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. 1Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina1525–1594 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians16 decades
  2. 2Tomás Luis de VictoriaTomás Luis de Victoria1548–1611 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Musicians14 decades
  3. 3Orlande de LassusOrlande de Lassus1532–1594 · Musicians3 decades
  4. 4Thomas TallisThomas Tallis1505–1585 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians9 decades
  5. 5John DowlandJohn Dowland1563–1626 · Musicians13 decades
  6. 6William ByrdWilliam Byrd1543–1623 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians22 decades
  7. 7GGGiovanni Gabrieli1557–1612 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians17 decades
  8. 8Jacopo PeriJacopo Peri1561–1633 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians22 decades
  9. 9Jan Pieterszoon SweelinckJan Pieterszoon Sweelinck1562–1621 · Musicians0 decades
  10. 10Giulio CacciniGiulio Caccini1551–1618 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians22 decades
  11. 11Vincenzo GalileiVincenzo Galilei1520–1591 · Musicians22 decades
  12. 12CJClément Janequin1485–1558 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians10 decades
  13. 13Hans Leo HasslerHans Leo Hassler1564–1612 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians12 decades
  14. 14Adrian WillaertAdrian Willaert1480–1562 · Musicians0 decades
  15. 15Gioseffo ZarlinoGioseffo Zarlino1517–1590 · Musicians17 decades
  16. 16Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich of RussiaTsarevich Ivan Ivanovich of Russia1554–1582 · Musiciansnot measured—
  17. 17Thomas MorleyThomas Morley1559–1602 · Musicians22 decades
  18. 18Barbara BlombergBarbara Blomberg1527–1597 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians13 decades
  19. 19AnacaonaAnacaona1474–1504 · Musicians12 decades
  20. 20John BullJohn Bull1562–1628 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians22 decades
  21. 21David RizzioDavid Rizzio1533–1566 · Musicians11 decades
  22. 22TansenTansen1493–1589 · Musicians7 decades
  23. 23JAJacques Arcadelt1507–1568 · Musicians1 decades
  24. 24John TavernerJohn Taverner1490–1545 · Musicians3 decades
  25. 25AGAndrea Gabrieli1533–1585 · Musicians18 decades
  26. 26Ğazı II GirayĞazı II Giray1551–1608 · Musiciansnot measured—
  27. 27Margaret RoperMargaret Roper1505–1544 · Musicians14 decades
  28. 28Luca MarenzioLuca Marenzio1553–1599 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians19 decades
  29. 29Hayyim ben Joseph VitalHayyim ben Joseph Vital1542–1620 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Musicians22 decades
  30. 30Cipriano de RoreCipriano de Rore1515–1565 · Musicians14 decades
  31. 31Francesco Canova da MilanoFrancesco Canova da Milano1497–1543 · Musicians19 decades
  32. 32Purandara DasaPurandara Dasa1470–1564 · 🇮🇳 India · Musicians0 decades
  33. 33Maddalena CasulanaMaddalena Casulana1535–1590 · Musicians0 decades
  34. 34Tielman SusatoTielman Susato1500–1570 · Musicians0 decades
  35. 35Francisco GuerreroFrancisco Guerrero1528–1599 · Musicians22 decades
  36. 36MSMark Smeaton1512–1536 · Musicians3 decades
  37. 37Emilio de' CavalieriEmilio de' Cavalieri1550–1602 · Musicians13 decades
  38. 38Antonio de CabezahuecaAntonio de Cabezahueca1510–1566 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Musicians12 decades
  39. 39Kanaka DasaKanaka Dasa1509–1609 · Musicians0 decades
  40. 40Jacobus GallusJacobus Gallus1550–1591 · Musicians5 decades
  41. 41JCJacob Clemens non Papa1510–1555 · Musicians0 decades
  42. 42NGNicolas Gombert1495–1560 · Musicians0 decades
  43. 43Claudio MeruloClaudio Merulo1533–1604 · Musicians17 decades
  44. 44Ludwig SenflLudwig Senfl1486–1543 · Musicians16 decades
  45. 45Nicola VicentinoNicola Vicentino1511–1576 · Musicians19 decades
  46. 46PAPierre Attaingnant1494–1552 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians8 decades
  47. 47Claude GoudimelClaude Goudimel1505–1572 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians17 decades
  48. 48JWJohann Walter1496–1570 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians20 decades
  49. 49Veit BachVeit Bach1550–1600 · Musicians1 decades
