1880–1889
The 1880s
Whose names filled the books of the 1880s — 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 Russian books during the 1880s — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish15,200German3,276French3,096Italian1,682Spanish1,073Russian203Hebrew89Chinese2
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
Patriarch Nikon of Moscow1605–1681 · 17th century · Religious Figures12 - 2
Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow1482–1563 · 16th century · Writers4.5 - 3
Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsesarevich of Russia1843–1865 · 19th century · Historical Figures1.2 - 4
Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov1727–1797 · 18th century · Writers1.2 - 5
Elizabeth of Russia1709–1761 · 18th century · Historical Figures1.1 - 6
Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia1827–1892 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.97 - 7
Boris Godunov1552–1605 · 16th century · Politicians0.96 - 8
Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia1779–1831 · 19th century · Politicians0.90 - 9
Patriarch Joachim1621–1690 · 17th century0.88 - 10
Peter the Great1672–1725 · 18th century · Politicians0.79 - 11
Ivan I of Tver1357–1425 · 14th century · Historical Figures0.79 - 12
Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia1832–1909 · 19th century · Politicians0.79 - 13
Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich of Russia1864–1931 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.68 - 14
Ivan I Aleksandrovich, Prince of Smolenskdied 1359 · 14th century0.65 - 15
Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich of Russia1859–1919 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.63 - 16
Grigory Orlov1734–1783 · 18th century · Historical Figures0.61 - 17
Nicholas I of Russia1796–1855 · 19th century · Models0.58 - 18
Anna of Russia1693–1740 · 18th century · Politicians0.56 - 19
Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna of Russia1783–1801 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.55 - 20
Ivan the Terrible1530–1584 · 16th century · Politicians0.53 - 21
Leo Tolstoy1828–1910 · 19th century · Writers0.52 - 22
Alexandra Velyaminova1301–1364 · 14th century0.50 - 23
Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia1860–1919 · 19th century · Politicians0.49 - 24
Alexander I of Russia1777–1825 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.47 - 25
Stefan Yavorsky1658–1722 · 17th century · Academics0.45 - 26
Vasili IV of Russia1552–1612 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.44 - 27
Nicholas Repnin1734–1801 · 18th century · Writers0.41 - 28
Avraamy Palitsyn1550–1626 · 16th century · Writers0.41 - 29
Olga Nikolaevna of Russia1822–1892 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.41 - 30
Maximus the Greek1475–1556 · 16th century · Writers0.41 - 31
Nikita Panin1718–1783 · 18th century · Politicians0.39
- 32
Ivan Dmitriev1760–1837 · 18th century · Writers0.35 - 33
Catherine Pavlovna of Russia1788–1819 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.32 - 34
Konstantin of Uglich1389–1434 · 15th century0.31 - 35
Gleb Uspensky1843–1902 · 19th century · Writers0.29
- 36
Symeon of Polotsk1629–1680 · 17th century · Writers0.29 - 37
Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna of Russia1825–1844 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.28 - 38
Paul I of Russia1754–1801 · 18th century · Historical Figures0.28 - 39
Dimitry of Rostov1651–1709 · 17th century · Writers0.25 - 40
Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich of Russia1858–1915 · 19th century · Writers0.25 - 41
Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia1690–1718 · 18th century · Politicians0.22 - 42
Grigory Potemkin1739–1791 · 18th century · Politicians0.21 - 43
Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy1645–1729 · 17th century · Writers0.21 - 44
Konstantin Aksakov1817–1860 · 19th century · Writers0.21 - 45
Nikolai Leskov1831–1895 · 19th century · Writers0.20 - 46
Joseph Volotsky1440–1515 · 15th century · Writers0.19 - 47
Maria Feodorovna1847–1928 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.19 - 48
Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia1871–1899 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.16 - 49
Ivan Aksakov1823–1886 · 19th century · Writers0.16 - 50
Alexander Menshikov1673–1729 · 18th century · Politicians0.15 - 51
Ivan Betskoy1704–1795 · 18th century · Educators0.14 - 52
Pyotr Panin1721–1789 · 18th century0.14 - 53
Alexander Shishkov1754–1841 · 18th century · Writers0.14 - 54
Alexander Ivanov1806–1858 · 19th century · Artists0.13 - 55
Alexander Pushkin1799–1837 · 19th century · Writers0.13 - 56
Vasily Vasilyevich Golitsyn1643–1714 · 17th century · Politicians0.12 - 57
Catherine I of Russia1684–1727 · 18th century · Historical Figures0.12 - 58
Anton Chekhov1860–1904 · 19th century · Writers0.11 - 59
Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov1787–1869 · 19th century · Politicians0.11 - 60
Boris of Tver1400–1461 · 15th century0.10 - 61
Alexander II of Russia1818–1881 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.10 - 62
Konstantin of Rostov1185–1218 · 13th century · Politicians0.10 - 63
Konstantin Leontiev1831–1891 · 19th century · Academics0.10 - 64
Alexander Butlerov1828–1886 · 19th century · Scientists0.09 - 65
Alexander Radishchev1749–1802 · 18th century · Writers0.09 - 66
Dmitry Pozharsky1577–1642 · 17th century · Politicians0.08 - 67
Alexander III of Russia1845–1894 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.08 - 68
