1800–1899
The 19th century
Whose names filled the books of the 19th century — anyone at all, however long dead — counted as mentions per million words printed, so a period that simply published more does not inflate anyone.
Talked about then
Whose names appeared most in German books during the 19th century — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish18,114German3,599French3,347Italian1,787Spanish1,162Russian325Hebrew105Chinese9
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
Frederick William, Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen1663–1735 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures8.4 - 2
Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt1700–1771 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany8.4 - 3
Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg1620–1688 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures8.4 - 4
Frederick William of Saxe-Meiningen1679–1746 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures8.4
- 5
Friedrich II, Grand Duke of Baden1857–1928 · 19th century · Historical Figures4.0 - 6
Maria Theresa1717–1780 · 18th century · 🇦🇹 Austria · Historical Figures3.8 - 7
Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg1633–1708 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany3.8 - 8
Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg1676–1732 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians3.8 - 9
Frederick II, Elector Palatine1482–1556 · 16th century3.8 - 10
Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1418–1478 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures3.8 - 11
Frederick II of Legnica1480–1547 · 16th century3.8 - 12
John Frederick, Count Palatine of Sulzbach-Hilpoltstein1587–1644 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany2.9 - 13
John Frederick, Duke of Pomerania1542–1600 · 16th century · Religious Figures2.9
- 14
John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach1654–1686 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models2.9 - 15
John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1625–1679 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures2.9 - 16
John Frederick, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt1721–1767 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures2.9
- 17
John Frederick, Duke of Württemberg1582–1628 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures2.9 - 18
John George, Elector of Brandenburg1525–1598 · 16th century · Religious Figures2.7
- 19
Johann Georg, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels1677–1712 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures2.7 - 20HIHenry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen1460–1526 · 15th century · Historical Figures2.5
- 21
Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg1417–1477 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany2.5 - 22HIHenry IV, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg1397–1427 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures2.5
- 23
Franz I, Prince of Liechtenstein1853–1938 · 19th century · 🇦🇹 Austria · Politicians1.9 - 24
Jean Paul1763–1825 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers1.8 - 25
Frederick Augustus, Duke of Württemberg-Neuenstadt1654–1716 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.8 - 26
Frederick Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst1734–1793 · 18th century · Historical Figures1.8 - 27
Frederick Augustus, Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Oels1740–1805 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.8 - 28
Frederick August I, Duke of Oldenburg1711–1785 · 18th century · Models1.8 - 29
Duke Friedrich I, Duke of Anhalt1831–1904 · 19th century · Historical Figures1.7 - 30
Friedrich I, Grand Duke of Baden1826–1907 · 19th century · Historical Figures1.7
- 31
Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1489–1568 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.6 - 32
Henry II, Duke of Bavaria951–995 · 10th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.6 - 33HIHenry II of Augsburg1001–1063 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures1.6
- 34HIHenry II, Count of Gorizia1150–1150 · 12th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.6
- 35
Henry II, Count of Reuss-Gera1572–1635 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.6 - 36HIHenry II, Lord of Mecklenburg1262–1329 · 13th century · Historical Figures1.6
- 37HIHenry II, Margrave of Meissen1103–1123 · 12th century · Models1.6
- 38HIHenry II, Duke of Limburg1110–1167 · 12th century · Historical Figures1.6
- 39
Henry II, Landgrave of Hesse1299–1376 · 14th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.6 - 40
Frederick I, Count Palatine of Simmern1417–1480 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.5 - 41
Frederick I1425–1476 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians1.5 - 42
Frederick I of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg1646–1691 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.5 - 43
Frederick I of Prussia1657–1713 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians1.5 - 44
Frederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg1585–1638 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.5 - 45
Frederick I of Liegnitz1446–1488 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.5
- 46
Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg1371–1440 · 15th century1.5 - 47
Frederick I, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel1357–1400 · 14th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.5 - 48
Frederick III, German Emperor1831–1888 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians1.5 - 49
Frederick Augustus II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg1852–1931 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.5 - 50HIHenry III, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen1416–1464 · 15th century1.4
- 51
Henry III1215–1288 · 13th century · Writers1.4 - 52HIHenry III, Duke of Mecklenburg1337–1383 · 14th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.4
- 53
Henry III, Count of Sayn1193–1247 · 13th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.4 - 54
Henry III, Duke of Limburg1167–1221 · 13th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.4 - 55HIHenry III, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben1300–1307 · 14th century · Religious Figures1.4
- 56
Henry III, Landgrave of Upper Hesse1440–1483 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models1.4 - 57
Henry III of Nassau-Breda1483–1538 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.4 - 58HIHenry III, Duke of Bavaria940–989 · 10th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.4
- 59WIWilliam III, Count of Weimar1000–1039 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.4
- 60
William III1425–1482 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.4 - 61
William III, Landgrave of Hesse1471–1500 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.4 - 62
