Claim profile
1700-1799

The 18th century

Whose working lives fell in the 18th 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 18th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇺🇸 United States🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇮🇹 Italy🇪🇸 Spain🇸🇪 Sweden🇯🇵 Japan🇹🇷 Turkey🇦🇹 Austria
FieldAllPoliticiansHistorical FiguresWritersScientistsMusiciansArtistsAcademicsArchitectsDoctorsReligious Figures
  1. 1HokusaiHokusai1760-1849 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists14 decades
  2. 2Kitagawa UtamaroKitagawa Utamaro1753-1806 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  3. 3MomozonoMomozono1741-1762 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  4. 4Kobayashi IssaKobayashi Issa1763-1828 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  5. 5SakuramachiSakuramachi1720-1750 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  6. 6HigashiyamaHigashiyama1675-1710 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  7. 7Yosa BusonYosa Buson1716-1784 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  8. 8Go-SakuramachiGo-Sakuramachi1740-1813 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  9. 9Go-MomozonoGo-Momozono1758-1779 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figures0 decades
  10. 10NakamikadoNakamikado1702-1737 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figures0 decades
  11. 11Suzuki HarunobuSuzuki Harunobu1724-1770 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  12. 12Tokugawa YoshimuneTokugawa Yoshimune1684-1751 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  13. 13Hakuin EkakuHakuin Ekaku1685-1769 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured-
  14. 14RyōkanRyōkan1758-1831 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  15. 15Motoori NorinagaMotoori Norinaga1730-1801 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academics6 decades
  16. 16SharakuSharakudied 1801 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists8 decades
  17. 17Toriyama SekienToriyama Sekien1712-1788 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  18. 18Tokugawa IeharuTokugawa Ieharu1737-1786 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  19. 19Tokugawa IeshigeTokugawa Ieshige1712-1761 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  20. 20Tokugawa IetsuguTokugawa Ietsugu1709-1716 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  21. 21Ueda AkinariUeda Akinari1734-1809 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  22. 22Hiraga GennaiHiraga Gennai1728-1780 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  23. 23Ogyū SoraiOgyū Sorai1666-1728 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  24. 24Inō TadatakaInō Tadataka1745-1818 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades
  25. 25Hanaoka SeishūHanaoka Seishū1760-1835 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Doctors0 decades
  26. 26Maruyama ŌkyoMaruyama Ōkyo1733-1795 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  27. 27Torii KiyonagaTorii Kiyonaga1752-1815 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Musicians0 decades
  28. 28SengaiSengai1750-1837 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists1 decades
  29. 29Tanuma OkitsuguTanuma Okitsugu1719-1788 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  30. 30Fukuda Chiyo-niFukuda Chiyo-ni1703-1775 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured-
  31. 31Itō JakuchūItō Jakuchū1716-1800 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  32. 32Hanawa HokiichiHanawa Hokiichi1746-1821 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academics0 decades
  33. 33Asano NaganoriAsano Naganori1667-1701 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  34. 34Matsudaira SadanobuMatsudaira Sadanobu1759-1829 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academics0 decades
  35. 35Katsukawa ShunshōKatsukawa Shunshō1726-1793 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  36. 36Sugita GenpakuSugita Genpaku1733-1817 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  37. 37Tanikaze KajinosukeTanikaze Kajinosuke1750-1795 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  38. 38Santō KyōdenSantō Kyōden1761-1816 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  39. 39Kamo no MabuchiKamo no Mabuchi1697-1769 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  40. 40Sakai HōitsuSakai Hōitsu1761-1828 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  41. 41Okumura MasanobuOkumura Masanobu1686-1764 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  42. 42Shiba KōkanShiba Kōkan1747-1818 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades
  43. 43HMHonma Munehisa1724-1803 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Business Professionalsnot measured-
  44. 44Uesugi HarunoriUesugi Harunori1751-1822 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  45. 45Ike no TaigaIke no Taiga1723-1776 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  46. 46Tsutaya JūzaburōTsutaya Jūzaburō1750-1797 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Business Professionalsnot measured-
