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[edit]

Name Country Status Year(s)
Abuhadba Circo Internacional[1] Bolivia
Adam Forepaugh United States of America Merged 1870s–1900
Aerialize[2] Hungary
Fekiland by Feki Hungary Active 2021- Australia 1999-present
Al G. Barnes Circus United States of America Defunct 1895–1938
Albert & Friends Instant Circus[3][4] United Kingdom
Aloft Circus Arts [5] United States of America
Amar Circus[6] India
Antonio Franconi Italy Defunct
Archaos France Active 1986–present
Artcirq[7] Canada Active 1998–present
Batty's Hippodrome United Kingdom (England) Defunct 1851–1852
Bertram Mills Circus United Kingdom Defunct
Big Apple Circus United States of America Active 1977–2017; 2017–present
Billy Smart[8] United Kingdom Active 1946–present
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus United States of America Active 1995–present
Blackpool Tower Circus United Kingdom Active 1894–present
Bobby Roberts Super Circus[9] United Kingdom Active 1973–present
Bullen Brothers' Circus[10][11] Australia Defunct pre-1925–1990s
Capital Circus of Budapest Hungary Active 1889–present
Carson & Barnes Circus[12] United States of America Active 1929–present
Chaplin's Circus[13] United Kingdom Defunct 1911–1985
Chinese State Circus United Kingdom Active 1992–present
Chipperfield's Circus United Kingdom Active 1684–present
Circa[14][15] Australia Active 1987–present
Circo Atayde Hermanos[16] Mexico
Circo de los Horrores [17] Spain
Circo de Teresa Rabal[18] Spain
Circo Orfei [19] Italy
Circo Osorio[20] United States of America Active 1926–present
Circuba Cuba Active 1968–present
Circus Aotearoa[21] New Zealand
Circus Amok United States of America Active 1989–present
Circus Avalon[22] Australia
Circus Bassie & Adriaan Netherlands Defunct 1976?–1989?
Circus Carl Busch[23] Germany
Circus Contraption United States of America Defunct 1998–2009
Circus Dire Dawa [24] Ethiopia
Circus Extreme United Kingdom Active 2018-present
Circus Flora United States of America Active 1986–present
Circus Gatti[25][26] United States of America 1953–present
Circus Hargeisa[27] Somaliland
Circus Herman Renz Netherlands Active 1911–present
Circus Joseph Ashton Australia Active 1847–present
Circus Juventas United States of America Active 1994–present
Circus Knie Switzerland Active 1803–present
Circus Krone Germany Active 1905–present
Circus Mondao[28][29] United Kingdom
Circus Mundus Absurdus[30] Finland
The Circus of Horrors[31] United Kingdom Active 1995–present
Circus of Tiny Invisibility[32] United States of America 1957–present
Circus Oasis Bulgaria Defunct 1991-2004; 2010–2014
Circus Olympia[33][34] Australia
Circus Oz Australia Likely shifting from professional to voluntary 1978–2022 in doubt. See company history entry
Circus of Pepin and Breschard United States of America Defunct 1807–1962
Circus Renz Germany Defunct 1842–1897
Circus Roncalli Germany Active 1976–present
Circus Royale Australia Active 1971–present
Circus Smirkus United States of America Active 1987–present
Circus Sarasota[35] United States of America 1971–present
Circus Sunrise[36] Australia
Circus Tyanna[37] United Kingdom
Circus Vargas United States of America Active 1969–present
Circus Vegas[38] Ireland
Circus Waldissima[39] United States of America Active 1992–present
Cirkus Agora Norway Active 1989–present
Cirkus Cirkör Sweden Active 1995–present
Cirque Amar [fr][40] Algeria Active 1924–present
Cirque Berzerk[41] United States of America Active 2004—present
Cirque de Flambé[42] United States of America 1958–present
Cirque de la Symphonie United States of America Active 1991–present
Cirque du Soleil Canada Active 1984–present
Cirque Éloize Canada Active 1993–present
Cirque Fernando France Defunct 1872–1897
Cirque Medrano France Active 1898–present
Cirque Plume France Active 1984–present
Circus Redickuless United States of America Defunct 1995–2004
Continental Circus Berlin United Kingdom Active
Darix Togni[43][44] Italy
Asociaciones de circo en España[45] Spain
Dorato Circus[46] Israel
Dream Science Circus[47] United States of America 1955–present
El Circo[48] United States of America 1948–present
End of the World Cirkus[49] United States of America 1943–present
Eroni's Circus Australia Active 2007–
Flynn Creek Circus[50] United States of America Active 2002–
