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. 1Immanuel KantImmanuel Kant1724–1804 · Academics22 decades
  2. 2Jean-Jacques RousseauJean-Jacques Rousseau1712–1778 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Academics22 decades
  3. 3Adam SmithAdam Smith1723–1790 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  4. 4Leonhard EulerLeonhard Euler1707–1783 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Academics22 decades
  5. 5MontesquieuMontesquieu1689–1755 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics22 decades
  6. 6Marquis de SadeMarquis de Sade1740–1814 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics12 decades
  7. 7Denis DiderotDenis Diderot1713–1784 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics21 decades
  8. 8David HumeDavid Hume1711–1776 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  9. 9Johann Gottfried HerderJohann Gottfried Herder1744–1803 · Academics18 decades
  10. 10Pierre-Simon LaplacePierre-Simon Laplace1749–1827 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics2 decades
  11. 11Johann Gottlieb FichteJohann Gottlieb Fichte1762–1814 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  12. 12Marquis de CondorcetMarquis de Condorcet1743–1794 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics1 decades
  13. 13Jeremy BenthamJeremy Bentham1748–1832 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  14. 14Jean le Rond d'AlembertJean le Rond d'Alembert1717–1783 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics7 decades
  15. 15Thomas PaineThomas Paine1737–1809 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  16. 16Joseph-Louis LagrangeJoseph-Louis Lagrange1736–1813 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  17. 17Giambattista VicoGiambattista Vico1668–1744 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics22 decades
  18. 18Henri de Saint-SimonHenri de Saint-Simon1760–1825 · 🇫🇷 France · Academicsnot measured—
  19. 19Cesare BeccariaCesare Beccaria1738–1794 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics22 decades
  20. 20Joseph de MaistreJoseph de Maistre1753–1821 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics21 decades
  21. 21Daniel BernoulliDaniel Bernoulli1700–1782 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Academics22 decades
  22. 22Lazare CarnotLazare Carnot1753–1823 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics14 decades
  23. 23Muhammad ibn Abd al-WahhabMuhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab1703–1792 · Academicsnot measured—
  24. 24Hryhorii SkovorodaHryhorii Skovoroda1722–1794 · Academics12 decades
  25. 25Moses MendelssohnMoses Mendelssohn1729–1786 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  26. 26John WesleyJohn Wesley1703–1791 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  27. 27George BerkeleyGeorge Berkeley1685–1753 · Academics8 decades
  28. 28Adam WeishauptAdam Weishaupt1748–1830 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics18 decades
  29. 29Gaspard MongeGaspard Monge1746–1818 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics22 decades
  30. 30Anne Robert Jacques TurgotAnne Robert Jacques Turgot1727–1781 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics2 decades
  31. 31Christian WolffChristian Wolff1679–1754 · Academics22 decades
  32. 32Henry CavendishHenry Cavendish1731–1810 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics22 decades
  33. 33Johann BernoulliJohann Bernoulli1667–1748 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Academics22 decades
  34. 34Claude Adrien HelvétiusClaude Adrien Helvétius1715–1771 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  35. 35Maria Gaetana AgnesiMaria Gaetana Agnesi1718–1799 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics22 decades
  36. 36John LawJohn Law1671–1729 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  37. 37François QuesnayFrançois Quesnay1694–1774 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics14 decades
  38. 38Pierre-Louis Moreau de MaupertuisPierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis1698–1759 · 🇫🇷 France · Academicsnot measured—
  39. 39Adrien-Marie LegendreAdrien-Marie Legendre1752–1833 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  40. 40Étienne Bonnot de CondillacÉtienne Bonnot de Condillac1714–1780 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics1 decades
  41. 41Johann Heinrich LambertJohann Heinrich Lambert1728–1777 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics2 decades
  42. 42Thomas BayesThomas Bayes1702–1761 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics2 decades
  43. 43Abraham de MoivreAbraham de Moivre1667–1754 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  44. 44AGAlexander Gottlieb Baumgarten1714–1762 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics11 decades
  45. 45Louis de BonaldLouis de Bonald1754–1840 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics7 decades
  46. 46Anton Wilhelm AmoAnton Wilhelm Amo1703–1759 · Academics0 decades