Paracelsus1493–1541 · 16th century · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Doctors1.4 - 63
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor1741–1790 · 18th century · 🇦🇹 Austria · Historical Figures1.3 - 64
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor1316–1378 · 14th century · Historical Figures1.3 - 65
Frederick III of Legnica1520–1570 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.3 - 66
Frederick III of the Palatinate1515–1576 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models1.3 - 67
Frederick III, Prince of Salm-Kyrburg1744–1794 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.3 - 68
Frederick III, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg1673–1746 · 18th century · Politicians1.3 - 69
Frederick III, Margrave of Baden1327–1353 · 14th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models1.3 - 70
Frederick III, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp1597–1659 · 17th century · Historical Figures1.3 - 71
Friedrich III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth1711–1763 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models1.3 - 72
Frederick III, Burgrave of Nuremberg1220–1297 · 13th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.3 - 73
Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg1699–1772 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.3
- 74
Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow1633–1695 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers1.2 - 75
Philip II, Margrave of Baden-Baden1559–1588 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models1.2 - 76PIPhilip II, Count of Waldeck1453–1524 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.2
- 77
Philip II, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe1723–1787 · 18th century · Historical Figures1.2 - 78
Philip II, Duke of Pomerania1573–1618 · 17th century · Historical Figures1.2
- 79PIPhilip II, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg1501–1529 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.2
- 80PIPhilip II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen1533–1596 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.2
- 81PIPhilip II, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg1462–1504 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.2
- 82
William the Silent1533–1584 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians1.1 - 83
William I, German Emperor1797–1888 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.1
- 84
William I1343–1407 · 14th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.1 - 85
William I, Elector of Hesse1743–1821 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.1 - 86WIWilliam I of Weimar900–963 · 10th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.1
- 87
William, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg1648–1725 · 17th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.1 - 88
William I, Count of Nassau-Siegen1487–1559 · 16th century1.1 - 89
Wilhelm I of Württemberg1781–1864 · 19th century · Historical Figures1.1 - 90
William I, Duke of Bavaria1330–1389 · 14th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians1.1 - 91
Carl Friedrich I, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach1783–1853 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.0 - 92
Karl Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg1668–1721 · 18th century · Historical Figures1.0 - 93
Charles Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen1712–1743 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.0
- 94
Ferdinand I of Romania1865–1927 · 20th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.0 - 95
Ferdinand II of Portugal1816–1885 · 19th century · 🇦🇹 Austria · Historical Figures1.0 - 96
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor1578–1637 · 17th century · 🇦🇹 Austria · Historical Figures1.0 - 97
Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria1529–1595 · 16th century · 🇦🇹 Austria · Historical Figures1.0 - 98
Hans Sachs1494–1576 · 16th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers0.99 - 99
Wilhelm II, German Emperor1859–1941 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0.99 - 100
Wilhelm II of Württemberg1848–1921 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0.95
Lived then
The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 19th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Echoed
- 1
Louis Pasteur1822–1895 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists14 decades - 2
Gustave Eiffel1832–1923 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists10 decades - 3
Pierre Curie1859–1906 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists13 decades - 4
André-Marie Ampère1775–1836 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists15 decades - 5
Rudolf Diesel1858–1913 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists10 decades - 6
Henri Becquerel1852–1908 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists15 decades - 7
Louis Braille1809–1852 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists14 decades - 8
Georges Cuvier1769–1832 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists21 decades - 9
Nicéphore Niépce1765–1833 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists6 decades - 10
Louis Daguerre1787–1851 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists1 decades
- 11
Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot1796–1832 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists16 decades - 12
Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac1778–1850 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 13
Élie Metchnikoff1845–1916 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 14
Léon Foucault1819–1868 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists14 decades - 15
Augustin-Jean Fresnel1788–1827 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists15 decades - 16
Camille Flammarion1842–1925 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists16 decades - 17
Clément Ader1841–1925 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists11 decades - 18
Urbain Le Verrier1811–1877 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists4 decades - 19
Marcellin Berthelot1827–1907 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists15 decades - 20
Michel Eugène Chevreul1786–1889 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists1 decades - 21
Gabriel Lippmann1845–1921 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists7 decades - 22
Louis Le Princeborn 1841 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 23
Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin1805–1871 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 24
Henry Louis Le Chatelier1850–1936 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists12 decades - 25
Jean-Baptiste Biot1774–1862 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists3 decades - 26
