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 Spanish books during the 19th century — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish18,114German3,599French3,347Italian1,787Spanish1,162Russian325Hebrew105Chinese9
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
John of God1495–1550 · 16th century · 🇵🇹 Portugal5.8 - 2
Lope de Vega1562–1635 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers5.3 - 3
Francis Xavier1506–1552 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers4.5 - 4
John of Austria1547–1578 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians4.2 - 5
Gonzalo Pizarro1502–1548 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures3.3 - 6
Nicolás Antonio1617–1684 · 17th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians2.3 - 7
John I of France1316–1316 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures2.1
- 8
Francisco Pizarro1478–1541 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures2.0 - 9
Miguel de Cervantes1547–1616 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers1.9 - 10
Diego de Almagro1475–1538 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures1.7
- 11
Vincent Ferrer1350–1419 · 14th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures1.6 - 12
Ambrosio de Morales1513–1591 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers1.5 - 13
Francis Borgia, 4th Duke of Gandía1510–1572 · 16th century · Politicians1.5 - 14
Francisco de Borja1441–1511 · 15th century · Writers1.5 - 15
Hernando Pizarro1502–1578 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures1.4 - 16
Pedro de Valdivia1497–1553 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians1.3 - 17
Pedro de Alvarado1486–1541 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures1.3 - 18
Recceswinthdied 672 · 7th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures1.2 - 19
Wittiza686–710 · 8th century · Historical Figures1.2
- 20
Pope Alexander VI1431–1503 · 15th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures1.2 - 21
Ignatius of Loyola1491–1556 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures1.1 - 22
Garcilaso de la Vega1503–1536 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers1.0 - 23
Francisco Quevedo1584–1645 · 17th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers1.00 - 24
Juan López de Padilla1490–1521 · 16th century · Activists0.90 - 25
Gonzalo de Sandoval1497–1528 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.86 - 26
Lope de Rueda1505–1566 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.82 - 27
Juan de Herrera1530–1597 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Architects0.82 - 28
Bartolomé de las Casas1484–1566 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.81 - 29
Jorge Juan y Santacilia1713–1773 · 18th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Scientists0.80 - 30
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo1828–1897 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.80 - 31
Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain1549–1580 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.77 - 32
Manuel Godoy1767–1851 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.76 - 33
Melchor Cano1509–1560 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics0.76 - 34
Tirso de Molina1583–1648 · 17th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.75 - 35
Christopher Columbus1451–1506 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures0.75 - 36
Francisco Pacheco1564–1644 · 16th century · Artists0.74 - 37
Teresa of Ávila1515–1582 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.70 - 38
Rodrigo de Quiroga1512–1580 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.69
- 39
Porfirio Díaz1830–1915 · 19th century · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Politicians0.68 - 40
Juan Bravo1483–1521 · 16th century · Politicians0.63 - 41
Rodrigo Caro1573–1647 · 17th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.63 - 42
Hernán Cortés1485–1547 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.62 - 43
Práxedes Mateo Sagasta1825–1903 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.61 - 44
Alonso de Alvarado1500–1556 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.57 - 45
Francisco de Toledo, Count of Oropesa1515–1582 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.56 - 46JFJuan Fernández1529–1602 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.56
- 47
Peter of Alcantara1499–1562 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain0.54 - 48
Francisco Verdugo1537–1595 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.53 - 49
Alonso Cano1601–1667 · 17th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artists0.52 - 50
Juan de Mariana1536–1624 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.52 - 51
Francisco de Villagra1511–1563 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.50 - 52
Francis Solanus1549–1610 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain0.48 - 53
Thomas of Villanova1488–1555 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics0.47 - 54
Hernando de Soto1500–1542 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.46 - 55
Isidore of Seville560–636 · 6th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics0.46 - 56
Sampiro956–1041 · 10th century · Politicians0.44 - 57
Andrés Bello1781–1865 · 19th century · Politicians0.44 - 58
Diego de Ordaz1480–1532 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Scientists0.43 - 59
John of the Cross1542–1591 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.42 - 60
Francisco de Aguirre1507–1581 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.41 - 61
Emilio Castelar1832–1899 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.41 - 62
Ángel de Saavedra, 3rd Duke of Rivas1791–1865 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.40
- 63
Juan de Ribera1532–1611 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Actors0.39 - 64
Antonio de Ulloa1716–1795 · 18th century · Writers0.39 - 65
Jose Miguel Carrera1785–1821 · 19th century · Politicians0.38 - 66
Juan de Castro1431–1506 · 15th century0.38 - 67
