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. 1Antoine ArnauldAntoine Arnauld1612–1694 · Actors22 decades
  2. 2Philipp Jakob SpenerPhilipp Jakob Spener1635–1705 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Actors15 decades
  3. 3Nell GwynNell Gwyn1650–1687 · Actors22 decades
  4. 4Johannes Valentinus AndreaeJohannes Valentinus Andreae1586–1654 · Actors12 decades
  5. 5Wenceslaus HollarWenceslaus Hollar1607–1677 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Actors3 decades
  6. 6Giovanni Battista RiccioliGiovanni Battista Riccioli1598–1671 · Actors0 decades
  7. 7Madeleine BéjartMadeleine Béjart1618–1988 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors20 decades
  8. 8Maria Aurora von KönigsmarckMaria Aurora von Königsmarck1662–1728 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Actors0 decades
  9. 9Bernard de MontfauconBernard de Montfaucon1655–1741 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors22 decades
  10. 10Richard BurbageRichard Burbage1567–1619 · Actors22 decades
  11. 11John SmythJohn Smyth1570–1612 · Actors22 decades
  12. 12John OwenJohn Owen1616–1683 · Actors22 decades
  13. 13Matthew HenryMatthew Henry1662–1714 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Actors22 decades
  14. 14Edward AlleynEdward Alleyn1566–1626 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Actors22 decades
  15. 15Jeremy TaylorJeremy Taylor1613–1667 · Actors22 decades
  16. 16Abraham BosseAbraham Bosse1604–1676 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors22 decades
  17. 17Giovanni DiodatiGiovanni Diodati1576–1649 · Actors21 decades
  18. 18Richard SimonRichard Simon1638–1712 · Actors22 decades
  19. 19Armande BéjartArmande Béjart1650–1700 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors18 decades
  20. 20John CottonJohn Cotton1585–1652 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Actors22 decades
  21. 21Samuel RutherfordSamuel Rutherford1600–1661 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Actors20 decades
  22. 22Leo AllatiusLeo Allatius1586–1669 · Actors22 decades
  23. 23Gisbertus VoetiusGisbertus Voetius1589–1676 · Actors0 decades
  24. 24William BrewsterWilliam Brewster1566–1644 · Actors22 decades
  25. 25Pierre NicolePierre Nicole1625–1695 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors22 decades
  26. 26Gerardus VossiusGerardus Vossius1577–1649 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Actors0 decades
  27. 27Pierre de BérullePierre de Bérulle1575–1629 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors21 decades
  28. 28Balthasar BekkerBalthasar Bekker1634–1698 · Actors0 decades
  29. 29Armand Jean Le Bouthillier RancéArmand Jean Le Bouthillier Rancé1626–1700 · 🇫🇷 France · Actorsnot measured—
  30. 30Johann Heinrich AlstedJohann Heinrich Alsted1588–1638 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Actors0 decades
  31. 31Elizabeth BarryElizabeth Barry1658–1713 · Actors0 decades
  32. 32ILIsaac La Peyrère1596–1676 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors0 decades
  33. 33Jean de LabadieJean de Labadie1610–1674 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors6 decades
  34. 34Jean du Vergier de HauranneJean du Vergier de Hauranne1581–1643 · Actors9 decades
  35. 35Pasquier QuesnelPasquier Quesnel1634–1719 · Actors12 decades
  36. 36Claudius SalmasiusClaudius Salmasius1588–1653 · Actors1 decades
  37. 37Margaret HughesMargaret Hughes1645–1719 · Actors4 decades
  38. 38William AmesWilliam Ames1576–1633 · Actors22 decades
  39. 39TAThomas Aikenhead1676–1697 · Actors1 decades
  40. 40John of TobolskJohn of Tobolsk1651–1715 · Actors0 decades
  41. 41Margaret FellMargaret Fell1614–1702 · Actors22 decades
  42. 42RBRobert Barclay1648–1690 · 🇺🇸 United States · Actors22 decades
  43. 43María CalderónMaría Calderón1611–1646 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Actors19 decades
  44. 44JHJohn Heminges1566–1630 · Actors2 decades
  45. 45Antoinette BourignonAntoinette Bourignon1616–1680 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors20 decades
  46. 46Abraham CaloviusAbraham Calovius1612–1686 · Actors0 decades
  47. 47John LightfootJohn Lightfoot1602–1675 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Actors15 decades
  48. 48Frederik de WitFrederik de Wit1630–1706 · Actors0 decades
  49. 49John FlavelJohn Flavel1627–1691 · Actors8 decades
  50. 50Stefano della BellaStefano della Bella1610–1664 · Actors21 decades