Olga Constantinovna of Russia1851–1926 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.08 - 69
Alexis of Russia1629–1676 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.07 - 70
Mykola Kostomarov1817–1885 · 19th century · Writers0.07 - 71
Alexander Ostrovsky1823–1886 · 19th century · Writers0.07 - 72
Peter Ivanovich Shuvalov1711–1762 · 18th century · Politicians0.07 - 73
Mikhail Vorontsov1782–1856 · 19th century · Politicians0.07 - 74
Alexander Suvorov1730–1800 · 18th century0.07
- 75
Nikolai Pirogov1810–1881 · 19th century · Scientists0.07 - 76
Denis Davydov1784–1839 · 19th century · Writers0.07 - 77
Peter III of Russia1728–1762 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0.06
- 78
Kirill Razumovsky1728–1803 · 18th century · Politicians0.06 - 79
Vladimir Solovyov1853–1900 · 19th century · Academics0.06 - 80
Nikolay Karamzin1766–1826 · 19th century · Writers0.06 - 81
Vladimir Korolenko1853–1921 · 19th century · Writers0.05 - 82
Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov1737–1807 · 18th century · Politicians0.05 - 83
Nikolay Rumyantsev1754–1826 · 18th century · Writers0.05 - 84
Grand Duke Dimitri Constantinovich of Russia1860–1919 · 19th century · Politicians0.05 - 85
Michael of Russia1596–1645 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.05 - 86
Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia1856–1929 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.05 - 87
Oleg I of Chernigov1052–1115 · 11th century · Historical Figures0.05 - 88
Nikolai Gogol1809–1852 · 19th century · Writers0.05 - 89
Peter II of Russia1715–1730 · 18th century · Politicians0.05 - 90
Anton Rubinstein1829–1894 · 19th century · Musicians0.05 - 91
Luka Zhidiatadied 1059 · 11th century0.05 - 92
Fyodor Dostoevsky1821–1881 · 19th century · Writers0.05 - 93
Mikhail of Tver1271–1318 · 14th century · Politicians0.05 - 94
Pyotr Vyazemsky1792–1878 · 19th century · Writers0.05 - 95
Vasily Zhukovsky1783–1852 · 19th century · Writers0.04 - 96
Gavrila Derzhavin1743–1816 · 18th century · Writers0.04 - 97
Mikhail Speransky1772–1839 · 19th century · Politicians0.04 - 98
Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia1847–1909 · 19th century · Politicians0.04 - 99
Mikhail Pogodin1800–1875 · 19th century · Writers0.04 - 100
Kuzma Minindied 1616 · 17th century · Politicians0.04
Lived then
The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1880s, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Echoed
- 1
Vincent van Gogh1853–1890 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists12 decades - 2
Oscar Wilde1854–1900 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers14 decades - 3
Thomas Edison1847–1931 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists13 decades - 4
Guy de Maupassant1850–1893 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades - 5
Arthur Rimbaud1854–1891 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades
- 6
Antoni Gaudí1852–1926 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Architects5 decades - 7
Robert Louis Stevenson1850–1894 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers15 decades - 8
Paul von Hindenburg1847–1934 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians10 decades - 9
Paul Gauguin1848–1903 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists13 decades - 10
Alexander III of Russia1845–1894 · Historical Figures16 decades - 11
Pope Benedict XV1854–1922 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures11 decades - 12
Ivan Pavlov1849–1936 · Scientists16 decades - 13
Alexander Graham Bell1847–1922 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists15 decades - 14
José Martí1853–1895 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers16 decades - 15
Wilhelm Röntgen1845–1923 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists11 decades - 16
Santiago Ramón y Cajal1852–1934 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Scientists13 decades - 17
Ludwig II of Bavaria1845–1886 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures18 decades - 18
Henri Poincaré1854–1912 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics13 decades - 19
Sofia Kovalevskaya1850–1891 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Academics14 decades - 20
Bram Stoker1847–1912 · Writers12 decades - 21
Octave Mirbeau1848–1917 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades - 22
Ferdinand Foch1851–1929 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures7 decades - 23
Billy the Kid1859–1881 · 🇺🇸 United States12 decades - 24
Alfonso XII of Spain1857–1885 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades
- 25
Cecil Rhodes1853–1902 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians12 decades - 26
August Strindberg1849–1912 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Writers8 decades - 27
Henri Becquerel1852–1908 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists15 decades - 28
Emperor Meiji1852–1912 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figures11 decades - 29
Georg Cantor1845–1918 · Academics14 decades - 30
Viktor Vasnetsov1848–1926 · Artists10 decades - 31
Abay Kunanbaiuly1845–1904 · Writers8 decades - 32
Maria Feodorovna1847–1928 · Historical Figures17 decades - 33
Paul Ehrlich1854–1915 · Doctors13 decades - 34
Henryk Sienkiewicz1846–1916 · Writers11 decades - 35
Gottlob Frege1848–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics9 decades - 36
Vladimir Solovyov1853–1900 · Academics14 decades - 37
Sergei Witte1849–1915 · Politicians9 decades - 38
