List of circuses and circus owners


There have been many famous modern circuses since the first modern circus was staged by Philip Astley in London on January 9, 1768. Many are best known by the name of their principal owner. The following is a list of both circuses and their country of origin. For more information on circuses in general see Circus, or Contemporary circus, or for information regarding the ancient Roman circus, see Circus Maximus.

List

NameCountryStatusYear
Abuhadba Circo InternacionalBolivia
Adam ForepaughUnited States of AmericaMerged1870s–1900
Aerialize Sydney Aerial TheatreAustraliaActive1999–present
Aesthetic International CircusChinaActive2023–present
Al G. Barnes CircusUnited States of AmericaDefunct1895–1938
Albert & Friends Instant CircusUnited Kingdom
Aloft Circus ArtsUnited States of America1941–present
Amar CircusIndia
Antonio FranconiItalyDefunct
ArchaosFranceActive1986–present
RussiaDefunct1929-1989
ArtcirqCanadaActive1998–present
Asociaciones de circo en EspañaSpain
Astrakhan State CircusRussiaActive1885–present
Baku State CircusAzerbaijanActive1945–present
Batty's HippodromeUnited Kingdom Defunct1851–1852
BelarusActive1884–present
Bertram Mills CircusUnited KingdomDefunct
Big Apple CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1977–2017; 2017–present
Billy SmartUnited KingdomActive1946–2015
Bindlestiff Family CirkusUnited States of AmericaActive1995–present
Blackpool Tower CircusUnited KingdomActive1894–present
Bobby Roberts Super CircusUnited KingdomActive1973–present
Boswell Wilkie CircusSouth AfricaDefunct1913-2001
RussiaActive1974–present
Bullen Brothers' CircusAustraliaDefunctpre-1925–1990s
Capital CircusKazakhstanActive2005–present
Capital Circus of BudapestHungaryActive1889–present
Carden International CircusUnited States of AmericaActivepre-1973–present
Carson & Barnes CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1929–present
Chaplin's CircusUnited KingdomDefunct1911–1985
RussiaUnder renovation1979-2019
Chimelong International CircusChinaActive2000–present
Chinese State CircusUnited KingdomActive1992–present
Chipperfield's CircusUnited KingdomActive1684–present
CircaAustraliaActive1987–present
Circo Amedeo OrfeiItalyActive?-present
Circo Aquatico TorresItalyActive?-present
Circo Armando OrfeiItalyActive?-present
Circo Atayde HermanosMexicoActive1888–present
Circo BraumItalyActive?-present
Circo ChenPortugalActive1981–present
Circo DallasPortugalActive1982–present
Circo Darix TogniItalyActive1872–present
Circo de los HorroresSpain
Circo de Teresa RabalSpain
Circo Greca OrfeiItalyActive1994–present
Circo KinoItalyActive?-present
Circo Lidia TogniItalyActive1960s-present
Circo Marina OrfeiItalyActive?-present
Circo Maya Orfei MadagascarItalyActive?-present
Circo Moira OrfeiItalyActive1960–present
Circo MundialPortugalActive1994–present
Circo Orfei TunisiaTunisia/ItalyActive?-present
Circo OsorioUnited States of AmericaActive1926–present
Circo Paolo OrfeiItalyActive?-present
Circo Rinaldo OrfeiItalyActive?-present
Circo Rolando OrfeiItalyActive?-present
Circo Sandra OrfeiItalyActive?-present
Circo Victor Hugo CardinaliPortugalActive1987–present
CircubaCubaActive1968–present
Circus AerobusRussiaActive?-present
Circus AmokUnited States of AmericaActive1989–present
Circus AotearoaNew Zealand
Circus Aqua - Shevchenko ShowRussiaActive?-present
Circus Arena MakaoRussiaActive?-present
Circus Arena YaguarRussiaActive?-present
Circus ArlekinBelarusActive?-present
Circus AvalonAustralia
Circus AvtovoRussiaActive1995–present
Circus Bassie & AdriaanNetherlandsDefunct1976?–1989?
