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. 1Nicolaus CopernicusNicolaus Copernicus1473–1543 · Academics8 decades
  2. 2Giordano BrunoGiordano Bruno1548–1600 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics22 decades
  3. 3NostradamusNostradamus1503–1566 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics22 decades
  4. 4John CalvinJohn Calvin1509–1564 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics22 decades
  5. 5Huldrych ZwingliHuldrych Zwingli1484–1531 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Academics9 decades
  6. 6Francis BaconFrancis Bacon1561–1626 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  7. 7Gerardus MercatorGerardus Mercator1512–1594 · Academics0 decades
  8. 8Wang YangmingWang Yangming1472–1529 · 🇨🇳 China · Academics8 decades
  9. 9Jean BodinJean Bodin1530–1596 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics22 decades
  10. 10Katharina von BoraKatharina von Bora1499–1552 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics21 decades
  11. 11John DeeJohn Dee1527–1609 · Academics22 decades
  12. 12Gerolamo CardanoGerolamo Cardano1501–1576 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics19 decades
  13. 13Francysk SkarynaFrancysk Skaryna1486–1541 · Academics16 decades
  14. 14Ulrich von HuttenUlrich von Hutten1488–1523 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  15. 15John NapierJohn Napier1550–1617 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  16. 16Francisco de VitoriaFrancisco de Vitoria1480–1546 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics21 decades
  17. 17François VièteFrançois Viète1540–1603 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  18. 18William TyndaleWilliam Tyndale1494–1536 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics21 decades
  19. 19Niccolò Fontana TartagliaNiccolò Fontana Tartaglia1499–1557 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics22 decades
  20. 20Judah Loew ben BezalelJudah Loew ben Bezalel1520–1609 · Academics0 decades
  21. 21Bernardino de SahagúnBernardino de Sahagún1499–1590 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics14 decades
  22. 22Menno SimonsMenno Simons1496–1561 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Academics18 decades
  23. 23Johann TetzelJohann Tetzel1465–1519 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics20 decades
  24. 24Martin BucerMartin Bucer1491–1551 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  25. 25Simon StevinSimon Stevin1548–1620 · Academics20 decades
  26. 26Guillaume BudéGuillaume Budé1467–1540 · Academics1 decades
  27. 27Theodore BezaTheodore Beza1519–1605 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics21 decades
  28. 28John of LeidenJohn of Leiden1509–1536 · Academics0 decades
  29. 29Sebastian MünsterSebastian Münster1488–1552 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  30. 30Juan Luis VivesJuan Luis Vives1492–1540 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics6 decades
  31. 31Johannes BugenhagenJohannes Bugenhagen1485–1558 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics18 decades
  32. 32Georg Joachim RheticusGeorg Joachim Rheticus1514–1574 · Academics4 decades
  33. 33Adam RiesAdam Ries1492–1559 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics7 decades
  34. 34Li ZhiLi Zhi1527–1602 · Academicsnot measured—
  35. 35Ludolph van CeulenLudolph van Ceulen1540–1610 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  36. 36Mikael AgricolaMikael Agricola1510–1557 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Academics1 decades
  37. 37Johann EckJohann Eck1486–1543 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  38. 38Petrus RamusPetrus Ramus1515–1572 · Academics9 decades
  39. 39Paolo SarpiPaolo Sarpi1552–1623 · Academics22 decades
  40. 40Andreas KarlstadtAndreas Karlstadt1486–1541 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  41. 41Étienne DoletÉtienne Dolet1509–1546 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  42. 42Henry BriggsHenry Briggs1561–1630 · Academics17 decades
  43. 43Jacobus ArminiusJacobus Arminius1560–1609 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Academics0 decades
  44. 44Taqi al-Din Muhammad ibn Ma'rufTaqi al-Din Muhammad ibn Ma'ruf1526–1580 · Academicsnot measured—
  45. 45Thomas of VillanovaThomas of Villanova1488–1555 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics22 decades
  46. 46Johannes AlthusiusJohannes Althusius1557–1638 · Academics14 decades
  47. 47Blaise de VigenèreBlaise de Vigenère1523–1596 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  48. 48VallabhaVallabha1479–1531 · 🇮🇳 India · Academics16 decades
