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. 1Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart1756–1791 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Musicians21 decades
  2. 2Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach1685–1750 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians22 decades
  3. 3Antonio VivaldiAntonio Vivaldi1678–1741 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians14 decades
  4. 4George Frideric HandelGeorge Frideric Handel1685–1759 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians21 decades
  5. 5Joseph HaydnJoseph Haydn1732–1809 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Musicians22 decades
  6. 6Antonio SalieriAntonio Salieri1750–1825 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians15 decades
  7. 7Madame du BarryMadame du Barry1743–1793 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians22 decades
  8. 8Christoph Willibald GluckChristoph Willibald Gluck1714–1787 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians9 decades
  9. 9Jean-Philippe RameauJean-Philippe Rameau1683–1764 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians11 decades
  10. 10Carl Philipp Emanuel BachCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach1714–1788 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians15 decades
  11. 11Georg Philipp TelemannGeorg Philipp Telemann1681–1767 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians12 decades
  12. 12Claude Joseph Rouget de LisleClaude Joseph Rouget de Lisle1760–1836 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians20 decades
  13. 13Leopold MozartLeopold Mozart1719–1787 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians20 decades
  14. 14Domenico ScarlattiDomenico Scarlatti1685–1757 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians17 decades
  15. 15Johann Christian BachJohann Christian Bach1735–1782 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians12 decades
  16. 16Maria Anna MozartMaria Anna Mozart1751–1829 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Musicians3 decades
  17. 17Giovanni Battista PergolesiGiovanni Battista Pergolesi1710–1736 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians8 decades
  18. 18FarinelliFarinelli1705–1782 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians22 decades
  19. 19François CouperinFrançois Couperin1668–1733 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians14 decades
  20. 20Tomaso AlbinoniTomaso Albinoni1671–1751 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians8 decades
  21. 21Selim IIISelim III1761–1808 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Musicians18 decades
  22. 22Luigi BoccheriniLuigi Boccherini1743–1805 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades
  23. 23Count of St. GermainCount of St. Germain1712–1784 · Musicians7 decades
  24. 24Constanze MozartConstanze Mozart1762–1842 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians6 decades
  25. 25Wilhelm Friedemann BachWilhelm Friedemann Bach1710–1784 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians13 decades
  26. 26Giovanni PaisielloGiovanni Paisiello1740–1816 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians22 decades
  27. 27Giuseppe TartiniGiuseppe Tartini1692–1770 · Musicians22 decades
  28. 28Luigi CherubiniLuigi Cherubini1760–1842 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians2 decades
  29. 29Domenico CimarosaDomenico Cimarosa1749–1801 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians22 decades
  30. 30Muzio ClementiMuzio Clementi1752–1832 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians17 decades
  31. 31Barbara of Portugal, Queen of SpainBarbara of Portugal, Queen of Spain1711–1758 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Musicians17 decades
  32. 32François-André Danican PhilidorFrançois-André Danican Philidor1726–1795 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians0 decades
  33. 33Dmytro BortnianskyiDmytro Bortnianskyi1751–1825 · Musicians3 decades
  34. 34Michael HaydnMichael Haydn1737–1806 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Musicians22 decades
  35. 35Anna Magdalena BachAnna Magdalena Bach1701–1760 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians10 decades
  36. 36Johann Adolph HasseJohann Adolph Hasse1699–1783 · Musicians3 decades
  37. 37André GrétryAndré Grétry1741–1813 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians0 decades
  38. 38Baldassare GaluppiBaldassare Galuppi1706–1785 · Musicians15 decades
  39. 39Johann Christoph Friedrich BachJohann Christoph Friedrich Bach1732–1795 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians6 decades
  40. 40Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick-WolfenbüttelDuchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel1739–1807 · Musiciansnot measured—
  41. 41Giovanni Battista ViottiGiovanni Battista Viotti1755–1824 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians3 decades
  42. 42Pietro LocatelliPietro Locatelli1695–1764 · Musicians3 decades
  43. 43Sayat-NovaSayat-Nova1712–1795 · Musicians0 decades
  44. 44JDJan Dismas Zelenka1679–1745 · Musicians0 decades
  45. 45Johann Joachim QuantzJohann Joachim Quantz1697–1773 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians7 decades
