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🇨🇭 Switzerland
FieldAllPoliticiansHistorical FiguresWritersScientistsMusiciansArtistsAcademicsArchitectsDoctorsReligious Figures
  1. 1George WashingtonGeorge Washington1732–1799 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  2. 2Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin1706–1790 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  3. 3Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson1743–1826 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  4. 4John AdamsJohn Adams1735–1826 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  5. 5Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton1757–1804 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  6. 6James MadisonJames Madison1751–1836 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  7. 7James MonroeJames Monroe1758–1831 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  8. 8Aaron BurrAaron Burr1756–1836 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  9. 9Benedict ArnoldBenedict Arnold1741–1801 · 🇺🇸 United States · Business Professionals22 decades
  10. 10John Jacob Astor IJohn Jacob Astor I1763–1848 · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders0 decades
  11. 11Samuel AdamsSamuel Adams1722–1803 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  12. 12Martha WashingtonMartha Washington1731–1802 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  13. 13Paul ReverePaul Revere1735–1818 · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders21 decades
  14. 14Abigail AdamsAbigail Adams1744–1818 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians16 decades
  15. 15Daniel BooneDaniel Boone1734–1820 · 🇺🇸 United States · Historical Figures22 decades
  16. 16John HancockJohn Hancock1737–1793 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  17. 17John JayJohn Jay1745–1829 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  18. 18Phillis WheatleyPhillis Wheatley1753–1784 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers16 decades
  19. 19Benjamin ThompsonBenjamin Thompson1753–1814 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists22 decades
  20. 20Elbridge GerryElbridge Gerry1744–1814 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  21. 21Patrick HenryPatrick Henry1736–1799 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  22. 22Friedrich Wilhelm von SteubenFriedrich Wilhelm von Steuben1730–1794 · 🇺🇸 United States5 decades
  23. 23John MarshallJohn Marshall1755–1835 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  24. 24Benjamin RushBenjamin Rush1746–1813 · 🇺🇸 United States · Doctors22 decades
  25. 25George MasonGeorge Mason1725–1792 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  26. 26Lizzie VelasquezLizzie Velasquezborn 1743 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers0 decades
  27. 27Henry KnoxHenry Knox1750–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  28. 28Noah WebsterNoah Webster1758–1843 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers22 decades
  29. 29Nathanael GreeneNathanael Greene1742–1786 · 🇺🇸 United States17 decades
  30. 30John Singleton CopleyJohn Singleton Copley1738–1815 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists21 decades
  31. 31Betsy RossBetsy Ross1752–1836 · 🇺🇸 United States13 decades
  32. 32Casimir PulaskiCasimir Pulaski1745–1779 · 🇺🇸 United States · Lawyers9 decades
  33. 33Benjamin WestBenjamin West1738–1820 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists22 decades
  34. 34Albert GallatinAlbert Gallatin1761–1849 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians7 decades
  35. 35Horatio GatesHoratio Gates1727–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  36. 36Nathan HaleNathan Hale1755–1776 · 🇺🇸 United States20 decades
  37. 37Benjamin BannekerBenjamin Banneker1731–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists7 decades
  38. 38Roger ShermanRoger Sherman1721–1793 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  39. 39Henry Lee IIIHenry Lee III1756–1818 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0 decades
  40. 40Gilbert StuartGilbert Stuart1755–1828 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists22 decades
  41. 41Gouverneur MorrisGouverneur Morris1752–1816 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  42. 42Elizabeth Schuyler HamiltonElizabeth Schuyler Hamilton1757–1854 · 🇺🇸 United States · Business Professionals0 decades
  43. 43MJMartha Jefferson1748–1782 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians11 decades
  44. 44Charles Carroll of CarrolltonCharles Carroll of Carrollton1737–1832 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  45. 45John TrumbullJohn Trumbull1756–1843 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists22 decades
  46. 46Edmund RandolphEdmund Randolph1753–1813 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  47. 47Ethan AllenEthan Allen1738–1789 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  48. 48Joseph BrantJoseph Brant1742–1807 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians19 decades
  49. 49Timothy DexterTimothy Dexter1747–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Business Professionals8 decades
