Claim profile
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 Chinese books during the 1880s — whenever they lived.

In books written inEnglish15,200German3,276French3,096Italian1,682Spanish1,073Russian203Hebrew89Chinese2
  1. 1CSChen Shou233–297 · 3rd century · Writers14
  2. 2Lu XunLu Xun1881–1936 · 20th century · 🇨🇳 China · Writers11

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1880s, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Vincent van GoghVincent van Gogh1853–1890 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists12 decades
  2. 2Oscar WildeOscar Wilde1854–1900 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers14 decades
  3. 3Thomas EdisonThomas Edison1847–1931 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists13 decades
  4. 4Guy de MaupassantGuy de Maupassant1850–1893 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades
  5. 5Arthur RimbaudArthur Rimbaud1854–1891 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades
  6. 6Antoni GaudíAntoni Gaudí1852–1926 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Architects5 decades
  7. 7Robert Louis StevensonRobert Louis Stevenson1850–1894 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers15 decades
  8. 8Paul von HindenburgPaul von Hindenburg1847–1934 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians10 decades
  9. 9Paul GauguinPaul Gauguin1848–1903 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists13 decades
  10. 10Alexander III of RussiaAlexander III of Russia1845–1894 · Historical Figures16 decades
  11. 11Pope Benedict XVPope Benedict XV1854–1922 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures11 decades
  12. 12Ivan PavlovIvan Pavlov1849–1936 · Scientists16 decades
  13. 13Alexander Graham BellAlexander Graham Bell1847–1922 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists15 decades
  14. 14José MartíJosé Martí1853–1895 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers16 decades
  15. 15Wilhelm RöntgenWilhelm Röntgen1845–1923 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists11 decades
  16. 16Santiago Ramón y CajalSantiago Ramón y Cajal1852–1934 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Scientists13 decades
  17. 17Ludwig II of BavariaLudwig II of Bavaria1845–1886 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures18 decades
  18. 18Henri PoincaréHenri Poincaré1854–1912 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics13 decades
  19. 19Sofia KovalevskayaSofia Kovalevskaya1850–1891 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Academics14 decades
  20. 20Bram StokerBram Stoker1847–1912 · Writers12 decades
  21. 21Octave MirbeauOctave Mirbeau1848–1917 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades
  22. 22Ferdinand FochFerdinand Foch1851–1929 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures7 decades
  23. 23Billy the KidBilly the Kid1859–1881 · 🇺🇸 United States12 decades
  24. 24Alfonso XII of SpainAlfonso XII of Spain1857–1885 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0 decades
  25. 25Cecil RhodesCecil Rhodes1853–1902 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians12 decades
  26. 26August StrindbergAugust Strindberg1849–1912 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Writers8 decades
  27. 27Henri BecquerelHenri Becquerel1852–1908 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists15 decades
  28. 28Emperor MeijiEmperor Meiji1852–1912 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figures11 decades
  29. 29Georg CantorGeorg Cantor1845–1918 · Academics14 decades
  30. 30Viktor VasnetsovViktor Vasnetsov1848–1926 · Artists10 decades
  31. 31Abay KunanbaiulyAbay Kunanbaiuly1845–1904 · Writers8 decades
  32. 32Maria FeodorovnaMaria Feodorovna1847–1928 · Historical Figures17 decades
  33. 33Paul EhrlichPaul Ehrlich1854–1915 · Doctors13 decades
  34. 34Henryk SienkiewiczHenryk Sienkiewicz1846–1916 · Writers11 decades
  35. 35Gottlob FregeGottlob Frege1848–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics9 decades
  36. 36Vladimir SolovyovVladimir Solovyov1853–1900 · Academics14 decades
  37. 37Sergei WitteSergei Witte1849–1915 · Politicians9 decades
  38. 38Vilfredo ParetoVilfredo Pareto1848–1923 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics13 decades
  39. 39Hendrik LorentzHendrik Lorentz1853–1928 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Scientists0 decades
  40. 40Gabriel FauréGabriel Fauré1845–1924 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians14 decades
  41. 41Otto LilienthalOtto Lilienthal1848–1896 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists13 decades
  42. 42Pierre LotiPierre Loti1850–1923 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades
  43. 43Tomáš Garrigue MasarykTomáš Garrigue Masaryk1850–1937 · Politicians1 decades
  44. 44Jesse JamesJesse James1847–1882 · 🇺🇸 United States14 decades
  45. 45Rudolf, Crown Prince of AustriaRudolf, Crown Prince of Austria1858–1889 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Politicians0 decades
  46. 46Peter Carl FabergéPeter Carl Fabergé1846–1920 · Scientists3 decades
  47. 47George I of GreeceGeorge I of Greece1845–1913 · Historical Figures0 decades
  48. 48Joseph JoffreJoseph Joffre1852–1931 · 🇫🇷 France2 decades
  49. 49Arthur BalfourArthur Balfour1848–1930 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians15 decades
