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.
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Echoed
- 1
Hernán Cortés1485–1547 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 2
Francisco Pizarro1478–1541 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 3
Joanna of Castile1479–1555 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures3 decades - 4
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Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor1503–1564 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades - 5
Juan Sebastián Elcano1486–1526 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures14 decades - 6
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Vasco Núñez de Balboa1475–1519 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures19 decades - 7
Hernando de Soto1500–1542 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 8
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Pedro de Alvarado1486–1541 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 9
Diego de Almagro1475–1538 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 10
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca1485–1559 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures8 decades - 11
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Maria of Aragon, Queen of Portugal1482–1517 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 12
Bernal Díaz del Brawl1492–1584 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 13
Miguel López de Legazpi1502–1572 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures14 decades - 14
Francisco Vázquez de Coronado1510–1554 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures14 decades - 15
Juan Díaz de Solís1470–1516 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures15 decades - 16
Pedro de Mendoza1487–1537 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades - 17
Catherine of Austria, Queen of Portugal1507–1578 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades - 18
Sebastián de Belalcázar1480–1551 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures15 decades - 19
Gonzalo Pizarro1502–1548 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 20
Andrés de Urdaneta1498–1568 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures19 decades - 21
Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira1542–1595 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures4 decades - 22
Ferdinand Columbus1488–1539 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures15 decades - 23
Francisco Hernández de Cordoba1475–1518 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures16 decades - 24
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Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa1530–1592 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures21 decades - 25
Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada1509–1579 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades - 26
Pedro Menéndez de Avilés1519–1574 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures13 decades - 27
Pedro Cieza de León1518–1554 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures14 decades - 28
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Jerónimo de Aguilar1489–1531 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures19 decades - 29
Gonzalo Guerrero1470–1536 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures21 decades - 30
Juan de Oñate1550–1626 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 31DDDiego de Almagro II1520–1542 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures11 decades
- 32
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Hernando Pizarro1502–1578 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 33
Aben Humeya1520–1569 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures3 decades - 34
Sebastián Vizcaíno1548–1623 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures14 decades - 35
Francisco Hernández de Córdoba Brito del Socorro y Nazareno1475–1526 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures16 decades - 36GJGarcía Jofre de Loaysa1490–1526 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures8 decades
- 37
Nikolaus Federmann1501–1542 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures11 decades - 38
Francisco de Montejo y León1479–1553 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 39GDGaspar de Carvajal1504–1584 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures20 decades
- 40
Pedro de Ursúa1526–1561 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures19 decades - 41
Álvaro de Saavedra1500–1529 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades - 42
Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo, 4th Duke of Alba1537–1585 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 43JPJuan Pizarro1511–1536 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades
- 44
Nuño de Guzmán1490–1544 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures15 decades - 45
Pedro de Heredia1505–1554 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 46JFJuan Fernández1529–1602 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades
- 47
Gil González Dávila1480–1526 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 48
Francisco de Aguirre1507–1581 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 49
Juan de Salazar de Espinosa1508–1560 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures2 decades - 50
Ñuflo de Chaves1518–1568 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures11 decades - 51PDPascual de Andagoya1498–1548 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures21 decades
- 52
Francisco de Ulloa1501–1540 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures20 decades - 53
Francisco de Villagra1511–1563 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures21 decades - 54JDJuan de Ayolas1500–1537 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures21 decades
- 55RDRodrigo de Vivero y Aberrucia1564–1636 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades
- 56FDFrancisco de Hoces1500–1526 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures11 decades
- 57YOYñigo Ortiz de Retezdied 1545 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades
- 58
Rodrigo de Quiroga1512–1580 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures20 decades - 59
Diego de Losada1511–1569 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures20 decades - 60
Hernando de Alarcón1500–1542 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures14 decades - 61MCMartín Cortés, 2nd Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca1532–1589 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades
- 62
Francisco de Garay1475–1523 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 63
Juan de Esquivel1480–1513 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures19 decades - 64JGJuan González de Mendoza1545–1618 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures15 decades
- 65
João Serrão1500–1521 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 66
Francisco de Ibarra1539–1575 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 67
Francisco Fajardo1524–1564 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures21 decades - 68
Tristán de Luna y Arellano1510–1573 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures9 decades - 69
Juan Ladrillero1495–1582 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures19 decades - 70MDMartin de Goiti1549–1574 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures3 decades
- 71
Luis de Mendoza1500–1520 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures22 decades - 72
Melchor Bravo de Saravia1512–1577 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures14 decades - 73Martín Ruiz de Gamboa1533–1590 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures14 decades
- 74
Antón de Alaminos1482–1600 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures16 decades - 75
Diego de Rojas1500–1544 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures21 decades - 76BDBernardo de la Torre1500–1545 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures20 decades
- 77FXFortún Ximénezdied 1533 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures8 decades
- 78
Gaspar de Espinosa1484–1537 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 79
Pedro de Villagra1513–1577 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures17 decades - 80
Juan Martínez de Ampiés1500–1533 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 81GDGaspar de Quesada1500–1520 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 82BRBlas Ruizdied 1598 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 83
Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, 1st Count of Melitodied 1536 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 84
Pedro Afán de Ribera1509–1571 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 85
Alonso de Sotomayor1545–1610 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 86ADAntonio de Espejo1540–1585 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 87
Pedro de Candia1492–1542 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 88PMPedro Mariño de Lobera1528–1594 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 89
Jerónimo de Alderete1518–1556 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 90JDJorge de Alvarado1490–1540 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 91EPEl Palentino1520–1581 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures5 decades
- 92
Sebastián Ramírez de Fuenleal1490–1547 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 93FFFrancisco Fernández de la Cueva, 2nd Duke of Alburquerque1467–1526 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 94GDGonzalo de Mendozadied 1558 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 95
Melchor Díaz1500–1541 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 96
Gaspar de Rodas1520–1606 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 97DMDiego Méndez de Segura1475–1536 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 98APAlfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 5th Duke of Medina Sidonia1500–1549 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 99
Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá1555–1620 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figuresnot 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.