Claim profile
1600–1699

The 17th century

Whose working lives fell in the 17th 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 17th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇯🇵 Japan🇹🇷 Turkey🇳🇱 Netherlands🇪🇸 Spain🇮🇹 Italy🇸🇪 Sweden🇨🇳 China
FieldAllWritersPoliticiansHistorical FiguresArtistsAcademicsScientistsMusiciansReligious FiguresActorsModels
  1. 1Johannes KeplerJohannes Kepler1571–1630 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics18 decades
  2. 2Jakob BöhmeJakob Böhme1575–1624 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  3. 3Athanasius KircherAthanasius Kircher1602–1680 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics21 decades
  4. 4Paul GerhardtPaul Gerhardt1607–1676 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics20 decades
  5. 5Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-KasselCharles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1654–1730 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  6. 6Johann GerhardJohann Gerhard1582–1637 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  7. 7Jakob ThomasiusJakob Thomasius1622–1684 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  8. 8Erhard WeigelErhard Weigel1625–1699 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics20 decades
  9. 9Johannes CocceiusJohannes Cocceius1603–1669 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  10. 10Otto MenckeOtto Mencke1644–1707 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  11. 11Hermann ConringHermann Conring1606–1681 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  12. 12JAJohann Andreas Eisenmenger1654–1704 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics2 decades
  13. 13Johann FaulhaberJohann Faulhaber1580–1635 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics1 decades
  14. 14Gaspar SchottGaspar Schott1608–1666 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics4 decades
  15. 15Johann ZahnJohann Zahn1641–1707 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  16. 16Georg CalixtusGeorg Calixtus1586–1656 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  17. 17Georg Christoph EimmartGeorg Christoph Eimmart1638–1705 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  18. 18Veit Ludwig von SeckendorffVeit Ludwig von Seckendorff1626–1692 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics9 decades
  19. 19Johannes ClaubergJohannes Clauberg1622–1665 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  20. 20JMJohann Michael Vansleb1635–1679 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  21. 21Benedikt CarpzovBenedikt Carpzov1595–1666 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  22. 22Philip III, Landgrave of Hesse-ButzbachPhilip III, Landgrave of Hesse-Butzbach1581–1643 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  23. 23Joseph FurttenbachJoseph Furttenbach1591–1667 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics5 decades
  24. 24JGJohann Georg Gichtel1638–1710 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  25. 25Johannes Andreas QuenstedtJohannes Andreas Quenstedt1617–1688 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  26. 26Johann Friedrich GronoviusJohann Friedrich Gronovius1611–1671 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  27. 27PVPhilipp von Hörnigk1640–1714 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  28. 28MKMatthias Knutzen1646–1674 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  29. 29Abraham ScultetusAbraham Scultetus1566–1625 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics6 decades
  30. 30Johann Jacob ZimmermannJohann Jacob Zimmermann1644–1693 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  31. 31Johann Georg GraeviusJohann Georg Graevius1632–1703 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  32. 32Prince August of SaxonyPrince August of Saxony1589–1615 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  33. 33Daniel CramerDaniel Cramer1568–1637 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  34. 34Ulrik HuberUlrik Huber1636–1694 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  35. 35Johann Wilhelm BaierJohann Wilhelm Baier1647–1695 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  36. 36Adam TannerAdam Tanner1572–1632 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  37. 37Matthias BerneggerMatthias Bernegger1582–1640 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  38. 38Daniel SchwenterDaniel Schwenter1585–1636 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  39. 39Hermann von der HardtHermann von der Hardt1660–1746 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  40. 40Johann Christoph WichmannshausenJohann Christoph Wichmannshausen1663–1727 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  41. 41DDDavid Denicke1603–1680 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  42. 42Valentin AlbertiValentin Alberti1635–1697 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  43. 43Andreas AcoluthAndreas Acoluth1654–1704 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  44. 44Johannes MusaeusJohannes Musaeus1613–1681 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  45. 45Georg Adam StruveGeorg Adam Struve1619–1692 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  46. 46Johannes MejerJohannes Mejer1606–1674 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  47. 47Abraham HinckelmannAbraham Hinckelmann1652–1695 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  48. 48Konrad Victor SchneiderKonrad Victor Schneider1614–1680 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  49. 49August BuchnerAugust Buchner1591–1661 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  50. 50PLPaul Laymann1574–1635 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  51. 51Laurentius EichstadiusLaurentius Eichstadius1596–1660 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  52. 52MGMarquard Gude1635–1689 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  53. 53Gabriel WagnerGabriel Wagner1660–1717 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  54. 54ATAndreas Tscherning1611–1659 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  55. 55Benedict CarpzovBenedict Carpzov1565–1624 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  56. 56Jakob MartiniJakob Martini1570–1649 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  57. 57Theodor von ReinkingkTheodor von Reinkingk1590–1664 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  58. 58Johann SperlingJohann Sperling1603–1658 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  59. 59Ernst SonerErnst Soner1572–1612 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  60. 60Johann DeutschmannJohann Deutschmann1625–1706 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  61. 61Johann Ernst GerhardJohann Ernst Gerhard1621–1668 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  62. 62JRJulius Reichelt1637–1719 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  63. 63Theophil GroßgebauerTheophil Großgebauer1627–1661 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  64. 64Christoph ScheiblerChristoph Scheibler1589–1653 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  65. 65GSGeorg Stengel1584–1651 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  66. 66Friedemann BechmannFriedemann Bechmann1628–1703 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  67. 67DGDavid Gregor Corner1587–1648 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  68. 68Abraham HeidanusAbraham Heidanus1597–1678 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  69. 69Lorenz BegerLorenz Beger1653–1705 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  70. 70JKJacob Keller1568–1631 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  71. 71David ChristianiDavid Christiani1610–1688 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  72. 72Hector Gottfried MasiusHector Gottfried Masius1653–1709 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  73. 73JHJohannes Hancke1644–1713 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  74. 74Daniel ClasenDaniel Clasen1622–1678 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  75. 75Ludwig von HörnigkLudwig von Hörnigk1600–1667 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured—
  76. 76EVElias von Löwen1602–1661 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot 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.