1820–1829
The 1820s
Whose names filled the books of the 1820s — anyone at all, however long dead — counted as mentions per million words printed, so a period that simply published more does not inflate anyone.
Talked about then
Whose names appeared most in Hebrew books during the 1820s — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish9,091French2,046German1,994Italian1,420Spanish676Hebrew54Russian46Chinese1
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1NTNathan the Babylonianborn 101 · 2nd century14
- 2SBSimeon ben Gamliel IIborn 100 · 2nd century11
- 3
Haggaiborn 550 BC · 1st millennium BC · Religious Figures11 - 4
Johanan ben Zakai50 BC–70 · 1st millennium BC3.9 - 5SBSimeon ben Zomadied 200 · 2nd century2.9
- 6
Chaim Joseph David Azulai1724–1806 · 18th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Historical Figures2.8 - 7
Habakkuk626 BC–600 BC · 1st millennium BC · Religious Figures2.6 - 8
Rav Ashi352–427 · 4th century1.6 - 9EBEliezer ben Hurcanus100–200 · 2nd century1.0
- 10EBEleazar ben Arach100–200 · 2nd century0.93
- 11HBHanina ben Dosa40–75 · 1st century0.87
- 12YYanaiborn 600 · 7th century · Writers0.86
- 13JBJudah ben Samuel of Regensburg1150–1217 · 12th century · Academics0.84
- 14
Hai Gaon939–1038 · 10th century · Writers0.78 - 15
Menasseh Ben Israel1604–1657 · 17th century · Academics0.76 - 16
Isaac Abrabanel1437–1508 · 15th century · Academics0.73 - 17
Saadia Gaon882–942 · 10th century · Academics0.61 - 18
Hillel the Elder50 BC–100 · 1st millennium BC0.53
- 19
Azariah dei Rossi1513–1578 · 16th century · Writers0.53 - 20
Hayyim ben Joseph Vital1542–1620 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Musicians0.50 - 21
Paul the Apostle5–66 · 1st century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0.45 - 22MYMordecai Yoffe1530–1612 · 16th century0.41
- 23IBIsaac ben Moses Arama1420–1494 · 15th century0.36
- 24JBJedaiah ben Abraham Bedersi1270–1340 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.33
- 25JKJoseph Kimhi1105–1170 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.33
- 26OBObadiah ben Jacob Sforno1470–1549 · 16th century · Doctors0.31
- 27
Chaim ibn Attar1696–1743 · 18th century0.28
- 28
Moses Sofer1762–1839 · 18th century0.22 - 29ZHZerachiah haLevi of Girona1130–1186 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.20
- 30
Jonathan Eybeschutz1690–1764 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany0.19 - 31
Abraham ben Mordecai Farissol1451–1525 · 15th century · Musicians0.19 - 32MKMoses Kimhi1127–1190 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France0.18
- 33
Joseph Albo1380–1444 · 15th century · Academics0.17 - 34
Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz1505–1576 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0.16
- 35
Eleazar ben Killir600–700 · 7th century · Writers0.16 - 36
Moshe Alshich1508–1593 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey0.15
- 37
Moses ben Jacob Cordovero1522–1570 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Actors0.14
- 38
Isaac the Blind1160–1235 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.13 - 39
Rabbeinu Tam1100–1171 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.11 - 40
Jacob Emden1697–1776 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany0.09
- 41
Shimon bar Yochai100–160 · 2nd century0.09 - 42
Amram Gaon810–875 · 9th century0.09 - 43
Dunash ben Labrat920–990 · 10th century · Writers0.08 - 44PDProfiat Duran1350–1415 · 14th century · Musicians0.08
- 45
Abraham bar Hiyya1070–1136 · 12th century · Academics0.06 - 46
Yehuda Alharizi1165–1225 · 13th century · Writers0.06 - 47
Hasdai Crescas1340–1410 · 14th century · Academics0.05 - 48
Menahem Recanati1250–1310 · 13th century · Musicians0.04 - 49MBMenahem ben Aaron ibn Zerah1310–1385 · 14th century · Writers0.04
- 50
Josephus37–100 · 1st century · Writers0.04 - 51NBNissim ben Jacob990–1062 · 11th century · Writers0.04
- 52JCJoseph Caspi1280–1345 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.04
- 53RRashbam1080–1158 · 12th century0.02
- 54IAIsaac Albalag1300–1300 · 14th century · Academics0.02
Lived then
The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1820s, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Echoed
- 1
Arthur Schopenhauer1788–1860 · Academics20 decades - 2
Franz Schubert1797–1828 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Musicians22 decades - 3
Lord Byron1788–1824 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades - 4
Pope Pius IX1792–1878 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures18 decades - 5
James Buchanan1791–1868 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades - 6
Alessandro Manzoni1785–1873 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers22 decades - 7
Gioachino Rossini1792–1868 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians20 decades - 8
Alphonse de Lamartine1790–1869 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers20 decades - 9
Michael Faraday1791–1867 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists20 decades - 10
Jean-François Champollion1790–1832 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics6 decades - 11
Percy Bysshe Shelley1792–1822 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers21 decades - 12
Nikolai Lobachevsky1792–1856 · Academics9 decades - 13
Leopold I of Belgium1790–1865 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures22 decades - 14
Charles Babbage1791–1871 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics20 decades - 15
Antonio López de Santa Anna1794–1876 · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Politicians18 decades
- 16
Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma1791–1847 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Historical Figures18 decades - 17
John Keats1795–1821 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers21 decades - 18
Alexander Griboyedov1795–1829 · Politicians13 decades - 19
John Tyler1790–1862 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades - 20
Carl Maria von Weber1786–1826 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians21 decades - 21
Shaka1787–1828 · Historical Figures22 decades - 22
Ferdinand I of Austria1793–1875 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Politiciansnot measured— - 23
Jacob Grimm1785–1863 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics21 decades - 24
Georg Ohm1789–1854 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists12 decades - 25
Samuel Morse1791–1872 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists0 decades - 26