Circus BelissimoRussiaActive?-present
Circus Carl BuschGermany
Circus ContraptionUnited States of AmericaDefunct1998–2009
Circus CrocusRussiaActive?-present
Circus DemidovRussiaActive?-present
Circus Dire DawaEthiopia
Circus DovgalyukRussiaActive?-present
Circus ExtremeUnited KingdomActive2018–present
Circus FantasticRussiaActive?-present
Circus FilatovRussiaActive1836–present
Circus FloraUnited States of AmericaActive1986–present
Circus GattiUnited States of America1953–present
Circus GerbolaIreland
Circus Graf OrlovRussiaActive?-present
Circus GrandRussiaActive?-present
Circus HargeisaSomaliland
Circus Herman RenzNetherlandsActive1911–present
Circo Hermanos VazquezUnited States of AmericaActive-
Circo Hermanos SuarezMexicoActive1872–Present
The Circus of HorrorsUnited KingdomDefunct1995–2024
Czech RepublicActive1951–present
Circus JokerRussiaActive?-present
Circus Joseph AshtonAustraliaActive1847–present
Circus JuventasUnited States of AmericaActive1994–present
Circus KnieSwitzerlandActive1803–present
Circus KolizeumRussiaActive?-present
Circus KroneGermanyActive1905–present
Circus MaskaRussiaActive?-present
Circus MondaoUnited Kingdom
Circus Mr. LumacaRussiaActive?-present
Circus Mundus AbsurdusFinland
Circus of Tiny InvisibilityUnited States of AmericaActive?1957–present
Circus OasisBulgariaDefunct1991-2004; 2010–2014
Circus OlympiaAustralia
Circus OrionRussiaActive?-present
Circus OzAustraliaLikely shifting from professional to voluntary1978–2022 in doubt. See company history entry
Circus of Pepin and BreschardUnited States of AmericaDefunct1807–1962
Circus RedickulessUnited States of AmericaDefunct1995–2004
Circus RenzGermanyDefunct1842–1897
Circus RioAustraliaActive2019–present
Circus RoncalliGermanyActive1976–present
Circus RoyaleAustraliaActive1971–present
Circus SmirkusUnited States of AmericaActive1987–present
Circus SarasotaUnited States of America1971–present
Circus SunriseAustralia
Circus TornadoRussiaActive?-present
Circus TyannaUnited Kingdom
Circus VargasUnited States of AmericaActive1969–present
Circus VegasIreland
Circus VivatRussiaActive?-present
Circus WaldissimaUnited States of AmericaActive1992–present
Circus Zoloto AfricaRussiaActive?-present
Circus ZvezdaRussiaActive1993–present
Circus ZvezdniyRussiaActive?-present
Cirkus AgoraNorwayActive1989–present
Cirkus Bob Navarro KingCzech RepublicActive2011–present
Cirkus CirkörSwedenActive1995–present
Cirkus MetropolCzech RepublicActive2012–present
Cirkus ŠimekCzech RepublicActive2013–present
AlgeriaActive1924–present
Cirque BerzerkUnited States of AmericaActive2004—present
Cirque de FlambéUnited States of America1958–present
Cirque de la SymphonieUnited States of AmericaActive1991–present
Cirque du SoleilCanadaActive1984–present
Cirque ÉloizeCanadaActive1993–present
Cirque ItaliaUnited States of AmericaActive2012–present
Cirque International Citta' di Roma Fratelli BizzarroAlgeria/ItalyActive1892–present
Cirque FernandoFranceDefunct1872–1897
Cirque MedranoFranceActive1898–present