  47. 47Kada no AzumamaroKada no Azumamaro1669-1736 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  48. 48Utagawa ToyoharuUtagawa Toyoharu1735-1814 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  49. 49Matsumura GoshunMatsumura Goshun1752-1811 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  50. 50Chōbunsai EishiChōbunsai Eishi1756-1829 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  51. 51Tani BunchōTani Bunchō1763-1841 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  52. 52Miyagawa IsshoMiyagawa Issho1689-1780 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  53. 53Kitao ShigemasaKitao Shigemasa1739-1820 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  54. 54Aoki Kon'yōAoki Kon'yō1698-1769 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured-
  55. 55Ishida BaiganIshida Baigan1685-1744 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured-
  56. 56Musō GonnosukeMusō Gonnosuke1700-1700 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  57. 57Isoda KoryūsaiIsoda Koryūsai1735-1790 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  58. 58Ōoka TadasukeŌoka Tadasuke1677-1752 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  59. 59Miyagawa ChōshunMiyagawa Chōshun1683-1753 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  60. 60Nagasawa RosetsuNagasawa Rosetsu1754-1799 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  61. 61Daikokuya KōdayūDaikokuya Kōdayū1751-1828 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  62. 62Nishikawa SukenobuNishikawa Sukenobu1671-1750 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  63. 63AGAsada Goryu1734-1799 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades
  64. 64Ōta NanpoŌta Nanpo1749-1823 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured-
  65. 65Tokugawa MunetakeTokugawa Munetake1715-1771 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured-
  66. 66Uragami GyokudōUragami Gyokudō1745-1820 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  67. 67Ike GyokuranIke Gyokuran1727-1784 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  68. 68SSSō Shiseki1715-1786 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  69. 69YYukiko-joō1680-1720 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  70. 70Andō ShōekiAndō Shōeki1703-1762 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured-
  71. 71Yasuaki AidaYasuaki Aida1747-1817 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured-
  72. 72KHKatsuragawa Hoshū1751-1809 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured-
  73. 73Miura BaienMiura Baien1723-1789 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured-
  74. 74HTHonda Toshiaki1744-1821 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured-
  75. 75Tokugawa MunetadaTokugawa Munetada1721-1765 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  76. 76Karai SenryūKarai Senryū1718-1790 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured-
  77. 77Denzen AōdōDenzen Aōdō1748-1822 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  78. 78Soga ShōhakuSoga Shōhaku1730-1781 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  79. 79Hayashi ShiheiHayashi Shihei1738-1793 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured-
  80. 80Maruyama GondazaemonMaruyama Gondazaemon1713-1749 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  81. 81Ayagawa GorōjiAyagawa Gorōji1703-1765 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  82. 82TNTominaga Nakamoto1715-1746 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured-
  83. 83Konoe IehiroKonoe Iehiro1667-1736 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  84. 84Yamagata BantōYamagata Bantō1748-1821 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured-
  85. 85Torii KiyomitsuTorii Kiyomitsu1735-1785 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  86. 86Kan'in-no-miya Sukehito-shinnōKan'in-no-miya Sukehito-shinnō1733-1794 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  87. 87Kaigetsudō AndoKaigetsudō Ando1671-1743 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  88. 88Ajima NaonobuAjima Naonobu1732-1798 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured-
  89. 89Date YoshimuraDate Yoshimura1680-1752 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  90. 90Ono RanzanOno Ranzan1729-1810 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured-
  91. 91Torii KiyomasuTorii Kiyomasu1690-1720 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  92. 92Mogami TokunaiMogami Tokunai1755-1836 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  93. 93MSMori Sosen1747-1821 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  94. 94Onogawa KisaburōOnogawa Kisaburō1758-1806 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  95. 95Kishi GankuKishi Ganku1749-1839 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured-
  96. 96Arima YoriyukiArima Yoriyuki1714-1783 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured-
  97. 97Ichikawa Danjūrō IIIchikawa Danjūrō II1688-1758 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  98. 98MTMizuno Tadayuki1669-1731 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  99. 99Kutsuki MasatsunaKutsuki Masatsuna1750-1802 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured-
  100. 100Ishikawa ToyonobuIshikawa Toyonobu1711-1785 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot 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.