Claim profile
1500–1599

The 16th century

Whose working lives fell in the 16th century. Books are measured from 1800 and readers from 2015, so for this period we can say who lived then, not who was talked about then.

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 16th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇪🇸 Spain🇫🇷 France🇯🇵 Japan🇩🇪 Germany🇮🇹 Italy🇹🇷 Turkey🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇸🇪 Sweden🇨🇭 Switzerland🇮🇳 India
FieldAllHistorical FiguresWritersPoliticiansArtistsAcademicsReligious FiguresMusiciansScientistsModelsActors
  1. 1Hans SachsHans Sachs1494–1576 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  2. 2Götz von BerlichingenGötz von Berlichingen1480–1562 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers12 decades
  3. 3Johannes AventinusJohannes Aventinus1477–1534 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  4. 4Johannes PfefferkornJohannes Pfefferkorn1469–1523 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers7 decades
  5. 5Sebastian FranckSebastian Franck1499–1542 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers19 decades
  6. 6ELElia Levita1469–1549 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  7. 7Ubbo EmmiusUbbo Emmius1547–1625 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  8. 8Rudolph GocleniusRudolph Goclenius1547–1628 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  9. 9Johann FischartJohann Fischart1546–1590 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers20 decades
  10. 10Thomas MurnerThomas Murner1475–1537 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  11. 11Elisabeth of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brunswick-Calenberg-GöttingenElisabeth of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brunswick-Calenberg-Göttingen1510–1558 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers6 decades
  12. 12Paulus Hector MairPaulus Hector Mair1517–1579 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  13. 13Caspar PeucerCaspar Peucer1525–1602 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  14. 14Wilhelm XylanderWilhelm Xylander1532–1576 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers1 decades
  15. 15Gregor ReischGregor Reisch1467–1525 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  16. 16Argula von GrumbachArgula von Grumbach1492–1554 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers10 decades
  17. 17Georg FabriciusGeorg Fabricius1516–1571 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  18. 18GWGeorg Wickram1505–1562 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers16 decades
  19. 19Jan GruterJan Gruter1560–1627 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  20. 20Paul SperatusPaul Speratus1484–1551 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers21 decades
  21. 21David ChytraeusDavid Chytraeus1531–1600 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers18 decades
  22. 22Martin CrusiusMartin Crusius1526–1607 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers1 decades
  23. 23Caritas PirckheimerCaritas Pirckheimer1467–1532 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers7 decades
  24. 24Elisabeth CrucigerElisabeth Cruciger1500–1535 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  25. 25Günther XLI, Count of Schwarzburg-ArnstadtGünther XLI, Count of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt1529–1583 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers1 decades
  26. 26Helius Eobanus HessusHelius Eobanus Hessus1488–1540 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  27. 27JWJohann Wilhelm von Fürstenberg1500–1568 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  28. 28Caspar CreuzigerCaspar Creuziger1504–1548 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  29. 29JGJohann Gramann1487–1541 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  30. 30Johann Pistorius the YoungerJohann Pistorius the Younger1546–1608 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  31. 31Heinrich BebelHeinrich Bebel1472–1518 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  32. 32Cyriacus SpangenbergCyriacus Spangenberg1528–1604 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers19 decades
  33. 33LeunclaviusLeunclavius1533–1592 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers10 decades
  34. 34Konrad MutianKonrad Mutian1470–1526 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers16 decades
  35. 35HVHeinrich von Stadenborn 1542 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  36. 36KVKarl von Miltitz1490–1529 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers11 decades
  37. 37Veit DietrichVeit Dietrich1506–1549 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  38. 38Georg MajorGeorg Major1502–1574 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  39. 39Lazarus SpenglerLazarus Spengler1479–1534 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers21 decades
  40. 40Prince Ferdinand of BavariaPrince Ferdinand of Bavaria1550–1608 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  41. 41Martin MollerMartin Moller1547–1606 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers7 decades
  42. 42Ludwig HelmboldLudwig Helmbold1532–1598 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers2 decades
  43. 43Caspar HedioCaspar Hedio1494–1552 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers12 decades
  44. 44VAValens Acidalius1567–1595 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  45. 45Valerius HerbergerValerius Herberger1562–1627 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers15 decades
  46. 46Laurentius SuriusLaurentius Surius1522–1578 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  47. 47JMJohannes Murmellius1480–1517 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  48. 48Jakob AyrerJakob Ayrer1543–1605 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers20 decades
  49. 49COCatharine of Nassau-Dillenburg1543–1624 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  50. 50ARAdam Reißner1500–1572 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers1 decades
  51. 51Friedrich DedekindFriedrich Dedekind1525–1598 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers1 decades
  52. 52JBJoachim Burmeister1564–1629 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  53. 53TKThomas Kantzow1505–1542 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  54. 54Ambrosius LobwasserAmbrosius Lobwasser1515–1585 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers9 decades
  55. 55Petrus Lotichius SecundusPetrus Lotichius Secundus1528–1560 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  56. 56Froben Christoph von ZimmernFroben Christoph von Zimmern1519–1566 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  57. 57LDLucas David1503–1583 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers14 decades
  58. 58Sebastian Schertlin von BurtenbachSebastian Schertlin von Burtenbach1496–1577 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  59. 59Michael HeldingMichael Helding1506–1561 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers14 decades
  60. 60BRBartholomäus Ringwaldt1530–1599 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers1 decades
  61. 61Joos de DamhouderJoos de Damhouder1507–1581 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  62. 62MRMatthew Rader1561–1634 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  63. 63Hermann von WeinsbergHermann von Weinsberg1518–1597 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  64. 64Petrus AlbinusPetrus Albinus1543–1598 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  65. 65AVAdam von Bodenstein1528–1577 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  66. 66Konrad HubertKonrad Hubert1507–1577 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  67. 67JAJohann Albrecht Widmannstetter1506–1557 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  68. 68Christoph BrouwerChristoph Brouwer1559–1617 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  69. 69Kaspar UlenbergKaspar Ulenberg1549–1617 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  70. 70NeocorusNeocorus1550–1630 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  71. 71Aegidius AlbertinusAegidius Albertinus1560–1620 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers12 decades
  72. 72PHPaul Hentzner1558–1623 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  73. 73TNThomas Naogeorgus1508–1563 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  74. 74CKChristoph Knoll1563–1630 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  75. 75LFLorenz Fries1489–1550 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  76. 76Matthaeus DresserMatthaeus Dresser1536–1607 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  77. 77Hermann von BrüggeneiHermann von Brüggenei1475–1549 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  78. 78BWBurkhard Waldis1490–1556 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  79. 79Johann WolffJohann Wolff1537–1600 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  80. 80Andreas AngelusAndreas Angelus1561–1598 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  81. 81FIFranciscus Irenicus1495–1553 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  82. 82JKJohannes Kolrose1487–1560 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  83. 83PLPhilip Lonicer1532–1599 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—
  84. 84GTGeorg Thym1520–1560 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writersnot measured—

How this is measured

  • Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
  • Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
  • Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
  • What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.