Cirque Nicolas ZavattaFranceActive?-present
Cirque PlumeFranceActive1984–present
Cirque Romane RitzFranceActive?-present
Cirque Sébastien ZavattaFranceActive?-present
Continental Circus BerlinUnited KingdomActive
Culpepper & Merriweather CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1985–Present
Diamond Circus of YakutiaRussiaActive1994–present
Dnipro State CircusUkraineActive1980–present
Russia/UkraineActive1969–present
Dorato CircusIsrael
Dream Science CircusUnited States of America1955–present
El CircoUnited States of America1948–present
End of the World CirkusUnited States of America1943–present
Eroni's CircusAustraliaActive2007–
Fekiland by FekiHungaryActive2021-
Flynn Creek CircusUnited States of AmericaActive2002–
Flying Fruit Fly CircusAustraliaActive1979–
Fossett's CircusIrelandActive1888–present
Foolhardy Circus ArtsUnited Kingdom
FSU Flying High CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1947–present
Gandey's CircusUnited KingdomActive1918–present
Garden Bros CircusUnited States of AmericaActive
Gärtner Brothers CircusKazakhstan/GermanyActive?-present
GasauiBolivia
Gemini CircusIndia
Gerry Cottle's CircusUnited Kingdom1970–present
Gia Eradze's Royal CircusRussiaActive2007–present
Golden Dragon CircusRussiaActive?-present
BelarusActive1972–present
Gran Circus WegliamsItalyActive?-present
The Bite-sized Circus - The Littlest Show on EarthAustralia
The Great Pakistani CircusPakistan
The Great American Royal CircusUnited States of America1930–present
Great British CircusUnited KingdomActive
Great Bombay CircusIndia
Great Indian CircusIndiaDefunct1880–1935
Great Lion CircusIndia
Great Rayman CircusIndia
Great Royal CircusIndia
Hippodrome CircusUnited KingdomActive1903–present
RussiaDefunct1976-1995
Hagen's CircusAustraliaMerged1878–1950
Hagenbeck-Wallace CircusUnited States of AmericaDefunct1907–1938
Hamid CircusUnited States of America1917–present
Hanoi Central CircusVietnamActive1950s-present
Happy Circus InternazionaleItalyActive?-present
Happy Dream CircusJapanActive2010–present
Imperial Royal CircusItalyActive1930-40s-present
International Circus DohaQatarActive?-present
RussiaActive1964–present
ISU Gamma Phi CircusUnited States of America1929–present
RussiaActive1933–present
Janbaz CircusPakistan
Jordan World CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1988–present
Jumbo CircusIndia
Jim Rose CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1991–present
KazakhstanActive1983–present
Kazakh State CircusKazakhstanActive1970–present
RussiaActive1890–1961; 1965–present
Kelly Miller CircusUnited States of America1938–2019
Kemerovo State CircusRussiaActive1932–present
RussiaActive2001–present
Kigure New CircusJapanDefunct1942–2010
JapanActive1902–present
RussiaActivePre-1934-1969; 1977–present
Kislovodsk State CircusRussiaActive1933–present
Kostroma State CircusRussiaActive1928-1970; 1984–present
RussiaUnder renovation1908-?; 1970-2023
RussiaUnder renovation1917-1930; 193?-1940; 1971-2020?
