215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time1850-1859

The 1850s

Whose names filled the books of the 1850s - 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 German books during the 1850s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Maria Theresa1717-1780 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures4.3
  2. 2Louis Philip, Count Palatine of Simmern-Kaiserslautern1602-1655 · 17th century · Germany1.7
  3. 3Paracelsus1493-1541 · 16th century · Switzerland · Doctors1.6
  4. 4Jean Paul1763-1825 · 18th century · Germany · Writers1.5
  5. 5Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor1741-1790 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures1.4
  6. 6Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor1316-1378 · 14th century · Historical Figures1.3
  7. 7Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow1633-1695 · 17th century · Germany · Writers1.3
  8. 8Charles Augustus, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach1757-1828 · 18th century · Politicians0.99
  9. 9Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor1685-1740 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures0.99
  10. 10William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1532-1592 · 16th century · Germany · Scientists0.92
  11. 11George Frederick of Waldeck-Eisenberg1620-1692 · 17th century · Models0.86
  12. 12Tannhäuser1300-1300 · 14th century · Germany · Writers0.81
  13. 13Hans Sachs1494-1576 · 16th century · Germany · Writers0.78
  14. 14Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg1629-1698 · 17th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.77
  15. 15Martin Luther1483-1546 · 16th century · Germany · Religious Figures0.76
  16. 16Novalis1772-1801 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.75
  17. 17Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor1165-1197 · 12th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.71
  18. 18Albrecht Dürer1471-1528 · 16th century · Germany · Artists0.65
  19. 19Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor1768-1835 · 19th century0.63
  20. 20Catherine the Great1729-1796 · 18th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.62
  21. 21Władysław of Głogów1420-1460 · 15th century · Germany0.61
  22. 22Frederick William IV of Prussia1795-1861 · 19th century · Politicians0.60
  23. 23Jacob Grimm1785-1863 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.59
  24. 24Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor1678-1711 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures0.56
  25. 25Peter I of Oldenburg1755-1829 · 18th century · Politicians0.54
  26. 26Wilhelm von Humboldt1767-1835 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.50
  27. 27John Louis of Nassau-Hadamar1590-1653 · 17th century · Germany0.48
  28. 28Frederick Henry, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt1709-1788 · 18th century · Germany · Models0.47
  29. 29Charles XII of Sweden1682-1718 · 18th century · Sweden · Historical Figures0.45
  30. 30Friedrich Schlegel1772-1829 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.44
  31. 31Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken1722-1775 · 18th century · Germany0.43
  32. 32Conradin1252-1268 · 13th century · Germany · Musicians0.43
  33. 33Philip IV, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg1514-1590 · 16th century · Germany0.42
  34. 34Francis Anthony, Count of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch1657-1702 · 17th century · Germany0.41
  35. 35Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental1652-1698 · 17th century · Politicians0.38
  36. 36Frederick of Saxony1474-1510 · 16th century · Germany0.36
  37. 37Duke Heinrich Julius I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1564-1613 · 16th century · Writers0.36
  38. 38Carl Ritter1779-1859 · 19th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.36
  39. 39Franz von Sickingen1481-1523 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.35
  40. 40Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor1697-1745 · 18th century · Historical Figures0.33
  41. 41Philip V, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg1541-1599 · 16th century · Germany0.33
  42. 42Christian William I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen1647-1721 · 17th century · Germany0.32
  43. 43Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst1652-1718 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.31
  44. 44Richard Wagner1813-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians0.31
  45. 45John of Bohemia1296-1346 · 14th century · Historical Figures0.31
  46. 46Ulrich von Hutten1488-1523 · 16th century · Germany · Academics0.31
  47. 47Frederick VI, Margrave of Baden-Durlach1617-1677 · 17th century · Germany0.30
  48. 48Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1579-1666 · 17th century · Germany · Writers0.29
  49. 49Frederick Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1591-1634 · 17th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.29
  50. 50Walther von der Vogelweide1170-1230 · 13th century · Austria · Musicians0.28
  51. 51Bruno Bauer1809-1882 · 19th century · Germany · Academics0.27
  52. 52Otto Henry, Count Palatine of Sulzbach1556-1604 · 16th century · Germany0.27
  53. 53Clemens Brentano1778-1842 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.27
  54. 54Hugo von Mohl1805-1872 · 19th century · Scientists0.27
  55. 55Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth1644-1712 · 17th century · Germany · Politicians0.27
  56. 56Andreas Hofer1767-1810 · 19th century · Italy0.26
  57. 57Moses Mendelssohn1729-1786 · 18th century · Germany · Academics0.25
  58. 58Wilhelm Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach1691-1741 · 18th century0.25
  59. 59John Charles, Count Palatine of Gelnhausen1638-1704 · 17th century · Germany0.25
  60. 60Justus Perthes1749-1816 · 18th century0.24
  61. 61Heinrich Heine1797-1856 · 19th century · France · Writers0.24
  62. 62Heinrich Frauenlob1255-1318 · 13th century · Writers0.24
  63. 63Johann von Werth1591-1652 · 17th century · Germany0.23
  64. 64Jacob, Margrave of Baden-Baden1407-1453 · 15th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.22
  65. 65Nicholas I of Werle1210-1277 · 13th century · Germany0.22
  66. 66Wilhelm Grimm1786-1859 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.22
  67. 67Augustus III of Poland1696-1763 · 18th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.22
  68. 68William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1602-1637 · 17th century · Germany · Politicians0.21
  69. 69Jakob Böhme1575-1624 · 17th century · Germany · Academics0.21
  70. 70Heinrich Rose1795-1864 · 19th century · Scientists0.21
  71. 71Franz Joseph I of Austria1830-1916 · 19th century · Austria · Historical Figures0.21
  72. 72Adolf Frederick, King of Sweden1710-1771 · 18th century · Sweden · Historical Figures0.21
  73. 73Konrad von Würzburg1225-1287 · 13th century · Writers0.20
  74. 74Wilhelm Müller1794-1827 · 19th century · Writers0.19
  75. 75Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden1655-1707 · 17th century0.19
  76. 76John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg1572-1619 · 17th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.19
  77. 77Franz Liszt1811-1886 · 19th century · Austria · Musicians0.18
  78. 78Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg1505-1571 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.18
  79. 79Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg1546-1608 · 16th century · Germany · Religious Figures0.18
  80. 80Johannes von Müller1752-1809 · 18th century · Switzerland · Writers0.18
  81. 81Robert Schumann1810-1856 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians0.18
  82. 82Eoban699-754 · 8th century · Germany · Religious Figures0.17
  83. 83Georg Forster1754-1794 · 18th century · Germany · Writers0.17
  84. 84Louis Henry, Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg1594-1662 · 17th century · Germany0.17
  85. 85Friedrich Schiller1759-1805 · 18th century · Germany · Writers0.17
  86. 86Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach1583-1625 · 17th century · Germany · Models0.16
  87. 87Philip Melanchthon1497-1560 · 16th century · Germany · Scientists0.16
  88. 88Franz Schubert1797-1828 · 19th century · Austria · Musicians0.16
  89. 89Regiomontanus1436-1476 · 15th century · Germany · Academics0.16
  90. 90Adolf of Germany1255-1298 · 13th century0.15
  91. 91Theodor Körner1791-1813 · 19th century · Writers0.15
  92. 92Paul Gerhardt1607-1676 · 17th century · Germany · Academics0.15
  93. 93Prince Albert of Prussia1809-1872 · 19th century · Politicians0.15
  94. 94Gustav Schwab1792-1850 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.14
  95. 95John Bernard, Count of Lippe1613-1652 · 17th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.14
  96. 96Albert IV, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg1315-1343 · 14th century · Germany · Models0.14
  97. 97John VIII, Count of Nassau-Siegen1583-1638 · 17th century · Germany0.14
  98. 98Angelus Silesius1624-1677 · 17th century · Writers0.14
  99. 99Otto of Freising1111-1158 · 12th century · Germany · Writers0.13
  100. 100Friedrich Hoffmann1660-1742 · 17th century · Germany · Doctors0.13