Flying Fruit Fly Circus Australia Active 1979–
Fossett's Circus[51][52] Ireland
Foolhardy Circus Arts[53] United Kingdom
FSU Flying High Circus United States of America Active 1947–present
Gemini Circus[6] India
Gerry Cottle's Circus[54][55][56] United Kingdom 1970–present
The Great Pakistani Circus[57] Pakistan
The Great American Royal Circus[58] United States of America 1930–present
The Bite-sized Circus - The Littlest Show on Earth[59] Australia
Great British Circus United Kingdom Active
Gasaui [60] Bolivia
Great Bombay Circus[61][62] India
Great Indian Circus India Defunct 1880–1935
Great Lion Circus[6] India
Great Rayman Circus[6] India
Great Royal Circus[63] India
Hippodrome Circus[64] United Kingdom Active 1903–present
Hagen's Circus[65] Australia Merged 1878–1950
Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus United States of America Defunct 1907–1938
Hamid Circus[66] United States of America
ISU Gamma Phi Circus[67] United States of America
Janbaz Circus[68] Pakistan
Jordan World Circus[69][70] United States of America
Jumbo Circus[71][72] India
Jim Rose Circus United States of America Active 1991–present
Kelly Miller Circus[73] United States of America
Kinoshita Circus [ja][74] Japan Active 1902–present
Lennon Bros Circus Australia Active 1890–present
Long Shadow Stilt Theatre[75] Australia
Loomis Brothers Circus [76] United States of America
Lost in translation Circus [77] United Kingdom
Lucent Dossier Experience United States of America Active 2004–present
Lucky Irani Circus[78] Pakistan
Midnight Circus [79] United States of America
Moscow State Circus Russia Active 1919–present
New Pickle Circus[80] United States of America
Nofit State Circus United Kingdom (Wales) Active 1986–present
P. T. Barnum United States of America Merged 1870–1919
Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal United Kingdom Defunct 1830s
Perry Bros Circus[81][82] Australia
Pickle Family Circus United States of America Defunct 1974–2004
Rajkamal Circus[6] India
Rambo Circus[6] India
Ringling Brothers Circus United States of America Merged 1884–1919
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus United States of America Defunct 1919–2017
Royal Hanneford Circus United States of America Active 1965–present
The Royal London Circus Malaysia Defunct? 1990–?2008
Royal Circus and Equestrian Philharmonic Academy United Kingdom Defunct 1782–1924
Sarrasani Germany Active 1912–present
Shrine Circus United States of America Active 1906–present
Silvers Circus Australia Active 1946–1953; 1953–present
Sole Brothers' Circus Australia Defunct 1890s–1993
Star Spangled Circus[83] United States of America
Stardust Circus Australia Active 1990s—present
Stilt Circus[84] United States of America 1906–2020
Steel City Clown Brigade United States of America 1952–present
Taylor Circus Stars[85] United States of America 1954–present
Tbilisi Circus Georgia Active 1888–present
Teatro ZinZanni United States of America Active 1998–present
Tirana Circus Albania Active 1952–present
Turkmen State Circus Turkmenistan Active 1979–present
Tom Arnold United Kingdom Defunct 1930s–2003
Tom Duffy's Circus[86] Ireland Active 1775–
Travelling Light Circus[87] United Kingdom 1968–present
Two Bit Circus [88] United States of America 2003–present
UniverSoul Circus United States of America Active 1994–present
Vau De Vire Society[89] United States of America 2000–present
Wanderlust Circus United States of America Active 2006–present
Webers Circus Australia Active 2007–present
Circus Gerbola[90] Ireland
Whiteway Circus[6] India
Will-o'-the-Wisp Fire Circus[91] Australia
Wirth's Circus Australia Defunct 1882–1963
Zippos Circus[92] United Kingdom
Zirka Circus[93] New Zealand
Zoppé Family Circus[94] United States of America 1924–present
Pop Circus Japan Active 1996–
Happy Dream Circus Japan Active 2010–
Kigure New Circus Japan Defunct 1942–2010
Shibata Circus Japan Defunct 1923–1963
Yano Circus Japan Defunct 1916–1996
Name Country Status Year(s)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Abuhadba Circo Internacional
  2. ^ Aerialize - Sydney Aerial Theatre Archived 2010-03-17 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Albert & Friends Instant Circus
  4. ^ Barbara Rosen. "A Short Course in the Circus". New York Times. March 6, 1998.