  46. 46Nicola PorporaNicola Porpora1686–1768 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians12 decades
  47. 47Chevalier de Saint-GeorgesChevalier de Saint-Georges1745–1799 · 🇫🇷 France · Musiciansnot measured—
  48. 48Josef MyslivečekJosef Mysliveček1737–1781 · Musiciansnot measured—
  49. 49Leonardo VinciLeonardo Vinci1690–1730 · Musicians21 decades
  50. 50François Joseph GossecFrançois Joseph Gossec1734–1829 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians1 decades
  51. 51Johann StamitzJohann Stamitz1717–1757 · Musicians11 decades
  52. 52Benedetto MarcelloBenedetto Marcello1686–1739 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians22 decades
  53. 53Maria Antonia Walpurgis of BavariaMaria Antonia Walpurgis of Bavaria1724–1780 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  54. 54Carl Ditters von DittersdorfCarl Ditters von Dittersdorf1739–1799 · Musicians3 decades
  55. 55Maria Barbara BachMaria Barbara Bach1684–1720 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  56. 56Ignaz PleyelIgnaz Pleyel1757–1831 · 🇫🇷 France · Musiciansnot measured—
  57. 57Carl StamitzCarl Stamitz1745–1801 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians6 decades
  58. 58Julie d'AubignyJulie d'Aubigny1673–1707 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians17 decades
  59. 59Thomas ArneThomas Arne1710–1778 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians0 decades
  60. 60Marie-Louise O'MurphyMarie-Louise O'Murphy1737–1814 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians0 decades
  61. 61Johann van BeethovenJohann van Beethoven1739–1792 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians12 decades
  62. 62Turlough O'CarolanTurlough O'Carolan1670–1738 · Musicians0 decades
  63. 63Jean-Marie LeclairJean-Marie Leclair1697–1764 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians4 decades
  64. 64Giovanni Battista MartiniGiovanni Battista Martini1706–1784 · Musicians4 decades
  65. 65Maria Theresia ParadisMaria Theresia Paradis1759–1824 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Musicians3 decades
  66. 66Niccolò PiccinniNiccolò Piccinni1728–1800 · Musicians13 decades
  67. 67Carl Friedrich AbelCarl Friedrich Abel1723–1787 · Musicians1 decades
  68. 68Francesco GeminianiFrancesco Geminiani1687–1762 · Musicians0 decades
  69. 69Alessandro MarcelloAlessandro Marcello1673–1747 · Musicians20 decades
  70. 70Antonio CaldaraAntonio Caldara1670–1736 · Musicians13 decades
  71. 71Élisabeth Jacquet de La GuerreÉlisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre1665–1729 · Musicians0 decades
  72. 72Aloysia WeberAloysia Weber1760–1839 · Musicians0 decades
  73. 73Friedrich Wilhelm Bülow von DennewitzFriedrich Wilhelm Bülow von Dennewitz1755–1816 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  74. 74Alexey RazumovskyAlexey Razumovsky1709–1771 · Musicians0 decades
  75. 75Johann MatthesonJohann Mattheson1681–1764 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians9 decades
  76. 76Christian Gottlob NeefeChristian Gottlob Neefe1748–1798 · Musicians7 decades
  77. 77Giovanni Battista SammartiniGiovanni Battista Sammartini1700–1775 · Musicians4 decades
  78. 78Anna Amalia of Prussia, Abbess of QuedlinburgAnna Amalia of Prussia, Abbess of Quedlinburg1723–1787 · Musicians2 decades
  79. 79Charles BurneyCharles Burney1726–1814 · Musicians22 decades
  80. 80SenesinoSenesino1686–1758 · Musicians21 decades
  81. 81Sylvius Leopold WeissSylvius Leopold Weiss1687–1750 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  82. 82Jan Ladislav DussekJan Ladislav Dussek1760–1812 · Musicians0 decades
  83. 83ASAntonio Soler1729–1783 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Musiciansnot measured—
  84. 84Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-DarmstadtErnest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt1667–1739 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians22 decades
  85. 85Johann Georg AlbrechtsbergerJohann Georg Albrechtsberger1736–1809 · Musicians4 decades
  86. 86Johann Baptist VanhalJohann Baptist Vanhal1739–1813 · Musicians0 decades
  87. 87Joseph Martin KrausJoseph Martin Kraus1756–1792 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Musicians4 decades
  88. 88William BoyceWilliam Boyce1711–1779 · Musicians15 decades
  89. 89Hannah GlasseHannah Glasse1708–1770 · Musicians0 decades
  90. 90Giovanni BononciniGiovanni Bononcini1670–1747 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians9 decades
  91. 91Étienne MéhulÉtienne Méhul1763–1817 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians0 decades
  92. 92Sake Dean MahomedSake Dean Mahomed1759–1851 · Musicians0 decades
  93. 93Christoph GraupnerChristoph Graupner1683–1760 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians6 decades
  94. 94JCJeremiah Clarke1674–1707 · Musicians3 decades
  95. 95Carl Friedrich ZelterCarl Friedrich Zelter1758–1832 · Musicians11 decades
  96. 96Count Hieronymus von ColloredoCount Hieronymus von Colloredo1732–1812 · Musicians2 decades
  97. 97JHJohan Helmich Roman1694–1758 · Musicians0 decades
  98. 98Niccolò JommelliNiccolò Jommelli1714–1774 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians9 decades
  99. 99ALAntonio Lotti1667–1740 · Musicians20 decades
  100. 100Thomas LinleyThomas Linley1756–1778 · Musicians4 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.