  50. 50Claude Le JeuneClaude Le Jeune1528–1600 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians10 decades
  51. 51Diego OrtizDiego Ortiz1510–1570 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Musicians22 decades
  52. 52Philipp NicolaiPhilipp Nicolai1556–1608 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians18 decades
  53. 53Luzzasco LuzzaschiLuzzasco Luzzaschi1545–1607 · Musicians9 decades
  54. 54GDGiaches de Wert1535–1596 · Musicians0 decades
  55. 55LDLuis de Narváez1490–1552 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Musicians13 decades
  56. 56AMAlonso Mudarra1510–1580 · Musicians4 decades
  57. 57LDLuis de Milán1500–1561 · Musicians2 decades
  58. 58CDClaudin de Sermisy1490–1562 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians4 decades
  59. 59Louis BourgeoisLouis Bourgeois1510–1560 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians12 decades
  60. 60Philippe de MontePhilippe de Monte1521–1603 · Musicians0 decades
  61. 61MFMateo Flecha1481–1553 · Musicians0 decades
  62. 62Orazio VecchiOrazio Vecchi1550–1605 · Musicians22 decades
  63. 63Philippe VerdelotPhilippe Verdelotdied 1552 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians0 decades
  64. 64Giovanni ArtusiGiovanni Artusi1540–1613 · Musicians2 decades
  65. 65LGLodovico Grossi da Viadana1560–1627 · Musicians0 decades
  66. 66Johann CochlaeusJohann Cochlaeus1479–1552 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians12 decades
  67. 67ASAlessandro Striggio1540–1592 · Musicians14 decades
  68. 68Wacław of SzamotułyWacław of Szamotuły1520–1560 · Musiciansnot measured—
  69. 69Christopher TyeChristopher Tye1505–1573 · Musicians0 decades
  70. 70MAMartin Agricola1486–1556 · Musicians13 decades
  71. 71Bálint BakfarkBálint Bakfark1507–1576 · Musicians0 decades
  72. 72BTBartolomeo Tromboncino1470–1535 · Musicians11 decades
  73. 73Mikołaj GomółkaMikołaj Gomółka1535–1609 · Musicians0 decades
  74. 74Peter PhilipsPeter Philips1561–1628 · Musicians0 decades
  75. 75MIMarc'Antonio Ingegneri1535–1592 · Musicians3 decades
  76. 76Hans NeusidlerHans Neusidler1508–1563 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  77. 77Giovanni Giacomo GastoldiGiovanni Giacomo Gastoldi1555–1609 · Musicians2 decades
  78. 78SRSilvia Ruffini1475–1561 · Musiciansnot measured—
  79. 79Agostino VenezianoAgostino Venezianoborn 1490 · Musicians0 decades
  80. 80Richard EdwardesRichard Edwardes1525–1566 · Musicians0 decades
  81. 81Balthasar de BeaujoyeulxBalthasar de Beaujoyeulx1535–1587 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians0 decades
  82. 82Silvestro Ganassi dal FontegoSilvestro Ganassi dal Fontego1492–1550 · Musicians2 decades
  83. 83Jean TitelouzeJean Titelouze1563–1633 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians2 decades
  84. 84JSJohn Sheppard1515–1558 · Musicians18 decades
  85. 85Alonso LoboAlonso Lobo1555–1617 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Musicians11 decades
  86. 86Anthony HolborneAnthony Holborne1545–1602 · Musicians0 decades
  87. 87Sethus CalvisiusSethus Calvisius1556–1615 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians12 decades
  88. 88Vicente LusitanoVicente Lusitano1520–1561 · Musicians0 decades
  89. 89SBSunan Bonang1465–1525 · Musicians0 decades
  90. 90GBGiovanni Bassano1558–1617 · Musicians0 decades
  91. 91GFGiles Farnaby1563–1640 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians0 decades
  92. 92Felice AnerioFelice Anerio1560–1614 · Musicians0 decades
  93. 93GCGiovanni Croce1557–1609 · Musicians17 decades
  94. 94Costanzo FestaCostanzo Festa1490–1545 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades
  95. 95Thomas CrecquillonThomas Crecquillon1505–1557 · Musicians0 decades
  96. 96Mikołaj ZieleńskiMikołaj Zieleński1550–1615 · Musiciansnot measured—
  97. 97Tarquinia MolzaTarquinia Molza1542–1617 · Musicians21 decades
  98. 98Pierre CertonPierre Certon1515–1572 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians5 decades
  99. 99GDGirolamo Diruta1554–1610 · Musicians10 decades
  100. 100Francisco de SalinasFrancisco de Salinas1513–1590 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Musicians0 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.