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. 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. 9Samuel AdamsSamuel Adams1722–1803 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  10. 10Martha WashingtonMartha Washington1731–1802 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  11. 11Abigail AdamsAbigail Adams1744–1818 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians16 decades
  12. 12John HancockJohn Hancock1737–1793 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  13. 13John JayJohn Jay1745–1829 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  14. 14Elbridge GerryElbridge Gerry1744–1814 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  15. 15Patrick HenryPatrick Henry1736–1799 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  16. 16John MarshallJohn Marshall1755–1835 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  17. 17George MasonGeorge Mason1725–1792 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  18. 18Henry KnoxHenry Knox1750–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  19. 19Albert GallatinAlbert Gallatin1761–1849 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians7 decades
  20. 20Horatio GatesHoratio Gates1727–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  21. 21Roger ShermanRoger Sherman1721–1793 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  22. 22Henry Lee IIIHenry Lee III1756–1818 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0 decades
  23. 23Gouverneur MorrisGouverneur Morris1752–1816 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  24. 24MJMartha Jefferson1748–1782 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians11 decades
  25. 25Charles Carroll of CarrolltonCharles Carroll of Carrollton1737–1832 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  26. 26Edmund RandolphEdmund Randolph1753–1813 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  27. 27Ethan AllenEthan Allen1738–1789 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  28. 28Joseph BrantJoseph Brant1742–1807 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians19 decades
  29. 29Richard Henry LeeRichard Henry Lee1732–1794 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  30. 30Robert MorrisRobert Morris1734–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  31. 31Robert R. LivingstonRobert R. Livingston1746–1813 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  32. 32Anthony WayneAnthony Wayne1745–1796 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  33. 33Daniel MorganDaniel Morgan1736–1802 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  34. 34James WilsonJames Wilson1742–1798 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  35. 35Thomas MifflinThomas Mifflin1744–1800 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  36. 36Philip SchuylerPhilip Schuyler1733–1804 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  37. 37Samuel HuntingtonSamuel Huntington1731–1796 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  38. 38Timothy PickeringTimothy Pickering1745–1829 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  39. 39Arthur St. ClairArthur St. Clair1737–1818 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  40. 40John SullivanJohn Sullivan1740–1795 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  41. 41Francis HopkinsonFrancis Hopkinson1737–1791 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  42. 42Samuel ChaseSamuel Chase1741–1811 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  43. 43Benjamin Harrison VBenjamin Harrison V1726–1791 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0 decades
  44. 44Robert Treat PaineRobert Treat Paine1731–1814 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  45. 45Oliver WolcottOliver Wolcott1760–1833 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  46. 46Button GwinnettButton Gwinnett1735–1777 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians14 decades
  47. 47Rufus KingRufus King1755–1827 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  48. 48William LivingstonWilliam Livingston1723–1790 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  49. 49Frederick MuhlenbergFrederick Muhlenberg1750–1801 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0 decades
  50. 50Edward LivingstonEdward Livingston1764–1836 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  51. 51Francis MarionFrancis Marion1732–1795 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  52. 52Henry DearbornHenry Dearborn1751–1829 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  53. 53Edward RutledgeEdward Rutledge1749–1800 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  54. 54William ElleryWilliam Ellery1727–1820 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  55. 55Jonathan DaytonJonathan Dayton1760–1824 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians19 decades
  56. 56John LangdonJohn Langdon1741–1819 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  57. 57William BlountWilliam Blount1749–1800 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  58. 58Oliver EllsworthOliver Ellsworth1745–1807 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  59. 59Benjamin LincolnBenjamin Lincoln1733–1810 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  60. 60William PatersonWilliam Paterson1745–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  61. 61George WaltonGeorge Walton1749–1804 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  62. 62Abraham BaldwinAbraham Baldwin1754–1807 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  63. 63John MortonJohn Morton1725–1777 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  64. 64William FloydWilliam Floyd1734–1821 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  65. 65James McHenryJames McHenry1753–1816 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians19 decades
  66. 66Christopher GadsdenChristopher Gadsden1724–1805 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians17 decades
  67. 67George ReadGeorge Read1733–1798 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  68. 68Isaac ShelbyIsaac Shelby1750–1826 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  69. 69Thomas McKeanThomas McKean1734–1817 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  70. 70Richard StocktonRichard Stockton1730–1781 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  71. 71Levi Lincoln Sr.Levi Lincoln Sr.1749–1820 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politiciansnot measured—
  72. 72Thomas PinckneyThomas Pinckney1750–1828 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  73. 73Caesar RodneyCaesar Rodney1728–1784 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  74. 74William PacaWilliam Paca1740–1799 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  75. 75Thomas SumterThomas Sumter1734–1832 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians16 decades
  76. 76Charles LynchCharles Lynch1736–1796 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians17 decades
  77. 77Thomas NelsonThomas Nelson1738–1789 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  78. 78Samuel DexterSamuel Dexter1761–1816 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians17 decades
  79. 79Francis LewisFrancis Lewis1713–1803 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  80. 80George ClymerGeorge Clymer1739–1813 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians18 decades
  81. 81Carter BraxtonCarter Braxton1736–1797 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians18 decades
  82. 82John Armstrong Jr.John Armstrong Jr.1758–1843 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0 decades
  83. 83John AdairJohn Adair1757–1840 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  84. 84Pierce ButlerPierce Butler1744–1822 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  85. 85Lyman HallLyman Hall1724–1790 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians17 decades
  86. 86William WhippleWilliam Whipple1730–1785 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians17 decades
  87. 87John BreckinridgeJohn Breckinridge1760–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians19 decades
  88. 88Matthew ThorntonMatthew Thornton1714–1803 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians14 decades
  89. 89John SevierJohn Sevier1745–1815 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians21 decades
  90. 90James BowdoinJames Bowdoin1726–1790 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  91. 91Samuel OsgoodSamuel Osgood1748–1813 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians18 decades
  92. 92John HansonJohn Hanson1721–1783 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  93. 93William Samuel JohnsonWilliam Samuel Johnson1727–1819 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians17 decades
  94. 94Artemas WardArtemas Ward1727–1800 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians17 decades
  95. 95Nathaniel GorhamNathaniel Gorham1738–1796 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians16 decades
  96. 96William HullWilliam Hull1753–1825 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians22 decades
  97. 97Abraham ClarkAbraham Clark1726–1794 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians18 decades
  98. 98Philip LivingstonPhilip Livingston1716–1778 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  99. 99Nathaniel MaconNathaniel Macon1757–1837 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians20 decades
  100. 100NWNancy Ward1738–1822 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians3 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.