← Fame through time1600-1699
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 coverage and readership agree.
- 1
Peter Stuyvesant22 decades - 2
._Bevelhebber_van_Kaap_de_Goede_Hoop_en_van_Malacca_en_secretaris_van_de_Hoge_Regering_van_Batavia._Rijksmuseum_SK-A-805.jpeg?width=120)
Jan van Riebeeck7 decades - 3
Frederick Henry of Orange-Nassaunot measured- - 4
John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen20 decades - 5
Jan Mourad Janszoonnot measured- - 6
Countess Louise Henriette of Nassau0 decades - 7
Anthony van Diemen0 decades - 8
Prince Hendrik Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietznot measured- - 9
William Frederick, Prince of Nassau-Dietznot measured- - 10
Cornelis de Witt0 decades - 11
Countess Albertine Agnes of Nassaunot measured- - 12
Cornelis de Graeff0 decades - 13
Anthonie Heinsius0 decades - 14
Willem Kieft0 decades - 15
Abraham van Riebeeck0 decades - 16
Adriaen Cornelissen van der Donck0 decades - 17
Andries de Graeff0 decades - 18
Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietznot measured- - 19
Jacques Specx0 decades - 20
Rijckloff van Goens0 decades - 21
Pieter de Carpentier0 decades - 22
Gerard Reynst0 decades - 23
Maria van Riebeeck0 decades - 24
Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam0 decades - 25
Frans Banning Cocq0 decades - 26
Jacob de Witt0 decades - 27
Gaspar Fagel0 decades - 28
Cornelis Speelman0 decades - 29
Carel Reyniersz0 decades - 30
Johannes Camphuys0 decades - 31
Joan van Hoorn0 decades - 32
Coenraad van Beuningennot measured- - 33
Frederick, Burgrave of Dohnanot measured- - 34
Cornelis van der Lijn0 decades - 35
Hendrik van den Berghnot measured- - 36Martinus Soncknot measured-
- 37Andries de Witt0 decades
- 38
Cornelis van Aerssen van Sommelsdijcknot measured- - 39
Hans Putmansnot measured- - 40
Willem Adriaan van der Stelnot measured- - 41
Andries Bickernot measured- - 42
Pieter de Graeffnot measured- - 43
Adriaan Pauwnot measured-
- 44Adriaan van der Stelnot measured-
- 45
Jacob Dircksz de Graeffnot measured- - 46
Willem van Outhoornnot measured- - 47
Wouter van Twillernot measured- - 48
Simon van Slingelandtnot measured- - 49
Sicco van Goslinganot measured- - 50
Albert Burghnot measured- - 51
Jacob Boreelnot measured- - 52
Cornelis Matelief de Jongenot measured- - 53
Michiel ten Hovenot measured- - 54
Gillis Valckeniernot measured- - 55
Jan Gerritsz. Bickernot measured- - 56
Cornelis Bickernot measured- - 57
Jacob de Graeffnot measured- - 58Johan van der Burgnot measured-
- 59
Cornelis Jan Witsennot measured- - 60
Hieronymus van Beverninghnot measured- - 61
Joan Huydecoper IInot measured- - 62
Gerard Pietersz. Hulftnot measured- - 63
Pieter de Grootnot measured- - 64Jeremias Van Vlietnot measured-
- 65
Mattheus de Haannot measured- - 66
Isaac van Hoornbeeknot measured- - 67
Willem Buysnot measured- - 68
Michael Reyniersz Pauwnot measured- - 69Maximiliaan le Mairenot measured-
- 70
Johan de Witt Jr.not measured- - 71
Volkert Overlandernot measured- - 72Paulus Traudeniusnot measured-
- 73
Constantin Ranst de Jongenot measured- - 74
Dominicus Arumaeusnot measured- - 75Jacob Hustaertnot measured-
- 76
Hendrick Moreelsenot measured- - 77
Johan Albert II, Count of Solms-Braunfelsnot measured- - 78Willem II Blaeunot measured-
- 79Hendrik Brouwernot measured-
How to read these rankings
- Attention, not reputation. A place on these lists reflects the attention a person still draws in the public record. It is not a judgement on the life.
- Fame in print. The curves show how often a name appeared in the books of each decade from 1800 to 2019, drawn from the Google Books Ngram corpus.
- Gaps are left as gaps. Where the record is too thin to be fair, we would rather show nothing than guess.