  5. ^ "Account Suspended".
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Jando, Dominique. "The Indian Circus". Circopedia. Retrieved 2021-05-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Linda Matchan. "Bringing circus – and new hope – to a remote Arctic village".[permanent dead link] The Christian Science Monitor. December 22, 2009.
  8. ^ Billy Smart - Circopedia
  9. ^ Laurence Cawley (23 November 2012). "What next for the Bobby Roberts Super Circus?". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  10. ^ "Advertising". Gilgandra Weekly. New South Wales, Australia. 18 July 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Circuses to show 'their animals are cared for'". The Canberra Times. Vol. 66, no. 20, 926. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 29 July 1992. p. 3. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ Ryan Boldrey (9 May 2012). "Controversy under the Big Top". Our Colorado News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  13. ^ "Chaplins Circus". Archived from the original on 2014-04-26. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  14. ^ Circa
  15. ^ Sarah Frater. "Circa shows more wizards from Oz". Archived 2010-08-09 at the Wayback Machine London Evening Standard.
  16. ^ Circo Atayde Hermanos
  17. ^ "Circo de los Horrores. Web oficial". Archived from the original on 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2017-02-15.
  18. ^ "El circo de Teresa Rabal consigue levantar el telón". Diario Vasco. Reuters. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  19. ^ "Moiraorfei.it - Sito Ufficiale del Circo Moira Orfei".
  20. ^ Jeff Pope. "Circus a way of life for family: American Crown Circus and Circo Osorio perform in Summerlin". Las Vegas Sun. March 7, 2009.
  21. ^ Circus Aotearoa
  22. ^ Circus Avalon Archived 2013-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
  23. ^ Circus Carl Busch
  24. ^ "Circus Dire Dawa visits Circus Hargeisa".
  25. ^ Circus Gatti
  26. ^ Carl Kieke. "Circus Gatti Performance Entertains, Enthralls Youngsters of All Ages". Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine Abilene Reporter-News Mobile. February 29, 2008.
  27. ^ Circus Hargeisa - Somaliland
  28. ^ Circus Mondao
  29. ^ Douglas McPherson. "Reviews: Circus Mondao". The Stage. 23 March 2009.
  30. ^ "Circus Mundus Absurdus". Archived from the original on 2013-09-10. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  31. ^ The Circus of Horrors
  32. ^ The Circus of Tiny Invisibility
  33. ^ "Circus Olympia". Archived from the original on 2015-12-09. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
  34. ^ "Circus back in town". Archived 2009-10-27 at the Wayback Machine The Advocate. 5 May 2009.
  35. ^ Sarasota, Florida: Home of the American Circus Archived 2013-01-27 at the Wayback Machine
  36. ^ "Work and family balancing act". The Age. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  37. ^ Circus Tyanna
  38. ^ Yvonne Gordon. "Behind the scenes at the big top". Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine The Irish Times. 12 February 2003.
  39. ^ "Circus Waldissima – A Waldorf Inspired Youth Circus".
  40. ^ "Les 85 ans du cirque Amar". La Dépêche du midi (in French). Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  41. ^ Cirque Berzerk
  42. ^ Cirque de Flambé
  43. ^ Raffaele De Ritis. "Darix Togni". Circopedia. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  44. ^ "Circo Darix Togni". Archived from the original on 2011-12-06. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  45. ^ De circo, Circo (4 April 2021). "Asociaciones benéficas y de artistas de circo en españa". Blog de circo con tienda online.