  51. 51Marquise-Thérèse de GorlaMarquise-Thérèse de Gorla1633–1668 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors0 decades
  52. 52Gilbert SheldonGilbert Sheldon1598–1677 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Actors11 decades
  53. 53Edward KynastonEdward Kynaston1640–1706 · Actors7 decades
  54. 54Mark Sittich von HohenemsMark Sittich von Hohenems1574–1619 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Actors0 decades
  55. 55AMAlasdair Mac Colla1610–1647 · Actors0 decades
  56. 56Nuruddin ar-RaniriNuruddin ar-Raniridied 1658 · Actors0 decades
  57. 57HCHenry Condelldied 1627 · Actors12 decades
  58. 58Richard SibbesRichard Sibbes1577–1635 · Actors2 decades
  59. 59Michel BaronMichel Baron1653–1729 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors9 decades
  60. 60Simon EpiscopiusSimon Episcopius1583–1643 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Actors3 decades
  61. 61MDMartin Droeshout1601–1650 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Actors2 decades
  62. 62Jakob AbbadieJakob Abbadie1654–1727 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors2 decades
  63. 63Moses AmyrautMoses Amyraut1596–1664 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors2 decades
  64. 64John MillJohn Mill1645–1707 · Actors21 decades
  65. 65John de LugoJohn de Lugo1583–1660 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Actors1 decades
  66. 66Thomas BettertonThomas Betterton1635–1710 · Actors18 decades
  67. 67Thomas GoodwinThomas Goodwin1600–1680 · Actors22 decades
  68. 68Martin RinkartMartin Rinkart1586–1649 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Actors3 decades
  69. 69Wilhelmus à BrakelWilhelmus à Brakel1635–1711 · Actors0 decades
  70. 70Pieter de MolijnPieter de Molijn1595–1661 · Actors0 decades
  71. 71La GrangeLa Grange1635–1692 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors22 decades
  72. 72Jean LeclercJean Leclerc1657–1736 · Actors21 decades
  73. 73Marie ChampmesléMarie Champmeslé1642–1698 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors0 decades
  74. 74Antonia of WürttembergAntonia of Württemberg1613–1679 · Actors0 decades
  75. 75Bari ImamBari Imam1617–1705 · Actorsnot measured—
  76. 76AAAbd al-Wahid Ibn Ashir1582–1631 · Actorsnot measured—
  77. 77Alexander WhitakerAlexander Whitaker1585–1616 · Actors1 decades
  78. 78Anna RenziAnna Renzi1620–1700 · Actors6 decades
  79. 79Romeyn de HoogheRomeyn de Hooghe1645–1708 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Actors0 decades
  80. 80Gérard AudranGérard Audran1640–1703 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors21 decades
  81. 81Florent Carton DancourtFlorent Carton Dancourt1661–1725 · 🇫🇷 France · Actorsnot measured—
  82. 82Hermann WitsiusHermann Witsius1636–1708 · Actors0 decades
  83. 83Hermann BusenbaumHermann Busenbaum1600–1668 · Actors0 decades
  84. 84Richard MatherRichard Mather1596–1669 · Actorsnot measured—
  85. 85Catherine Leclerc du RoseCatherine Leclerc du Rose1630–1706 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors3 decades
  86. 86Philippus van LimborchPhilippus van Limborch1633–1712 · Actors0 decades
  87. 87Jesper SwedbergJesper Swedberg1653–1735 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Actorsnot measured—
  88. 88Stephen CharnockStephen Charnock1628–1680 · Actorsnot measured—
  89. 89CGCornelis Galle the Elder1576–1650 · Actors0 decades
  90. 90Tiberio FiorilliTiberio Fiorilli1608–1694 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors1 decades
  91. 91Patriarch Jeremias III of ConstantinoplePatriarch Jeremias III of Constantinople1650–1735 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Actorsnot measured—
  92. 92Arnoldus MontanusArnoldus Montanus1625–1683 · Actorsnot measured—
  93. 93Noël AlexandreNoël Alexandre1639–1724 · Actors18 decades
  94. 94Pierre Du MoulinPierre Du Moulin1568–1658 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors19 decades
  95. 95David HollatzDavid Hollatz1648–1713 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Actors0 decades
  96. 96Paulus PontiusPaulus Pontius1603–1658 · Actors0 decades
  97. 97JAJoseph Alleine1634–1668 · Actors6 decades
  98. 98Lucas Vorsterman the ElderLucas Vorsterman the Elder1595–1675 · Actors0 decades
  99. 99Pieter de Jode IIPieter de Jode II1606–1674 · Actors0 decades
  100. 100Theodoor GalleTheodoor Galle1571–1633 · Actors0 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.