  50. 50Aleksei BrusilovAleksei Brusilov1853–1926 · Writers3 decades
  51. 51Amadeo I of SpainAmadeo I of Spain1845–1890 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figuresnot measured—
  52. 52Joseph PulitzerJoseph Pulitzer1847–1911 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians14 decades
  53. 53Max LiebermannMax Liebermann1847–1935 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists13 decades
  54. 54Buffalo BillBuffalo Bill1846–1917 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers15 decades
  55. 55Joris-Karl HuysmansJoris-Karl Huysmans1848–1907 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers11 decades
  56. 56H. H. AsquithH. H. Asquith1852–1928 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians11 decades
  57. 57Vasily SurikovVasily Surikov1848–1916 · Artists8 decades
  58. 58ChulalongkornChulalongkorn1853–1910 · Historical Figures13 decades
  59. 59Edward SmithEdward Smith1850–1912 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures17 decades
  60. 60Karl KautskyKarl Kautsky1854–1938 · Politicians13 decades
  61. 61Annie BesantAnnie Besant1847–1933 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers15 decades
  62. 62Leoš JanáčekLeoš Janáček1854–1928 · Musicians0 decades
  63. 63Gustave CaillebotteGustave Caillebotte1848–1894 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists5 decades
  64. 64Frances Hodgson BurnettFrances Hodgson Burnett1849–1924 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers15 decades
  65. 65Bernhard von BülowBernhard von Bülow1849–1929 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians12 decades
  66. 66Eduard BernsteinEduard Bernstein1850–1932 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians13 decades
  67. 67Nicholas Miklouho-MaclayNicholas Miklouho-Maclay1846–1888 · Historical Figures5 decades
  68. 68August von MackensenAugust von Mackensen1849–1945 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures2 decades
  69. 69Mihai EminescuMihai Eminescu1850–1889 · Writers5 decades
  70. 70Auguste EscoffierAuguste Escoffier1846–1935 · 🇫🇷 France · Chefs4 decades
  71. 71Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl KitchenerHerbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener1850–1916 · Politicians0 decades
  72. 72Élie MetchnikoffÉlie Metchnikoff1845–1916 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
  73. 73Wyatt EarpWyatt Earp1848–1929 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians10 decades
  74. 74Ludwig III of BavariaLudwig III of Bavaria1845–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germanynot measured—
  75. 75Helmuth von Moltke the YoungerHelmuth von Moltke the Younger1848–1916 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0 decades
  76. 76Felix KleinFelix Klein1849–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  77. 77Victoriano HuertaVictoriano Huerta1850–1916 · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Politicians13 decades
  78. 78Alexander UlyanovAlexander Ulyanov1866–1887 · Activists11 decades
  79. 79Georges SorelGeorges Sorel1847–1922 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics12 decades
  80. 80Olga Constantinovna of RussiaOlga Constantinovna of Russia1851–1926 · Historical Figures16 decades
  81. 81Luigi CadornaLuigi Cadorna1850–1928 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades
  82. 82Charles Taze RussellCharles Taze Russell1852–1916 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers0 decades
  83. 83Édouard-Henri AvrilÉdouard-Henri Avril1849–1928 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists5 decades
  84. 84Margaret of SavoyMargaret of Savoy1851–1926 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists17 decades
  85. 85Ned KellyNed Kelly1854–1880 · 🇦🇺 Australia · Writers11 decades
  86. 86Otto of BavariaOtto of Bavaria1848–1916 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politiciansnot measured—
  87. 87Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of MeccaHussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca1853–1931 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Politicians0 decades
  88. 88George WestinghouseGeorge Westinghouse1846–1914 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists15 decades
  89. 89Bertha BenzBertha Benz1849–1944 · Athletes0 decades
  90. 90Carl LarssonCarl Larsson1853–1919 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Artists4 decades
  91. 91John William WaterhouseJohn William Waterhouse1849–1917 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0 decades
  92. 92Raja Ravi VarmaRaja Ravi Varma1848–1906 · 🇮🇳 India · Artists0 decades
  93. 93James George FrazerJames George Frazer1854–1941 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics8 decades
  94. 94Calamity JaneCalamity Jane1852–1903 · 🇺🇸 United States11 decades
  95. 95Tōgō HeihachirōTōgō Heihachirō1848–1934 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  96. 96Franz Conrad von HötzendorfFranz Conrad von Hötzendorf1852–1925 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Historical Figures5 decades
  97. 97Lafcadio HearnLafcadio Hearn1850–1904 · Writers14 decades
  98. 98Muhammad AbduhMuhammad Abduh1849–1905 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Academics5 decades
  99. 99Oliver HeavisideOliver Heaviside1850–1925 · Scientists10 decades
  100. 100Isabel, Princess Imperial of BrazilIsabel, 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.