  46. ^ Dorato Circus Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  47. ^ Dream Science Circus Archived 2013-01-17 at archive.today
  48. ^ El Circo Archived 2009-07-15 at the Wayback Machine
  49. ^ J. Dee Hill (2004). Freaks & Fire: The Underground Reinvention Of Circus. Soft Skull Press. pp. 162–165. ISBN 9781932360523. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  50. ^ "Flynn Creek Circus | Pushing Traditions to the Edge".
  51. ^ Fossett's Circus
  52. ^ Anthony Garvey. "Fossett’s Circus show honours Irish arts minister O’Donoghue". The Stage. 23 May 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  53. ^ Foolhardy Circus
  54. ^ Stroud, Clover. "Big top, bigger life". Telegraph. September 17, 2006. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  55. ^ "Cottle leaves big top behind". BBC. October 4, 2003. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  56. ^ "Gerry Cottle and Gerry Cottle Jr". Interview in The Sunday Times. May 1, 2005. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  57. ^ [1] Archived 2015-04-01 at the Wayback Machine
  58. ^ The Great American Royal Circus Archived 2011-01-28 at the Wayback Machine
  59. ^ The Bite-sized Circus
  60. ^ "Bienvenidos al Circo Prince". Archived from the original on 2013-07-13.
  61. ^ Great Bombay Circus
  62. ^ Kannadasan, Akila. "The circus comes to town". The Hindu. July 18, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  63. ^ "Great Royal Circus begins soon". The Times of India. March 24, 2004. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  64. ^ Hippodrome Circus
  65. ^ "Bullen's circus". Barrier Daily Truth. Vol. XLII, no. 13, 098. New South Wales, Australia. 24 February 1950. p. 6. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  66. ^ Hamid Circus
  67. ^ ISU Gamma Phi Circus
  68. ^ Fawad Ali Shah. "Female artists perform at Janbaz Circus in Peshawar after 5 years". Daily Times. June 04, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  69. ^ LeRae Haynes. "Elephant protest grows in Williams Lake". Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine Welcome to Williams Lake. 4 August 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  70. ^ Jordan World Circus
  71. ^ "Jumbo Circus hits Bangalore after six years". Thaindian News. January 10, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  72. ^ Bindu Shajan Perappadan. "Good old Jumbo Circus is back to enthral Delhiites". The Hindu. September 30, 2004. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  73. ^ "Kelly Miller Circus is coming to town today". South Coast Today. June 26, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  74. ^ Kinoshita Circus
  75. ^ Long Shadow Stilt Theatre Archived 2011-02-07 at the Wayback Machine
  76. ^ Loomis Bros. Circus
  77. ^ Lost in Translation Circus
  78. ^ "Lucky Irani Circus". Archived from the original on 2010-04-12. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  79. ^ "Midnight Circus in the Parks".
  80. ^ Karina Ioffee (21 January 1999). "Big-Top Pickle". Metro Santa Cruz. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  81. ^ Claudette Vaughan. Robert Perry Interviewed: "Perry's Circus Is In Town". Archived 2007-10-16 at archive.today
  82. ^ "Perry Bros Circus". Archived from the original on 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  83. ^ Robie, Frank (May 23, 1983). "East Coast News" (PDF). The Circus Report. 12 (11): 8 – via circushistory.org.
  84. ^ Stilt Circus: Media/Press Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
  85. ^ Kimberly Kapilovic (17 October 2012). "The Taylor family is a real family circus in Arizona". abc15.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  86. ^ Tom Duffy's Circus
  87. ^ Travelling Light Circus
  88. ^ "Find Your Fun".
  89. ^ "Interview with Vau de Vire Society's Mike Gaines". CultureFlux. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  90. ^ Circus Gerbola
  91. ^ Will-o'-the-Wisp Circus and Fire Performances
  92. ^ Zippos Circus
  93. ^ Zirka Circus
  94. ^ "Home - Zoppé - an Italian Family Circus since 1842".