Leopoldo O'Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan1809–1867 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.38 - 68
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos1744–1811 · 18th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.38 - 69
Juan Andrés1740–1817 · 18th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics0.37 - 70
María de Padilla1334–1361 · 14th century0.37 - 71
Elisabeth Farnese1692–1766 · 18th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.36 - 72
Emilia Pardo Bazán1851–1921 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.36 - 73
Juan de Grijalva1490–1527 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain0.36 - 74
Francisco de Carvajal1464–1548 · 15th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.36 - 75
Fernando de Herrera1534–1597 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.35 - 76
Alfonso1453–1468 · 15th century · Politicians0.34 - 77HDHernando del Pulgar1436–1492 · 15th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.34
- 78
Vicente Guerrero1782–1831 · 19th century · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Politicians0.34 - 79
Fernán González of Castile910–970 · 10th century0.34 - 80
Juan de la Cosa1450–1510 · 15th century · Historical Figures0.34 - 81
Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma1545–1592 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.34 - 82
Alonso de Ercilla1533–1595 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.33 - 83
Bartolomé Mitre1821–1906 · 19th century · 🇦🇷 Argentina · Politicians0.33 - 84
Juan de Garay1528–1583 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain0.33 - 85
Luis de Góngora1561–1627 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.32 - 86
Michael de Sanctis1591–1625 · 17th century · Religious Figures0.32
- 87
Francisco de Montejo y León1479–1553 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.31 - 88
Bernardino de Mendoza1540–1604 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.30 - 89
Bernardo O'Higgins1778–1842 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.30 - 90
Gil Vicente1465–1536 · 16th century · 🇵🇹 Portugal · Writers0.30 - 91
Manuel José Quintana1772–1857 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.30 - 92
Simón Bolívar1783–1830 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians0.30 - 93
Isabella of Castile, Queen of Aragon1283–1328 · 14th century0.29 - 94
Pedro Tenorio1328–1399 · 14th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures0.29 - 95
Luis de Granada1504–1588 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Actors0.28 - 96
Pedro de Villagra1513–1577 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.28 - 97
Eurosia864–880 · 9th century0.28 - 98
Juan de Ortega1480–1568 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics0.28 - 99
Manuel Oribe1792–1857 · 19th century · Politicians0.28 - 100
Antonio de Nebrija1444–1522 · 15th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Academics0.28
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
Charles Darwin1809–1882 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists21 decades - 2
Michael Faraday1791–1867 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists20 decades - 3
James Clerk Maxwell1831–1879 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists14 decades - 4
John Dalton1766–1844 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 5
J. J. Thomson1856–1940 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 6
James Prescott Joule1818–1889 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists3 decades - 7
Thomas Henry Huxley1825–1895 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists16 decades - 8
Humphry Davy1778–1829 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 9
Thomas Young1773–1829 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 10
George Stephenson1781–1848 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 11
Isambard Kingdom Brunel1806–1859 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists2 decades - 12
Richard Trevithick1771–1833 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists19 decades - 13
Richard Owen1804–1892 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 14
Charles George Gordon1833–1885 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists5 decades - 15
John Boyd Dunlop1840–1921 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 16
Robert Stephenson1803–1859 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 17
John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh1842–1919 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 18
Robert Brown1773–1858 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 19
Anna Atkins1799–1871 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 20
Henry Royce1863–1933 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists1 decades - 21
William Henry Fox Talbot1800–1877 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists6 decades - 22
Charles Lyell1797–1875 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists21 decades - 23
William Buckland1784–1856 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists14 decades - 24
William Ramsay1852–1916 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists17 decades - 25
George Green1793–1841 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 26
John Edward Gray1800–1875 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists8 decades - 27
William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong1810–1900 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 28
William Henry Bragg1862–1942 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 29
John Alexander Reina Newlands1837–1898 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 30
David Brewster1781–1868 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 31
John Ambrose Fleming1849–1945 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 32
Charles Algernon Parsons1854–1931 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists1 decades - 33
Patrick Geddes1854–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists14 decades - 34
