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. 1JPJohann Pachelbel1653–1706 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians9 decades
  2. 2Dieterich BuxtehudeDieterich Buxtehude1637–1707 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians1 decades
  3. 3Heinrich SchützHeinrich Schütz1585–1672 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians20 decades
  4. 4Michael PraetoriusMichael Praetorius1571–1621 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians15 decades
  5. 5Joachim NeanderJoachim Neander1650–1680 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians14 decades
  6. 6Johann Ambrosius BachJohann Ambrosius Bach1645–1695 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  7. 7Johann Joseph FuxJohann Joseph Fux1660–1741 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians9 decades
  8. 8Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-KasselMaurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1572–1632 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  9. 9Samuel ScheidtSamuel Scheidt1587–1654 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians15 decades
  10. 10Georg MuffatGeorg Muffat1653–1704 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  11. 11GBGeorg Böhm1661–1733 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians17 decades
  12. 12Johann CrügerJohann Crüger1598–1662 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians10 decades
  13. 13Johann Hermann ScheinJohann Hermann Schein1586–1630 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians10 decades
  14. 14AWAndreas Werckmeister1645–1706 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians6 decades
  15. 15Johann Michael Bach IJohann Michael Bach I1648–1694 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians2 decades
  16. 16JRJohann Rosenmüller1619–1684 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians5 decades
  17. 17Johann Kaspar KerllJohann Kaspar Kerll1627–1693 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  18. 18Friedrich Wilhelm ZachowFriedrich Wilhelm Zachow1663–1712 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians3 decades
  19. 19JKJohann Krieger1651–1735 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians4 decades
  20. 20MWMatthias Weckmann1619–1674 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians7 decades
  21. 21John Adolphus I of Saxe-WeissenfelsJohn Adolphus I of Saxe-Weissenfels1649–1697 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  22. 22CBChristoph Bach1613–1661 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians17 decades
  23. 23Andreas HammerschmidtAndreas Hammerschmidt1611–1675 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians10 decades
  24. 24Johann SchopJohann Schop1590–1667 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians2 decades
  25. 25MFMelchior Franck1579–1639 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians12 decades
  26. 26JPJohann Paul von Westhoff1656–1705 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  27. 27JBJohannes Bach1604–1673 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians2 decades
  28. 28Johann Philipp KriegerJohann Philipp Krieger1649–1725 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians7 decades
  29. 29Eleonore Juliane of Brandenburg-AnsbachEleonore Juliane of Brandenburg-Ansbach1663–1724 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  30. 30Johann TheileJohann Theile1646–1724 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians5 decades
  31. 31Melchior VulpiusMelchior Vulpius1570–1615 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  32. 32CDChristoph Demantius1567–1643 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  33. 33Adam KriegerAdam Krieger1634–1666 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians11 decades
  34. 34Johann StadenJohann Staden1581–1634 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians6 decades
  35. 35JCJohann Christoph Bach II1645–1693 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians11 decades
  36. 36JCJohann Christoph Pezel1639–1694 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  37. 37JRJohann Rudolph Ahle1625–1673 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  38. 38Erdmuthe Sophie of SaxonyErdmuthe Sophie of Saxony1644–1670 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  39. 39JJJohann Jakob Walther1650–1717 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  40. 40Michael AltenburgMichael Altenburg1584–1640 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians1 decades
  41. 41JPJacob Praetorius1586–1651 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  42. 42TBThomas Baltzar1630–1663 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  43. 43Johann Valentin MederJohann Valentin Meder1649–1719 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  44. 44Clamor Heinrich AbelClamor Heinrich Abel1634–1696 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  45. 45Sebastian KnüpferSebastian Knüpfer1633–1676 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  46. 46JAJohann Aegidius Bach1645–1716 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  47. 47DBDietrich Becker1623–1679 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  48. 48KFKaspar Förster1616–1673 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  49. 49CFChristian Friedrich Witt1660–1717 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  50. 50FXFranz Xaver Murschhauser1663–1738 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  51. 51Johann Georg EbelingJohann Georg Ebeling1637–1676 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  52. 52JGJohann Georg Ahle1651–1706 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  53. 53JFJohann Fischer1646–1716 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  54. 54Johann Andreas HerbstJohann Andreas Herbst1588–1666 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians1 decades
  55. 55JUJohann Ulrich Steigleder1593–1635 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  56. 56NANicolaus Adam Strungk1640–1700 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  57. 57JWJohann Wolfgang Franck1644–1710 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians1 decades
  58. 58Sigmund Theophil StadenSigmund Theophil Staden1607–1655 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  59. 59WPWolfgang Printz1641–1717 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians5 decades
  60. 60DSDelphin Strungk1601–1694 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  61. 61Esaias ReusnerEsaias Reusner1636–1679 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  62. 62CEChristian Erbach1568–1635 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  63. 63Johann Philipp FörtschJohann Philipp Förtsch1652–1732 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  64. 64Melchior SchildtMelchior Schildt1592–1667 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  65. 65Erasmus WidmannErasmus Widmann1572–1634 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  66. 66GCGeorg Caspar Wecker1632–1695 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  67. 67JNJohann Nikolaus Hanff1663–1711 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  68. 68Christian GeistChristian Geist1640–1711 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  69. 69MTMelchior Teschner1584–1635 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  70. 70Andreas DübenAndreas Düben1597–1662 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  71. 71ADAdam Drese1620–1701 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  72. 72TMTobias Michael1592–1657 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  73. 73DPDavid Pohle1624–1695 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  74. 74SASebastian Anton Scherer1631–1712 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  75. 75AKAndreas Kneller1649–1724 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  76. 76Daniel EberlinDaniel Eberlin1647–1715 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  77. 77PHPeter Hasse1575–1640 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  78. 78GCGeorg Christoph Bach1642–1697 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  79. 79HSHeinrich Schwemmer1621–1696 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  80. 80JSJohann Speth1664–1719 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  81. 81JFJohann Friedrich Alberti1642–1710 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  82. 82FNFriedrich Nicolaus Bruhns1637–1718 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  83. 83JSJohann Stadlmayr1575–1648 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  84. 84MAMatthäus Apelles von Löwenstern1594–1648 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  85. 85Constantin Christian DedekindConstantin Christian Dedekind1628–1715 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  86. 86DFDaniel Friderici1584–1638 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  87. 87GDGeorg Dietrich Leyding1664–1710 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  88. 88PPPaul Peuerl1570–1625 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  89. 89JHJohn Herbinius1633–1676 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  90. 90JSJohann Samuel Drese1644–1716 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  91. 91Werner FabriciusWerner Fabricius1633–1679 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  92. 92JGJohann Georg Conradi1645–1699 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  93. 93Augustin PflegerAugustin Pfleger1635–1686 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  94. 94PFPhilipp Friedrich Böddecker1607–1683 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  95. 95Severus GastoriusSeverus Gastorius1647–1682 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  96. 96EBErhard Bodenschatz1576–1636 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  97. 97JHJakob Hassler1569–1622 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  98. 98RIRupert Ignaz Mayr1646–1712 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  99. 99WEWolfgang Ebner1612–1665 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  100. 100DEDaniel Erich1649–1712 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot 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.