  47. 47Johann Georg HamannJohann Georg Hamann1730–1788 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics21 decades
  48. 48Feofan ProkopovichFeofan Prokopovich1681–1736 · Academicsnot measured—
  49. 49Giuseppe PiazziGiuseppe Piazzi1746–1826 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics22 decades
  50. 50Friedrich Heinrich JacobiFriedrich Heinrich Jacobi1743–1819 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  51. 51Brook TaylorBrook Taylor1685–1731 · Academics9 decades
  52. 52Christian GoldbachChristian Goldbach1690–1764 · Academics0 decades
  53. 53Charles Marie de La CondamineCharles Marie de La Condamine1701–1774 · Academics0 decades
  54. 54Dimitrie CantemirDimitrie Cantemir1674–1723 · Academics6 decades
  55. 55William JonesWilliam Jones1746–1794 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  56. 56Adam FergusonAdam Ferguson1723–1816 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  57. 57Antiochus KantemirAntiochus Kantemir1708–1744 · Academics17 decades
  58. 58Pierre André LatreillePierre André Latreille1762–1833 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics1 decades
  59. 59Rigas VelestinlisRigas Velestinlis1757–1798 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Academics19 decades
  60. 60Alexis ClairautAlexis Clairaut1713–1765 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  61. 61Étienne BézoutÉtienne Bézout1730–1783 · Academics1 decades
  62. 62Thomas ReidThomas Reid1710–1796 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  63. 63Francis HutchesonFrancis Hutcheson1694–1746 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics17 decades
  64. 64Richard CantillonRichard Cantillon1675–1734 · Academics4 decades
  65. 65Gabriel CramerGabriel Cramer1704–1752 · Academics21 decades
  66. 66Francesco AlgarottiFrancesco Algarotti1712–1764 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics22 decades
  67. 67George WhitefieldGeorge Whitefield1714–1770 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  68. 68Colin MacLaurinColin MacLaurin1698–1746 · Academics0 decades
  69. 69Friedrich August WolfFriedrich August Wolf1759–1824 · Academics22 decades
  70. 70Shah Waliullah DehlawiShah Waliullah Dehlawi1703–1762 · Academics0 decades
  71. 71William PaleyWilliam Paley1743–1805 · Academics20 decades
  72. 72Hakuin EkakuHakuin Ekaku1685–1769 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academicsnot measured—
  73. 73JMJohn Michell1724–1793 · Academics19 decades
  74. 74Moshe Chaim LuzzattoMoshe Chaim Luzzatto1707–1746 · Academicsnot measured—
  75. 75Shneur Zalman of LiadiShneur Zalman of Liadi1745–1812 · Academics18 decades
  76. 76Motoori NorinagaMotoori Norinaga1730–1801 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Academics6 decades
  77. 77Isaac WattsIsaac Watts1674–1748 · Academics22 decades
  78. 78Jacopo RiccatiJacopo Riccati1676–1754 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics14 decades
  79. 79Antoine Destutt de TracyAntoine Destutt de Tracy1754–1836 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  80. 80John TolandJohn Toland1670–1722 · Academics21 decades
  81. 81Charles BonnetCharles Bonnet1720–1793 · Academics22 decades
  82. 82Salomon MaimonSalomon Maimon1754–1800 · Academics22 decades
  83. 83Carsten NiebuhrCarsten Niebuhr1733–1815 · Academics3 decades
  84. 84Abraham Gottlob WernerAbraham Gottlob Werner1749–1817 · Academics17 decades
  85. 85José Celestino Mutis y BosioJosé Celestino Mutis y Bosio1732–1808 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academicsnot measured—
  86. 86Ahmed al-TijaniAhmed al-Tijani1738–1815 · Academics0 decades
  87. 87Stanisław StaszicStanisław Staszic1755–1826 · Academics0 decades
  88. 88Pierre Samuel du Pont de NemoursPierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours1739–1817 · 🇫🇷 France · Academicsnot measured—
  89. 89Roger CotesRoger Cotes1682–1716 · Academics6 decades
  90. 90George WytheGeorge Wythe1726–1806 · 🇺🇸 United States · Academics22 decades
  91. 91Pierre Jean George CabanisPierre Jean George Cabanis1757–1808 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0 decades
  92. 92Nevil MaskelyneNevil Maskelyne1732–1811 · Academics9 decades
  93. 93Jeong Yak-yongJeong Yak-yong1762–1836 · Academics0 decades
  94. 94Ahmad ibn Zayn al-Din al-Ahsa'iAhmad ibn Zayn al-Din al-Ahsa'i1753–1826 · Academicsnot measured—
  95. 95Louis-Claude de Saint-MartinLouis-Claude de Saint-Martin1743–1803 · 🇫🇷 France · Academicsnot measured—
  96. 96İbrahim Müteferrikaİbrahim Müteferrika1674–1745 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Academics0 decades
  97. 97Joseph ButlerJoseph Butler1692–1752 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics22 decades
  98. 98Constantin-François ChassebœufConstantin-François Chassebœuf1757–1820 · 🇫🇷 France · Academicsnot measured—
  99. 99Gabriel Bonnot de MablyGabriel Bonnot de Mably1709–1785 · 🇫🇷 France · Academics3 decades
  100. 100WPWilliam Playfair1759–1823 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics3 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.