Vilfredo Pareto1848–1923 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics13 decades - 39
Hendrik Lorentz1853–1928 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Scientists0 decades - 40
Gabriel Fauré1845–1924 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians14 decades - 41
Otto Lilienthal1848–1896 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists13 decades - 42
Pierre Loti1850–1923 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades - 43
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk1850–1937 · Politicians1 decades - 44
Jesse James1847–1882 · 🇺🇸 United States14 decades - 45
Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria1858–1889 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Politicians0 decades - 46
Peter Carl Fabergé1846–1920 · Scientists3 decades - 47
George I of Greece1845–1913 · Historical Figures0 decades - 48
Joseph Joffre1852–1931 · 🇫🇷 France2 decades - 49
Arthur Balfour1848–1930 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians15 decades - 50
Aleksei Brusilov1853–1926 · Writers3 decades - 51
Amadeo I of Spain1845–1890 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 52
Joseph Pulitzer1847–1911 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians14 decades - 53
Max Liebermann1847–1935 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists13 decades - 54
Buffalo Bill1846–1917 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers15 decades - 55
Joris-Karl Huysmans1848–1907 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers11 decades - 56
H. H. Asquith1852–1928 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians11 decades - 57
Vasily Surikov1848–1916 · Artists8 decades - 58
Chulalongkorn1853–1910 · Historical Figures13 decades - 59
Edward Smith1850–1912 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures17 decades - 60
Karl Kautsky1854–1938 · Politicians13 decades - 61
Annie Besant1847–1933 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers15 decades - 62
Leoš Janáček1854–1928 · Musicians0 decades - 63
Gustave Caillebotte1848–1894 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists5 decades - 64
Frances Hodgson Burnett1849–1924 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers15 decades - 65
Bernhard von Bülow1849–1929 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians12 decades - 66
Eduard Bernstein1850–1932 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians13 decades - 67
Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay1846–1888 · Historical Figures5 decades - 68
August von Mackensen1849–1945 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures2 decades - 69
Mihai Eminescu1850–1889 · Writers5 decades - 70
Auguste Escoffier1846–1935 · 🇫🇷 France · Chefs4 decades - 71
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener1850–1916 · Politicians0 decades - 72
Élie Metchnikoff1845–1916 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 73
Wyatt Earp1848–1929 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians10 decades - 74
Ludwig III of Bavaria1845–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germanynot measured— - 75
Helmuth von Moltke the Younger1848–1916 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0 decades - 76
Felix Klein1849–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades - 77
Victoriano Huerta1850–1916 · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Politicians13 decades - 78
Alexander Ulyanov1866–1887 · Activists11 decades - 79
Georges Sorel1847–1922 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics12 decades - 80
Olga Constantinovna of Russia1851–1926 · Historical Figures16 decades - 81
Luigi Cadorna1850–1928 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 82
Charles Taze Russell1852–1916 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers0 decades - 83
Édouard-Henri Avril1849–1928 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists5 decades - 84
Margaret of Savoy1851–1926 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists17 decades - 85
Ned Kelly1854–1880 · 🇦🇺 Australia · Writers11 decades - 86
Otto of Bavaria1848–1916 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politiciansnot measured— - 87
Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca1853–1931 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Politicians0 decades - 88
George Westinghouse1846–1914 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists15 decades - 89
Bertha Benz1849–1944 · Athletes0 decades - 90
Carl Larsson1853–1919 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Artists4 decades - 91
John William Waterhouse1849–1917 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0 decades - 92
Raja Ravi Varma1848–1906 · 🇮🇳 India · Artists0 decades - 93
James George Frazer1854–1941 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics8 decades - 94
Calamity Jane1852–1903 · 🇺🇸 United States11 decades - 95
Tōgō Heihachirō1848–1934 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades - 96
Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf1852–1925 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Historical Figures5 decades - 97
Lafcadio Hearn1850–1904 · Writers14 decades - 98
Muhammad Abduh1849–1905 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Academics5 decades - 99
Oliver Heaviside1850–1925 · Scientists10 decades - 100
Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil1846–1921 · 🇧🇷 Brazil · Historical Figuresnot 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.