James Dewar1842–1923 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists13 decades - 35
William Webb Ellis1806–1872 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 36
William John Macquorn Rankine1820–1872 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists1 decades - 37
William Prout1785–1850 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists5 decades - 38
Oliver Lodge1851–1940 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists14 decades - 39
William Bateson1861–1926 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists9 decades - 40
Robert Fortune1812–1880 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 41
Elihu Thomson1853–1937 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists9 decades - 42
William Jackson Hooker1785–1865 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists7 decades - 43
John Scott Haldane1860–1936 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 44
George Albert Boulenger1858–1937 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 45
Ferdinand von Mueller1825–1896 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists2 decades - 46
Michael Roger Oldfield Thomas1858–1929 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 47
William Huggins1824–1910 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists8 decades - 48
Thomas Wedgwood1771–1805 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 49
John Richardson1787–1865 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists22 decades - 50
Robert T. A. Innes1861–1933 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 51
Robert Whitehead1823–1905 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 52
Ray Lankester1847–1929 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists13 decades - 53
Christopher Dresser1834–1904 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 54
Lydia Becker1827–1890 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists2 decades - 55
Ellen Willmott1858–1934 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 56
Edward Daniel Clarke1769–1822 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists5 decades - 57
Edward Walter Maunder1851–1928 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 58
Archibald Geikie1835–1924 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists9 decades - 59
Henry Nicholas Ridley1855–1956 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 60
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti1864–1930 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 61
Alfred Ewing1855–1935 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 62
Matthew Nathan1862–1939 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 63
William Thomas Blanford1832–1905 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 64
C. V. Boys1855–1944 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 65
John Walter Gregory1864–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 66
John Gilbert Baker1834–1920 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 67
Dugald Clerk1854–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 68
Aylmer Hunter-Weston1864–1940 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 69
Mary Adela Blagg1858–1944 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists0 decades - 70
Herbert Hall Turner1861–1930 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 71
Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington1856–1937 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 72
Frederick Richard Simms1863–1944 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 73
Henry Alexander Wickham1846–1928 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 74
Richard Dixon Oldham1858–1936 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 75
Ida Freund1863–1914 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 76
Adrian Hardy Haworth1767–1833 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 77
Osbert Salvin1835–1898 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists5 decades - 78
Margaret Fountaine1862–1940 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 79
Henry Edward Armstrong1848–1937 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 80
Robert Hadfield1858–1940 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 81
William Turner Thiselton-Dyer1843–1928 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 82
Hugh Edwin Strickland1811–1853 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 83
Thomas Hanbury1832–1907 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 84
William Frederick Denning1848–1931 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 85GCGeorge Claridge Druce1850–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured—
- 86
John Stringfellow1799–1883 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 87
Albert Charles Seward1863–1941 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 88
Henry John Elwes1846–1922 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 89
Nicholas Edward Brown1849–1934 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 90
Frederick DuCane Godman1834–1919 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 91
Edgar Thurston1855–1935 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 92
James Beaumont Neilson1792–1865 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 93
Louis Brennan1852–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 94
Dukinfield Henry Scott1854–1934 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 95
Edward William Barton-Wright1860–1951 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 96
Charlotte Murchison1788–1869 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 97
Leonard Cockayne1855–1934 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 98
Agnes Giberne1845–1939 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 99
John Isaac Thornycroft1843–1928 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured— - 100
James South1785–1867 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientistsnot measured—
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.