Henri Moissan1852–1907 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists8 decades - 27
Claude-Louis Navier1785–1836 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 28
Étienne-Jules Marey1830–1904 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists3 decades - 29
Guillaume Henri Dufour1787–1875 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 30
Edmond Becquerel1820–1891 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists14 decades - 31
Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville1817–1879 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 32
André-Jacques Garnerin1769–1823 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 33
Marc Isambard Brunel1769–1849 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 34
Paul Sabatier1854–1941 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists14 decades - 35
Pierre Duhem1861–1916 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists12 decades - 36
Paul Vidal de La Blache1845–1918 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists3 decades - 37
Benoît Paul Émile Clapeyron1799–1864 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 38
Pierre Janssen1824–1907 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists3 decades - 39
André Michelin1853–1931 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists6 decades - 40
Roland Bonaparte1858–1924 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists14 decades - 41
Jean-Baptiste Dumas1800–1884 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists14 decades - 42
Louis Lumière1864–1948 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists13 decades - 43
Éleuthère Irénée du Pont1771–1834 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 44
Alcide d'Orbigny1802–1857 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 45
Armand David1826–1900 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists8 decades - 46
Antoine Béchamp1816–1908 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 47
Marc Seguin1786–1875 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists16 decades - 48
Édouard Branly1844–1940 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists3 decades - 49
Louis Jacques Thénard1777–1857 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 50
Henry Darcy1803–1858 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 51
Émile Baudot1845–1903 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 52
Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville1777–1850 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 53
Charles-Adolphe Wurtz1817–1884 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 54
Jeanne Villepreux-Power1794–1871 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 55
Charles Joseph Minard1781–1870 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 56
Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie1810–1897 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 57
Fulgence Bienvenüe1852–1936 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 58
Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran1838–1912 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 59
Félix Savart1791–1841 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists3 decades - 60
Henri Giffard1825–1882 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists4 decades - 61
Charles Friedel1832–1899 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists7 decades - 62
Jean Charles Athanase Peltier1785–1845 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 63
Gaston Planté1834–1889 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists8 decades - 64
Henri Victor Regnault1810–1878 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists7 decades - 65
Antoine César Becquerel1788–1878 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 66
Henri Mouhot1826–1861 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists8 decades - 67
Édouard-Alfred Martel1859–1938 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 68
Victor Loret1859–1946 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists9 decades - 69
Paul Ulrich Villard1860–1934 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists1 decades - 70
Alexandre Brongniart1770–1847 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists22 decades - 71
Léon Gaumont1864–1946 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 72
François-Vincent Raspail1794–1878 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 73
Antoine Jérôme Balard1802–1876 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 74
Jacques-Arsène d'Arsonval1851–1940 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists4 decades - 75
Jacques Curie1855–1941 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 76
Octave Chanute1832–1910 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 77
Édouard Roche1820–1883 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 78
Adolphe Alphand1817–1891 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists2 decades - 79
Charles Frédéric Gerhardt1816–1856 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists5 decades - 80
Bernard Courtois1777–1838 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists1 decades - 81
Auguste Bravais1811–1863 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists1 decades - 82
Augustin Saint-Hilaire1779–1853 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists14 decades - 83
Auguste Lumière1862–1954 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 84
Paul Héroult1863–1914 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 85
Alexis Bouvard1767–1843 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 86
Frédéric Cuvier1773–1838 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists19 decades - 87
Pierre Louis Dulong1785–1838 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 88
Alphonse Pyramus de Candolle1806–1893 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 89PBPierre-François Bouchard1771–1822 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 90
Jean-Baptiste Boussingault1801–1887 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 91
Casimir Lefaucheux1802–1852 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 92
Claude Gay1800–1873 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 93
Gustave Trouvé1839–1902 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 94
Léon Charles Thévenin1857–1926 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 95
Maurice Koechlin1856–1946 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 96
Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès1817–1880 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 97
François-Marie Raoult1830–1901 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 98
Jules Antoine Lissajous1822–1880 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 99
Auguste Charlois1864–1910 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 100
Anselme Payen1795–1871 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 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.