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. 1Johann Wolfgang von GoetheJohann Wolfgang von Goethe1749–1832 · Writers14 decades
  2. 2VoltaireVoltaire1694–1778 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  3. 3Friedrich SchillerFriedrich Schiller1759–1805 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  4. 4Giacomo CasanovaGiacomo Casanova1725–1798 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers20 decades
  5. 5Olympe de GougesOlympe de Gouges1748–1793 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  6. 6Gotthold Ephraim LessingGotthold Ephraim Lessing1729–1781 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  7. 7William BlakeWilliam Blake1757–1827 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  8. 8Pierre BeaumarchaisPierre Beaumarchais1732–1799 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  9. 9Carlo GoldoniCarlo Goldoni1707–1793 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers22 decades
  10. 10Jonathan SwiftJonathan Swift1667–1745 · Writers22 decades
  11. 11Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de BuffonGeorges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon1707–1788 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  12. 12Gavrila DerzhavinGavrila Derzhavin1743–1816 · Writers17 decades
  13. 13Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de MirabeauHonoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau1749–1791 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  14. 14Mary WollstonecraftMary Wollstonecraft1759–1797 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers21 decades
  15. 15Jean PaulJean Paul1763–1825 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  16. 16Baron MunchausenBaron Munchausen1720–1797 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  17. 17Pierre de MarivauxPierre de Marivaux1688–1763 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  18. 18Robert BurnsRobert Burns1759–1796 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  19. 19Antoine François PrévostAntoine François Prévost1697–1763 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers12 decades
  20. 20Denis FonvizinDenis Fonvizin1745–1792 · Writers9 decades
  21. 21Cao XueqinCao Xueqin1724–1760 · 🇨🇳 China · Writers10 decades
  22. 22Samuel JohnsonSamuel Johnson1709–1784 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  23. 23Marie LeszczyńskaMarie Leszczyńska1703–1768 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers13 decades
  24. 24Johann Joachim WinckelmannJohann Joachim Winckelmann1717–1768 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers17 decades
  25. 25Pierre Choderlos de LaclosPierre Choderlos de Laclos1741–1803 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers2 decades
  26. 26Alexander RadishchevAlexander Radishchev1749–1802 · Writers16 decades
  27. 27Christoph Martin WielandChristoph Martin Wieland1733–1813 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  28. 28Manon RolandManon Roland1754–1793 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers10 decades
  29. 29André ChénierAndré Chénier1762–1794 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  30. 30Friedrich Gottlieb KlopstockFriedrich Gottlieb Klopstock1724–1803 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers20 decades
  31. 31Alexander PopeAlexander Pope1688–1744 · Writers22 decades
  32. 32Pietro MetastasioPietro Metastasio1698–1782 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers22 decades
  33. 33Edward GibbonEdward Gibbon1737–1794 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  34. 34August von KotzebueAugust von Kotzebue1761–1819 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  35. 35Lorenzo Da PonteLorenzo Da Ponte1749–1838 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers19 decades
  36. 36Tsangyang GyatsoTsangyang Gyatso1683–1706 · 🇮🇳 India · Writersnot measured—
  37. 37Matthias ClaudiusMatthias Claudius1740–1815 · Writers22 decades
  38. 38Laurence SterneLaurence Sterne1713–1768 · Writers22 decades
  39. 39Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-PierreJacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre1737–1814 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  40. 40Georg ForsterGeorg Forster1754–1794 · Writers22 decades
  41. 41Ahmed IIIAhmed III1673–1736 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers3 decades
  42. 42Henry FieldingHenry Fielding1707–1754 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  43. 43Johann Kaspar LavaterJohann Kaspar Lavater1741–1801 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Writers17 decades
  44. 44Thomas ChattertonThomas Chatterton1752–1770 · Writers22 decades
  45. 45Ann RadcliffeAnn Radcliffe1764–1823 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers13 decades
  46. 46Yekaterina DashkovaYekaterina Dashkova1743–1810 · Writers1 decades
  47. 47Horace WalpoleHorace Walpole1717–1797 · Writers22 decades
  48. 48Gottfried August BürgerGottfried August Bürger1747–1794 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  49. 49Guru Gobind SinghGuru Gobind Singh1666–1708 · 🇮🇳 India · Writers9 decades
  50. 50Nicolaus ZinzendorfNicolaus Zinzendorf1700–1760 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers6 decades
  51. 51Adolph Freiherr KniggeAdolph Freiherr Knigge1752–1796 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers1 decades
  52. 52Alain-René LesageAlain-René Lesage1668–1747 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers2 decades