  49. 49Luis de MolinaLuis de Molina1535–1600 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics22 decades
  50. 50Robert RecordeRobert Recorde1510–1558 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics5 decades
  51. 51Pedro NunesPedro Nunes1502–1578 · Academics0 decades
  52. 52Rafael BombelliRafael Bombelli1526–1572 · Academics0 decades
  53. 53Oronce FinéOronce Finé1494–1555 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics14 decades
  54. 54Thomas GreshamThomas Gresham1519–1579 · Academics22 decades
  55. 55Gemma FrisiusGemma Frisius1508–1555 · Academics7 decades
  56. 56Hugh LatimerHugh Latimer1485–1555 · Academics22 decades
  57. 57Isaac CasaubonIsaac Casaubon1559–1614 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics18 decades
  58. 58Yi IYi I1536–1584 · Academicsnot measured—
  59. 59Yi HwangYi Hwang1501–1570 · Academics0 decades
  60. 60Bernardino TelesioBernardino Telesio1509–1588 · Academics0 decades
  61. 61John FlorioJohn Florio1553–1625 · Academics22 decades
  62. 62Bahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilīBahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilī1547–1621 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Academicsnot measured—
  63. 63Bartolomeo EustachiBartolomeo Eustachi1500–1574 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0 decades
  64. 64Matrakçı NasuhMatrakçı Nasuh1480–1564 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Academics0 decades
  65. 65Lodovico FerrariLodovico Ferrari1522–1565 · Academics0 decades
  66. 66Francesco PatriziFrancesco Patrizi1529–1597 · Academics22 decades
  67. 67Petrus ApianusPetrus Apianus1495–1552 · Academics12 decades
  68. 68Moses IsserlesMoses Isserles1520–1572 · Academicsnot measured—
  69. 69Johannes OecolampadiusJohannes Oecolampadius1482–1531 · Academics0 decades
  70. 70Jost BürgiJost Bürgi1552–1632 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Academics0 decades
  71. 71Johann ArndtJohann Arndt1555–1621 · Academics21 decades
  72. 72SDScipione del Ferro1465–1526 · Academics0 decades
  73. 73Aloysius LiliusAloysius Lilius1510–1576 · Academics0 decades
  74. 74Mir DamadMir Damad1561–1631 · Academics0 decades
  75. 75Martin ChemnitzMartin Chemnitz1522–1586 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  76. 76Andrzej Frycz ModrzewskiAndrzej Frycz Modrzewski1503–1572 · Academics0 decades
  77. 77Johannes AgricolaJohannes Agricola1494–1566 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics9 decades
  78. 78Domingo de SotoDomingo de Soto1494–1560 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics22 decades
  79. 79Michael StifelMichael Stifel1487–1567 · Academics15 decades
  80. 80Philippe de MornayPhilippe de Mornay1549–1623 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics3 decades
  81. 81Andrea CesalpinoAndrea Cesalpino1524–1603 · Academics0 decades
  82. 82Pierre CharronPierre Charron1541–1603 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics1 decades
  83. 83Juan LatinoJuan Latino1516–1590 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics21 decades
  84. 84Martín de AzpilcuetaMartín de Azpilcueta1492–1586 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics1 decades
  85. 85Fujiwara SeikaFujiwara Seika1561–1619 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academics0 decades
  86. 86Cho KwangjoCho Kwangjo1482–1520 · Academics0 decades
  87. 87Bartolomé CarranzaBartolomé Carranza1503–1576 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics22 decades
  88. 88Melchor CanoMelchor Cano1509–1560 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics22 decades
  89. 89Ahmad SirhindiAhmad Sirhindi1564–1624 · Academics1 decades
  90. 90William PerkinsWilliam Perkins1558–1602 · Academics22 decades
  91. 91Alberico GentiliAlberico Gentili1552–1608 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics19 decades
  92. 92Ali al-QariAli al-Qaridied 1605 · Academics0 decades
  93. 93EknathEknath1533–1599 · Academicsnot measured—
  94. 94Realdo ColomboRealdo Colombo1516–1559 · Academics0 decades
  95. 95Daniele BarbaroDaniele Barbaro1513–1570 · Academics22 decades
  96. 96Francesco MaurolicoFrancesco Maurolico1494–1575 · Academics0 decades
  97. 97Michael SattlerMichael Sattler1490–1527 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics7 decades
  98. 98Hector BoeceHector Boece1465–1536 · Academics17 decades
  99. 99Francisco SanchesFrancisco Sanches1550–1623 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics0 decades
  100. 100Rupa GoswamiRupa Goswami1489–1564 · Academics0 decades

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.