)
Pope Adrian I (772–795)
Pope Leo III (795–816)
Pope Paschal I (817–824)
Pope Eugene II (824–827)
Pope Valentine (827)
Pope Gregory IV (827–844)
Pope Sergius II (844–847)
Pope Leo IV (847–855)
Pope Benedict III (855–858)
Pope Nicholas I (858–867)
Pope Adrian II (867–872)
Pope John VIII (872–882)
Pope Marinus I (882–884)
Pope Adrian III (884–885)
Pope Stephen V (885–891)
Pope Formosus (891–896)
Pope Boniface VI (896)
Pope Stephen VI (896–897)
Pope Romanus (897)
Pope Theodore II (897)
Pope John IX (898–900)
Pope Benedict IV (900–903)
Pope Leo V (903)
Pope Sergius III (904–911)
Pope Anastasius III (911–913)
Pope Lando (913–914)
Pope John X (914–928)
Pope Leo VI (928)
Pope Stephen VII (928–931)
Pope John XI (931–935)
Pope Leo VII (936–939)
Pope Marinus II (942–946)
Pope Agapetus II (946–955)
Pope John XII (955–964)
Pope Benedict V (964)
Pope Leo VIII (963–965)
Pope John XIII (965–972)
Pope Benedict VI (973–974)
Pope Benedict VII (974–983)
Pope John XV (985–996)
Pope John XVII (1003)
Pope John XVIII (1004–1009)
Pope Sergius IV (1009–1012)
Pope Benedict VIII (1012–1024)
Pope John XIX (1024–1032)
Pope Benedict IX (1032–1048)
Pope Sylvester III (1045)
Pope Gregory VI (1045–1046)
Pope Gregory VII (1073–1085)
Pope Victor III (1086–1087)
Pope Paschal II (1099–1118)
Pope Gelasius II (1118–1119)
Pope Honorius II (1124–1130)
Pope Innocent II (1130–1143)
Pope Celestine II (1143–1144)
Pope Lucius II (1144–1145)
Pope Eugene III (1145–1153)
Pope Anastasius IV (1153–1154)
Pope Alexander III (1159–1181)
Pope Lucius III (1181–1185)
Pope Gregory VIII (1187)
Pope Clement III (1187–1191)
Pope Celestine III (1191–1198)
Pope Innocent III (1198–1216)
Pope Honorius III (1216–1227)
Pope Gregory IX (1227–1241)
Pope Celestine IV (1241)
Pope Alexander IV (1254–1261)
Pope Gregory X (1271–1276)
Pope Nicholas III (1277–1280)
Pope Honorius IV (1285–1287)
Pope Nicholas IV (1288–1292)
Pope Celestine V (1294)
Pope Boniface VIII (1294–1303)
Pope Benedict XI (1303–1304)
Pope Urban VI (1378–1389)
Pope Boniface IX (1389–1404)
Pope Martin V (1417–1431)
Pope Nicholas V (1447–1455)
Pope Pius II (1458–1464)
Pope Paul II (1464–1471)
Pope Sixtus IV (1471–1484)
Pope Innocent VIII (1484–1492)
Pope Pius III (1503)
Pope Julius II (1503–1513)
Pope Paul III (1534–1549)
Pope Julius III (1550–1555)
Pope Marcellus II (1555)
Pope Paul IV (1555–1559)
Pope Pius IV (1559–1565)
Pope Pius V (1566–1572)
Pope Gregory XIII (1572–1585)
Pope Sixtus V (1585–1590)
Pope Urban VII (1590)
Pope Gregory XIV (1590–1591)
Pope Innocent IX (1591)
Pope Paul V (1605–1621)
Pope Gregory XV (1621–1623)
Pope Innocent X (1644–1655)
Pope Alexander VII (1655–1667)
Pope Clement IX (1667–1669)
Pope Clement X (1670–1676)
Pope Innocent XI (1676–1689)
Pope Innocent XII (1691–1700)
Pope Clement XI (1700–1721)
Pope Innocent XIII (1721–1724)
Pope Benedict XIII (1724–1730)
Pope Benedict XIV (1740–1758)
Pope Clement XIII (1758–1769)
Pope Clement XIV (1769–1774)
Pope Pius VI (1775–1799)
Pope Pius VII (1800–1823)
Pope Leo XII (1823–1829)
Pope Pius VIII (1829–1830)
Pope Gregory XVI (1831–1846)
Pope Pius IX (1846–1878)
Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903)
Italy in the Holy Roman Empire
Pope John XIV (983–984)
Pope Alexander II (1061–1073)
Pope Urban III (1185–1187)
Republic of Genoa
Pope Innocent IV (1243–1254)
Pope Adrian V (1276)
Pope Innocent VII (1404–1406)
Republic of Venice
Pope Gregory XII (1406–1415)
Pope Eugene IV (1431–1447)
Pope Alexander VIII (1689–1691)
Republic of Florence/Duchy of Florence/Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Pope Eutychian (275–283)
Pope Leo X (1513–1521)
Pope Clement VII (1523–1534)
Pope Clement VIII (1592–1605)
Pope Leo XI (1605)
Pope Urban VIII (1623–1644)
Pope Clement XII (1730–1740)
Kingdom of Italy (modern) and Italian Republic
Pope Pius X (1903–1914)
Pope Benedict XV (1914–1922)
Pope Pius XI (1922–1939)
Pope Pius XII (1939–1958)
Pope John XXIII (1958–1963)
Pope Paul VI (1963–1978)
Pope John Paul I (1978)
Popes from Poland
Pope John Paul II (1978–2005)
Popes from Portugal
Pope John XXI (1276–1277)
Popes from Spain
Valencia
The Kingdom of Valencia was then part of the possessions of the Crown of Aragon; it is now part of modern Spain.