  53. 53Joseph JoubertJoseph Joubert1754–1824 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers14 decades
  54. 54Christian Fürchtegott GellertChristian Fürchtegott Gellert1715–1769 · Writers22 decades
  55. 55Johann Christoph GottschedJohann Christoph Gottsched1700–1766 · Writers16 decades
  56. 56Antoine de RivarolAntoine de Rivarol1753–1801 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers3 decades
  57. 57Jeanne Marie Leprince de BeaumontJeanne Marie Leprince de Beaumont1711–1776 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  58. 58Olaudah EquianoOlaudah Equiano1745–1797 · Writers4 decades
  59. 59Luc de Clapiers, marquis de VauvenarguesLuc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues1715–1747 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  60. 60Giuseppe PariniGiuseppe Parini1729–1799 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers22 decades
  61. 61Louis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-SimonLouis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon1675–1755 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  62. 62Charles François DumouriezCharles François Dumouriez1739–1823 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0 decades
  63. 63Isabelle de CharrièreIsabelle de Charrière1740–1805 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Writers5 decades
  64. 64Nicolas-Edme RétifNicolas-Edme Rétif1734–1806 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  65. 65Phillis WheatleyPhillis Wheatley1753–1784 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers16 decades
  66. 66Leandro Fernández de MoratínLeandro Fernández de Moratín1760–1828 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers14 decades
  67. 67Johann Peter HebelJohann Peter Hebel1760–1826 · Writers16 decades
  68. 68Albrecht von HallerAlbrecht von Haller1708–1777 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Writers22 decades
  69. 69Ludvig HolbergLudvig Holberg1684–1754 · 🇳🇴 Norway · Writers2 decades
  70. 70Bernard MandevilleBernard Mandeville1670–1733 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Writers6 decades
  71. 71Carlo GozziCarlo Gozzi1720–1806 · Writers22 decades
  72. 72Samuel RichardsonSamuel Richardson1689–1761 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  73. 73Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of DevonshireGeorgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire1757–1806 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writersnot measured—
  74. 74Charles-Joseph, 7th Prince of LigneCharles-Joseph, 7th Prince of Ligne1735–1814 · Writers7 decades
  75. 75Alexander SumarokovAlexander Sumarokov1717–1777 · Writers19 decades
  76. 76Uthman Dan FodioUthman Dan Fodio1754–1817 · Writers0 decades
  77. 77Wilhelmine of Prussia, Margravine of Brandenburg-BayreuthWilhelmine of Prussia, Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth1709–1758 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0 decades
  78. 78Jakob Michael Reinhold LenzJakob Michael Reinhold Lenz1751–1792 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers10 decades
  79. 79James BoswellJames Boswell1740–1795 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  80. 80Oliver GoldsmithOliver Goldsmith1728–1774 · Writers22 decades
  81. 81Joseph AddisonJoseph Addison1672–1719 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  82. 82Stéphanie Félicité Ducrest de Saint-Aubin de GenlisStéphanie Félicité Ducrest de Saint-Aubin de Genlis1746–1830 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0 decades
  83. 83Kobayashi IssaKobayashi Issa1763–1828 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  84. 84James MacphersonJames Macpherson1736–1796 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  85. 85Carl Michael BellmanCarl Michael Bellman1740–1795 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Writers0 decades
  86. 86Tobias SmollettTobias Smollett1721–1771 · Writers22 decades
  87. 87Frances BurneyFrances Burney1752–1840 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers13 decades
  88. 88William CowperWilliam Cowper1731–1800 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  89. 89Jan PotockiJan Potocki1761–1815 · Writers4 decades
  90. 90John GayJohn Gay1685–1732 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  91. 91William BeckfordWilliam Beckford1760–1844 · Writers22 decades
  92. 92Lizzie VelasquezLizzie Velasquezborn 1743 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers0 decades
  93. 93Rudolf Erich RaspeRudolf Erich Raspe1736–1794 · Writers5 decades
  94. 94Karl Theodor von DalbergKarl Theodor von Dalberg1744–1817 · Writers19 decades
  95. 95Yosa BusonYosa Buson1716–1784 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  96. 96Wolfgang von KempelenWolfgang von Kempelen1734–1804 · Writers3 decades
  97. 97Noah WebsterNoah Webster1758–1843 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers22 decades
  98. 98Jeanne de Valois-Saint-RémyJeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy1756–1791 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  99. 99Jeanne Julie Éléonore de LespinasseJeanne Julie Éléonore de Lespinasse1732–1776 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers12 decades
  100. 100John BurgoyneJohn Burgoyne1722–1792 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 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.