RussiaActive1971-1996; 2011–present
Le Grand Cirque de RomeFranceActive?-present
Lennon Bros CircusAustraliaActive1890–present
Lingling CircusChinaActive2014–present
Longcheng International CircusChinaActive2019–present
Longemont International CircusChinaActive2018–present
Long Shadow Stilt TheatreAustralia
Loomis Brothers CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1997–present
Lost in translation CircusUnited Kingdom
Lucent Dossier ExperienceUnited States of AmericaActive2004–present
Lucky Irani CircusPakistanActive1970–present
Russia/UkraineActive1971–present
RussiaActive1931–present
McLaren CircusSouth AfricaActive2005–present
Midnight CircusUnited States of America2007–present
Moretti CircusRussiaActive?-present
Moscow State CircusRussiaActive1919–present
Nikulin’s CircusRussiaActive1880–present
RussiaActive1883–present
New Pickle CircusUnited States of America2015–present
RussiaActive1931–present
Nofit State CircusUnited Kingdom Active1986–present
RussiaActive1935-1957; 1974–present
RussiaActive1931–present
RussiaActive1898–present
P. T. BarnumUnited States of AmericaMerged1870–1919
Pablo Fanque's Circus RoyalUnited KingdomDefunct1830s
RussiaActive1884–present
Perry Bros CircusAustralia
Pickle Family CircusUnited States of AmericaDefunct1974–2004
Pop CircusJapanActive1996–present
Pyongyang CircusNorth KoreaActive1989–present
Rajkamal CircusIndia
Rambo CircusIndia
HungaryActive2016–present
Ringling Brothers CircusUnited States of AmericaMerged1884–1919
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1919–2017; 2023-
RussiaActivec.1890s-present
R.T. Richards CircusUnited States of AmericaDefunct1917-1918
Rony Roller CircusItalyActive1991?-present
Royal Hanneford CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1965–present
The Royal London CircusMalaysiaDefunct?1990–?2008
Royal Circus and Equestrian Philharmonic AcademyUnited KingdomDefunct1782–1924
Ryazan State CircusRussiaActivec.1914–present
Saint Petersburg State CircusRussiaActive1877–present
Samara State CircusRussiaActivePre-1919–present
RussiaActive1876–present
SarrasaniGermanyActive1912–present
Sea Breeze CircusAzerbaijanActive2025–present
Sevastopol State CircusRussia/UkraineActive1986–present
Shanghai Circus WorldChinaActive1999–present
Shibata CircusJapanDefunct1923–1963
Shrine CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1906–present
Silvers CircusAustraliaActive1946–1953; 1953–present
Russia/UkraineActive1959–present
RussiaActive1971–present
Sole Brothers' CircusAustraliaDefunct1890s–1993
Star Spangled CircusUnited States of America1926–present
Stardust CircusAustraliaActive1990s—present
Stavropol State CircusRussiaActive1975–present
Stilt CircusUnited States of America1906–2020
Steel City Clown BrigadeUnited States of America1952–present
Sun Island Circus WorldChinaActive2023?-present
Tajik State CircusTajikistanActive1976–present
Taylor Circus StarsUnited States of America1954–present
Tbilisi CircusGeorgiaActive1888–present
Teatro ZinZanniUnited States of AmericaActive1998–present
The Magic Circus of SamoaSamoaActive1990–present
Three Monkeys CircusUnited States of AmericaAcitive2010–present
Tiger Park International CircusChinaActive2015–present
Tirana CircusAlbaniaActive1952–present
Tsirk CircuslandRussiaActive?-present
RussiaActive2003–present
Turkmen State CircusTurkmenistanActive1979–present
Tom ArnoldUnited KingdomDefunct1930s–2003
Tom Duffy's CircusIrelandActive1775–
Travelling Light CircusUnited Kingdom1968–present
RussiaActive1870-1949; 1963–present
RussiaUnder renovation1924–2022
Two Bit CircusUnited States of America2003–present
RussiaActive1897–present
RussiaActive1895–present
RussiaUnder renovation1968–2017
Universal CircusItalyActive?-present
UniverSoul CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1994–present
RussiaDefunct1971–2006
UzbekistanActive1920–present
Vau De Vire SocietyUnited States of America2000–present
Venardos CircusUnited States of AmericaActive2014–present
RussiaActive1973–present
RussiaUnder renovation1967–2023
RussiaUnder renovation1882–2024
Wanderlust CircusUnited States of AmericaActive2006–present
Webers CircusAustraliaActive2007–present
Whiteway CircusIndia
Will-o'-the-Wisp Fire CircusAustralia
Wirth's CircusAustraliaDefunct1882–1963
ChinaActive1993–present
Yano CircusJapanDefunct1916–1996
RussiaActive1937-1943; 1963–present
Yekaterinburg CircusRussiaUnder renovation1980–2023
Zippos CircusUnited KingdomActive1986–present
Zirka CircusNew Zealand
Zoppé Family CircusUnited States of AmericaActive1842–present
NameCountryStatusYear