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. 1Martin LutherMartin Luther1483–1546 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures22 decades
  2. 2ErasmusErasmus1466–1536 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  3. 3Ignatius of LoyolaIgnatius of Loyola1491–1556 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures22 decades
  4. 4Pope Leo XPope Leo X1475–1521 · Religious Figures22 decades
  5. 5Pope Paul IIIPope Paul III1468–1549 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  6. 6Pope Clement VIIPope Clement VII1478–1534 · Religious Figures22 decades
  7. 7Pope Sixtus VPope Sixtus V1521–1590 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  8. 8Pope Paul VPope Paul V1552–1621 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  9. 9Pope Gregory XIIIPope Gregory XIII1502–1585 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  10. 10Thomas MüntzerThomas Müntzer1489–1525 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures15 decades
  11. 11Pope Julius IIIPope Julius III1487–1555 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  12. 12Pope Pius VPope Pius V1504–1572 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures8 decades
  13. 13Pope Pius IVPope Pius IV1499–1565 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  14. 14Thomas WolseyThomas Wolsey1473–1530 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures21 decades
  15. 15Charles BorromeoCharles Borromeo1538–1584 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  16. 16Philip NeriPhilip Neri1515–1595 · Religious Figures22 decades
  17. 17Pope Marcellus IIPope Marcellus II1501–1555 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures19 decades
  18. 18Pope Urban VIIPope Urban VII1521–1590 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  19. 19Pope Leo XIPope Leo XI1535–1605 · Religious Figures0 decades
  20. 20Pope Paul IVPope Paul IV1476–1559 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures21 decades
  21. 21Pope Clement VIIIPope Clement VIII1536–1605 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures21 decades
  22. 22Aloysius GonzagaAloysius Gonzaga1568–1591 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  23. 23Thomas CranmerThomas Cranmer1489–1556 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures22 decades
  24. 24Robert BellarmineRobert Bellarmine1542–1621 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  25. 25Francisco SuárezFrancisco Suárez1548–1617 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures14 decades
  26. 26Pietro BemboPietro Bembo1470–1547 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  27. 27Pope Gregory XVPope Gregory XV1554–1623 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures6 decades
  28. 28YasukeYasukeborn 1555 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Religious Figures1 decades
  29. 29Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of TuscanyFerdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany1549–1609 · Religious Figures18 decades
  30. 30Pope Innocent IXPope Innocent IX1519–1591 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  31. 31Pope Gregory XIVPope Gregory XIV1535–1591 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  32. 32Joseph of AnchietaJoseph of Anchieta1534–1597 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures13 decades
  33. 33John of ÁvilaJohn of Ávila1499–1569 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures19 decades
  34. 34Peter CanisiusPeter Canisius1521–1597 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Religious Figures7 decades
  35. 35Reginald PoleReginald Pole1500–1558 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures22 decades
  36. 36Ruy López de SeguraRuy López de Segura1530–1580 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures0 decades
  37. 37Camillus de LellisCamillus de Lellis1550–1614 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  38. 38Federico BorromeoFederico Borromeo1564–1631 · Religious Figures22 decades
  39. 39John FisherJohn Fisher1469–1535 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures22 decades
  40. 40Henry I of PortugalHenry I of Portugal1512–1580 · 🇵🇹 Portugal · Religious Figures0 decades
  41. 41Albert of MainzAlbert of Mainz1490–1545 · Religious Figures0 decades
  42. 42Caesar BaroniusCaesar Baronius1538–1607 · Religious Figures22 decades
  43. 43Alessandro ValignanoAlessandro Valignano1539–1606 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures7 decades
  44. 44Peter FaberPeter Faber1506–1546 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures2 decades
  45. 45Juan de ZumárragaJuan de Zumárraga1468–1548 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures21 decades
  46. 46Thomas CajetanThomas Cajetan1469–1534 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  47. 47Saint CajetanSaint Cajetan1480–1547 · Religious Figures0 decades
  48. 48Diego de LandaDiego de Landa1524–1579 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures19 decades
  49. 49Alessandro FarneseAlessandro Farnese1520–1589 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  50. 50Joachim Frederick, Elector of BrandenburgJoachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg1546–1608 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures22 decades