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1850s, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Karl Marx1818-1883 · Germany · Academics17 decades
  2. 2Fyodor Dostoevsky1821-1881 · Russia · Writers17 decades
  3. 3Queen Victoria1819-1901 · United Kingdom · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  4. 4Otto von Bismarck1815-1898 · Germany · Politicians16 decades
  5. 5Ulysses S. Grant1822-1885 · United States · Politicians16 decades
  6. 6Florence Nightingale1820-1910 · Writers17 decades
  7. 7Louis Pasteur1822-1895 · France · Scientists14 decades
  8. 8Ada Lovelace1815-1852 · Academics3 decades
  9. 9Rutherford B. Hayes1822-1893 · United States · Politicians16 decades
  10. 10Charlotte Brontë1816-1855 · United Kingdom · Writers17 decades
  11. 11Friedrich Engels1820-1895 · United Kingdom · Academics17 decades
  12. 12Henry David Thoreau1817-1862 · United States · Writers13 decades
  13. 13Walt Whitman1819-1892 · United States · Writers17 decades
  14. 14Alexander II of Russia1818-1881 · Russia · Historical Figures17 decades
  15. 15Harriet Tubman1821-1913 · United States · Writers9 decades
  16. 16Charles Baudelaire1821-1867 · France · Writers17 decades
  17. 17George Eliot1819-1880 · United Kingdom · Writers19 decades
  18. 18Herman Melville1819-1891 · United States · Writers18 decades
  19. 19Frederick Douglass1818-1895 · United States · Writers18 decades
  20. 20Gregor Mendel1822-1884 · Scientists12 decades
  21. 21Gustave Flaubert1821-1880 · France · Writers17 decades
  22. 22John Ruskin1819-1900 · United Kingdom · Writers18 decades
  23. 23Susan B. Anthony1820-1906 · United States · Activists16 decades
  24. 24Rani of Jhansi1828-1858 · India · Activists8 decades
  25. 25William Tecumseh Sherman1820-1891 · United States · Writers14 decades
Show 75 more

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.