Ludwig I of Bavaria1786–1868 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers5 decades - 27
James Fenimore Cooper1789–1851 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers18 decades - 28
Théodore Géricault1791–1824 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists7 decades - 29
Louis Daguerre1787–1851 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists1 decades
- 30
Mahmud II1785–1839 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Historical Figures14 decades - 31
François Arago1786–1853 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics18 decades - 32
Augustin-Louis Cauchy1789–1857 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades - 33
Joseph von Eichendorff1788–1857 · Writers15 decades - 34
Juan Manuel de Rosas1793–1877 · 🇦🇷 Argentina · Politicians20 decades - 35
John Herschel1792–1871 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics0 decades - 36
François Guizot1787–1874 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades - 37
Niels Henrik Abel1802–1829 · 🇳🇴 Norway · Academics1 decades - 38
Davy Crockett1786–1836 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians19 decades - 39
John Vianney1786–1859 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures10 decades - 40
Guadalupe Victoria1786–1845 · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Politicians21 decades - 41
Wilhelm Hauff1802–1827 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers20 decades - 42
Robert Peel1788–1850 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians22 decades - 43
Wilhelm Grimm1786–1859 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades - 44
Cornelius Vanderbilt1794–1877 · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders18 decades - 45
William II of the Netherlands1792–1849 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Politicians0 decades - 46
John James Audubon1785–1851 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists19 decades - 47
Sam Houston1793–1863 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades - 48
Christian VIII of Denmark1786–1848 · Historical Figures0 decades - 49
George Everest1790–1866 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures2 decades - 50
Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld1786–1861 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 51
Maria Leopoldina of Austria1797–1826 · 🇧🇷 Brazil · Historical Figures0 decades - 52
Carl Czerny1791–1857 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Musicians15 decades - 53
John Franklin1786–1847 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures22 decades - 54
Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt1789–1848 · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians0 decades - 55
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell1792–1878 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politiciansnot measured— - 56
Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen1792–1849 · 🇩🇪 Germany0 decades - 57
Chief Seattle1786–1866 · 🇺🇸 United States5 decades - 58
Matthew C. Perry1794–1858 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists9 decades - 59
Giacomo Meyerbeer1791–1864 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians15 decades - 60
Thomas De Quincey1785–1859 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers17 decades - 61
Francesco Hayez1791–1882 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists20 decades - 62
Augustin-Jean Fresnel1788–1827 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists15 decades - 63
Bettina von Arnim1785–1859 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers18 decades - 64
Joseph von Fraunhofer1787–1826 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists4 decades - 65
Dost Mohammad Khan1793–1863 · Politicians0 decades - 66
Karl Drais1785–1851 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists0 decades - 67
Carlos de Borbón y Borbón-Parma1788–1855 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians14 decades - 68
August Ferdinand Möbius1790–1868 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics3 decades - 69
Winfield Scott1786–1866 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades - 70
Minh Mạng1791–1841 · Historical Figures0 decades - 71
Ranavalona I1788–1861 · Politicians0 decades - 72
Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart1791–1844 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Musicians2 decades - 73
George M. Dallas1792–1864 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians15 decades - 74
Nangklao1787–1851 · Historical Figures0 decades - 75
Jules Dumont d'Urville1790–1842 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures1 decades - 76
Francisco de Paula Santander1792–1840 · Politicians21 decades - 77
Abbas Mirza1789–1833 · Politicians10 decades - 78
Franz Grillparzer1791–1872 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Writers20 decades - 79
Vuk Karadžić1787–1864 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Academics0 decades - 80
James Barry1789–1865 · Doctors22 decades - 81
Friedrich List1789–1846 · 🇺🇸 United States · Academics18 decades - 82
Diponegoro1785–1855 · 🇮🇩 Indonesia · Politicians7 decades - 83
John William Polidori1795–1821 · Writers0 decades - 84
Francisco Morazán1792–1842 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians14 decades
- 85
Anne Lister1791–1840 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers2 decades - 86
Lady Caroline Lamb1785–1828 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers20 decades - 87
Friedrich Rückert1788–1866 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades - 88
Lin Tse-hsu1785–1850 · Politicians10 decades - 89
Sunjo of Joseon1790–1834 · 🇰🇷 South Korea · Politiciansnot measured— - 90
José Antonio Páez1790–1873 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians21 decades - 91
Ludwig Börne1786–1837 · Writers19 decades - 92
Horace Vernet1789–1863 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists22 decades - 93
Tokugawa Ieyoshi1793–1853 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
- 94
Lucretia Mott1793–1880 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers18 decades
- 95
Kamehameha II1797–1824 · Historical Figures1 decades - 96
Edward Everett1794–1865 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades - 97
Sergey Aksakov1791–1859 · Writers12 decades - 98
John Martin1789–1854 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Artists22 decades - 99
Alexander Ypsilantis1792–18280 decades - 100
George Green1793–1841 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 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.