  51. 51Paulo MikiPaulo Miki1564–1597 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  52. 52Charles, Cardinal de BourbonCharles, Cardinal de Bourbon1523–1590 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  53. 53Turibius of MongrovejoTuribius of Mongrovejo1538–1606 · Religious Figures21 decades
  54. 54Scipione RebibaScipione Rebiba1504–1577 · Religious Figures8 decades
  55. 55John George, Elector of BrandenburgJohn George, Elector of Brandenburg1525–1598 · Religious Figures22 decades
  56. 56Charles, Cardinal of LorraineCharles, Cardinal of Lorraine1524–1574 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  57. 57Gioffre BorgiaGioffre Borgia1481–1516 · Religious Figures0 decades
  58. 58Stephen GardinerStephen Gardiner1483–1555 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures22 decades
  59. 59Ippolito II d'EsteIppolito II d'Este1509–1572 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures19 decades
  60. 60Gerolamo EmilianiGerolamo Emiliani1486–1537 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  61. 61Francis CaraccioloFrancis Caracciolo1563–1608 · Religious Figures0 decades
  62. 62John William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-BergJohn William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg1562–1609 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures22 decades
  63. 63Diego LaynezDiego Laynez1512–1565 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures17 decades
  64. 64Ippolito d'EsteIppolito d'Este1479–1520 · Religious Figures0 decades
  65. 65Vasco de QuirogaVasco de Quiroga1470–1565 · Religious Figures22 decades
  66. 66Myles CoverdaleMyles Coverdale1488–1569 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures7 decades
  67. 67Jan ŁaskiJan Łaski1499–1560 · Religious Figures0 decades
  68. 68Hermogenes of MoscowHermogenes of Moscow1530–1612 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  69. 69Giovanni de' MediciGiovanni de' Medici1543–1562 · Religious Figures20 decades
  70. 70Alonso de AragónAlonso de Aragón1470–1520 · Religious Figures22 decades
  71. 71Ranuccio FarneseRanuccio Farnese1530–1565 · Religious Figures0 decades
  72. 72Antonio de MontesinosAntonio de Montesinos1475–1540 · Religious Figures11 decades
  73. 73Frederick JagiellonFrederick Jagiellon1468–1503 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  74. 74Fernando Niño de GuevaraFernando Niño de Guevara1541–1609 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures22 decades
  75. 75Andrew AvellinoAndrew Avellino1521–1608 · Religious Figures0 decades
  76. 76Tomás de BerlangaTomás de Berlanga1487–1551 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures17 decades
  77. 77JRJoão Rodrigues1558–1633 · Religious Figures0 decades
  78. 78Ernest of BavariaErnest of Bavaria1554–1612 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures19 decades
  79. 79Louis II of Lorraine, Cardinal of GuiseLouis II of Lorraine, Cardinal of Guise1555–1588 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures22 decades
  80. 80Claudio AcquavivaClaudio Acquaviva1543–1615 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures21 decades
  81. 81George AbbotGeorge Abbot1562–1633 · Religious Figures19 decades
  82. 82Pál TomoriPál Tomori1475–1526 · Religious Figures0 decades
  83. 83Innocenzo Ciocchi Del MonteInnocenzo Ciocchi Del Monte1532–1577 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  84. 84Melchior KleslMelchior Klesl1552–1630 · Religious Figures9 decades
  85. 85Simão RodriguesSimão Rodrigues1510–1579 · Religious Figures0 decades
  86. 86Bernardino RealinoBernardino Realino1530–1616 · Religious Figures0 decades
  87. 87Marco Antonio de DominisMarco Antonio de Dominis1560–1624 · Religious Figures0 decades
  88. 88PBPeter Binsfeld1545–1598 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures0 decades
  89. 89Michael RohozaMichael Rohoza1540–1599 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  90. 90Gebhard Truchsess of WaldburgGebhard Truchsess of Waldburg1547–1601 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  91. 91Nicolas of Lorraine, Duke of MercœurNicolas of Lorraine, Duke of Mercœur1524–1577 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures21 decades
  92. 92Henry GarnetHenry Garnet1555–1606 · Religious Figures8 decades
  93. 93Richard BancroftRichard Bancroft1544–1610 · Religious Figures11 decades
  94. 94Edmund GrindalEdmund Grindal1519–1583 · Religious Figures8 decades
  95. 95Innocenzo CyboInnocenzo Cybo1491–1550 · Religious Figures16 decades
  96. 96Francis of WaldeckFrancis of Waldeck1488–1553 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures19 decades
  97. 97GBGiovanni Borgia1498–1550 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures3 decades
  98. 98Ercole GonzagaErcole Gonzaga1505–1563 · Religious Figures22 decades
  99. 99Giulio Antonio SantorioGiulio Antonio Santorio1532–1602 · Religious Figures0 decades
  100. 100Matthew ParkerMatthew Parker1504–1575 · Religious Figures22 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.