  50. 50Richard Henry LeeRichard Henry Lee1732–1794 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  51. 51Charles Willson PealeCharles Willson Peale1741–1827 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists13 decades
  52. 52Robert MorrisRobert Morris1734–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  53. 53Robert R. LivingstonRobert R. Livingston1746–1813 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  54. 54Anthony WayneAnthony Wayne1745–1796 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  55. 55Daniel MorganDaniel Morgan1736–1802 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  56. 56James WilsonJames Wilson1742–1798 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  57. 57Thomas MifflinThomas Mifflin1744–1800 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  58. 58Philip SchuylerPhilip Schuyler1733–1804 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  59. 59Benjamin Henry LatrobeBenjamin Henry Latrobe1764–1820 · 🇺🇸 United States · Architects7 decades
  60. 60Samuel HuntingtonSamuel Huntington1731–1796 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  61. 61Timothy PickeringTimothy Pickering1745–1829 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  62. 62Arthur St. ClairArthur St. Clair1737–1818 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  63. 63John SullivanJohn Sullivan1740–1795 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  64. 64Francis HopkinsonFrancis Hopkinson1737–1791 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  65. 65Samuel ChaseSamuel Chase1741–1811 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  66. 66George WytheGeorge Wythe1726–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Academics22 decades
  67. 67John CarrollJohn Carroll1735–1815 · 🇺🇸 United States · Religious Figures22 decades
  68. 68Benjamin Harrison VBenjamin Harrison V1726–1791 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0 decades
  69. 69Israel PutnamIsrael Putnam1718–1790 · 🇺🇸 United States22 decades
  70. 70Joseph WarrenJoseph Warren1741–1775 · 🇺🇸 United States · Doctors22 decades
  71. 71Robert Treat PaineRobert Treat Paine1731–1814 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  72. 72Charles Cotesworth PinckneyCharles Cotesworth Pinckney1746–1825 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers22 decades
  73. 73Mary Ball WashingtonMary Ball Washington1708–1789 · 🇺🇸 United States1 decades
  74. 74Oliver WolcottOliver Wolcott1760–1833 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  75. 75Josiah BartlettJosiah Bartlett1729–1795 · 🇺🇸 United States · Doctors19 decades
  76. 76Button GwinnettButton Gwinnett1735–1777 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians14 decades
  77. 77Rufus KingRufus King1755–1827 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  78. 78George Rogers ClarkGeorge Rogers Clark1752–1818 · 🇺🇸 United States21 decades
  79. 79Public Universal FriendPublic Universal Friend1752–1819 · 🇺🇸 United States0 decades
  80. 80William LivingstonWilliam Livingston1723–1790 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  81. 81Sybil LudingtonSybil Ludington1761–1839 · 🇺🇸 United States · Activists0 decades
  82. 82Frederick MuhlenbergFrederick Muhlenberg1750–1801 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0 decades
  83. 83Mercy Otis WarrenMercy Otis Warren1728–1814 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers5 decades
  84. 84Edward LivingstonEdward Livingston1764–1836 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  85. 85Francis MarionFrancis Marion1732–1795 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  86. 86David RittenhouseDavid Rittenhouse1732–1796 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists22 decades
  87. 87Henry DearbornHenry Dearborn1751–1829 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  88. 88Edward RutledgeEdward Rutledge1749–1800 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  89. 89William ElleryWilliam Ellery1727–1820 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  90. 90Jonathan DaytonJonathan Dayton1760–1824 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians19 decades
  91. 91John LangdonJohn Langdon1741–1819 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  92. 92William BartramWilliam Bartram1739–1823 · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists22 decades
  93. 93William BlountWilliam Blount1749–1800 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  94. 94Deborah SampsonDeborah Sampson1760–1827 · 🇺🇸 United States4 decades
  95. 95Oliver EllsworthOliver Ellsworth1745–1807 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  96. 96Benjamin LincolnBenjamin Lincoln1733–1810 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  97. 97William PatersonWilliam Paterson1745–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  98. 98George WaltonGeorge Walton1749–1804 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  99. 99Abraham BaldwinAbraham Baldwin1754–1807 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  100. 100John MortonJohn Morton1725–1777 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 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.