Pope Callixtus III (1455–1458)
Pope Alexander VI (1492–1503)
Popes that came from the Roman and Byzantine Empire
Popes from Roman Africa
The popes listed below are from the Roman province of Africa. In modern times this would correspond to the northwest coast of the continent.
Pope Victor I (189–199)
Pope Miltiades (311–314)
Pope Gelasius I (492–496)
Popes from Roman Dalmatia
Dalmatia was at the time part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires. It is now part of the modern Republic of Croatia.
Pope Caius (283–296)
Pope John IV (640–642)
Popes from Greece
Pope Telesphorus (126–137)
Pope Hyginus (c. 138 – c. 140)
Pope Eleuterus (174/175–189)
Pope Anterus (235–236)
Pope Sixtus II (257–258)
Pope Dionysius (259–268)
Pope Zosimus (417–418)
Pope John VI (701–705)
Pope John VII (705–707)
Popes from Roman Italy
Pope Linus (64/67(?)–76/79 (?))
Pope Anacletus (76/79(?)–88)
Pope Clement I (88/92–97/101)
Pope Alexander I (c.106–c.115)
Pope Sixtus I (117/119(?)–126/128(?)
Pope Pius I (c. 140 – c. 154)
Pope Soter (c. 166 – 174/175)
Pope Zephyrinus (199–217)
Pope Callixtus I (c. 217 – 222)
Pope Pontian (230–235)
Pope Urban I (222–230)
Pope Fabian (236–250)
Pope Cornelius (251–253)
Pope Lucius I (253–254)
Pope Stephen I (254–257)
Pope Felix I (269–274)
Pope Marcellinus (296–304?)
Pope Marcellus I (308–309)
Pope Sylvester I (314–335)
Pope Mark (336)
Pope Julius I (337–352)
Pope Liberius (352–366)
Pope Siricius (384–399)
Pope Anastasius I (399–401)
Pope Innocent I (401–417)
Pope Boniface I (418–422)
Pope Celestine I (422–432)
Pope Sixtus III (432–440)
Pope Leo I (440–461)
Pope Hilarius (461–468)
Pope Simplicius (468–483)
Pope Felix III (483–492)
Pope Anastasius II (496–398)
Pope Symmachus (498–514)
Pope Silverius (536–537)
Popes from Byzantine Italy
Pope Pelagius I (556–561)
Pope John III (561–574)
Pope Pelagius II (579–590)
Pope Gregory I (590–604)
Pope Sabinian (604–606)
Pope Boniface III (607)
Pope Boniface IV (608–615)
Pope Adeodatus I (615–618)
Pope Boniface V (619–625)
Pope Honorius I (625–638)
Pope Severinus (636–640)
Pope Martin I (649–653)
Pope Eugene I (654–657)
Pope Vitalian (657–672)
Pope Adeodatus II (672–676)
Pope Donus (676–678)
Pope Agatho (678–681)
Pope Leo II (682–683)
Pope Benedict I (575–579)
Pope Benedict II (684–685)
Pope Sergius I (687–701)
Pope Gregory II (715–731)
Pope Zachary (741–752)
Pope Stephen III (768–772)
Pope Stephen II (752–757)
Pope Stephen IV (816–817)
Roman Galilee and Iudaea Province
Saint Peter (c. 30 – c. 67)
Pope Evaristus (c. 99 – c. 107)
Pope Theodore I (642–649)
Popes from Roman Sardinia
Pope Eusebius (309/310)
Pope John V (685–686)
Pope Sisinnius (708)
Pope Constantine (708–715)
Pope Gregory III (731–741)
Popes from Roman and Byzantine Syria
Pope Anicetus (c. 154–167)
Pope John V (685–686)
Pope Sisinnius (708)
Pope Constantine (708–715)
Pope Gregory III (731–741)
Lusitania Province
Today, Lusitania would correspond to present-day Portugal.
Pope Damasus I (366–384)
Popes from Byzantine Sicily
Pope Conon (686–687)