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 French books during the 19th century — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish18,114German3,599French3,347Italian1,787Spanish1,162Russian325Hebrew105Chinese9
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
Voltaire1694–1778 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers37 - 2
Louis XIV of France1638–1715 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures32 - 3
Louis XVI of France1754–1793 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures16 - 4
Molière1622–1673 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers15 - 5
Louis XV of France1710–1774 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures10 - 6
Montesquieu1689–1755 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics7.7 - 7HIHenry II, Count of Euborn 1160 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France5.7
- 8
Henry II of France1519–1559 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians5.7 - 9
Louis XVIII of France1755–1824 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians5.7 - 10
François Fénelon1651–1715 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures5.5
- 11
Louis XII of France1462–1515 · 15th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures5.2 - 12
Victor Hugo1802–1885 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers3.3 - 13
Charles X of France1757–1836 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians3.1 - 14
Marie Antoinette1755–1793 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures2.4 - 15
Joan of Arc1412–1431 · 15th century · 🇫🇷 France2.4 - 16
Francis de Sales1567–1622 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures2.4 - 17
Philip V of Spain1683–1746 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians2.2 - 18
Francis II of France1544–1560 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.9 - 19
Marie de' Medici1575–1642 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.9
- 20
Napoleon III1808–1873 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.9 - 21
Vincent de Paul1581–1660 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures1.9 - 22
Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de Brantôme1540–1614 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.8 - 23
Louis Blanc1811–1882 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians1.6 - 24
Benjamin Constant1767–1830 · 19th century · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Politicians1.5 - 25
Pope Julius II1443–1513 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures1.5 - 26
Jules Favre1809–1880 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.4 - 27
Jules Simon1814–1896 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.4 - 28
Pierre de Marivaux1688–1763 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.2 - 29
Alexandre Dumas fils1824–1895 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.1 - 30
Jules Ferry1832–1893 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.1 - 31
Charles de Lorraine de Vaudémont1561–1587 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0.94
- 32
Charles of Lorraine1567–1607 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France0.94 - 33
Camille Desmoulins1760–1794 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Journalists0.90 - 34
Pope John XXII1244–1334 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0.89
- 35
Alexandre Dumas1802–1870 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.87 - 36
George Sand1804–1876 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.85
- 37
Firmin Didot1764–1836 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.80 - 38
Claude Bernard1813–1878 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.79 - 39
Pope Clement V1264–1314 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0.78
- 40
Jean-Jacques Rousseau1712–1778 · 18th century · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Academics0.76 - 41
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon1635–1719 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.76 - 42
Odilon Barrot1791–1873 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.76 - 43
Louis XVII of France1785–1795 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France0.73 - 44
Louis Bonaparte1778–1846 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.73 - 45
Anne of Brittany1477–1514 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France0.73 - 46
La Grange1635–1692 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Actors0.73 - 47
Auguste Comte1798–1857 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.69 - 48
Charles the Bold1433–1477 · 15th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.69 - 49
Alfred de Musset1810–1857 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.68 - 50
André Chénier1762–1794 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.66 - 51
Louis de Bourbon, Bishop of Liège1438–1482 · 15th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.62 - 52
Louis de Bourbon, Count of Clermont1709–1771 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France0.62 - 53
Louis, Count of Vermandois1667–1683 · 17th century0.62 - 54
Louis, Count of Soissons1604–1641 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France0.62 - 55
Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre1725–1793 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.62 - 56
Margaret of Valois1553–1615 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.61 - 57
Gustav III of Sweden1746–1792 · 18th century · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Politicians0.58 - 58
Théophile Gautier1811–1872 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.57 - 59
Diane de Poitiers1499–1566 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France0.56 - 60
Olivier de Serres1539–1619 · 16th century · Writers0.55 - 61
Nostradamus1503–1566 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.53 - 62
Jeanne d'Albret1528–1572 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.52 - 63
Augustin Thierry1795–1856 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.52 - 64
Napoleon1769–1821 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0.51 - 65
Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy1480–1530 · 16th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artists0.49 - 66
Joseph Bonaparte1768–1844 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.49 - 67
Charlotte Corday1768–1793 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0.48
- 68
Joseph de Maistre1753–1821 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.48 - 69
Ambroise Paré1510–1590 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Doctors0.48 - 70
Mary of Burgundy1457–1482 · 15th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.47 - 71
Pierre Corneille1606–1684 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.46 - 72
Stendhal1783–1842 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.45 - 73
Claude Michel1738–1814 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Artists0.45 - 74
Pierre Leroux1797–1871 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.44 - 75
Charles Nodier1780–1844 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.43 - 76
Maine de Biran1766–1824 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.43 - 77
Lucien Bonaparte1775–1840 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.42 - 78
Casimir Delavigne1793–1843 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.42 - 79
Charles, Count of Soissons1566–1612 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France0.40 - 80
Louis Racine1692–1763 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.40 - 81
Vincent of Beauvais1190–1264 · 13th century · Educators0.40 - 82
Jean Goujon1510–1567 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Architects0.39 - 83
Pope Urban V1310–1370 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0.39 - 84
Thomas Corneille1625–1709 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.38 - 85
Horace Vernet1789–1863 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Artists0.38 - 86
Gaston Paris1839–1903 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.37 - 87
Antoine of Navarre1518–1562 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.36 - 88
Félix Faure1841–1899 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.36 - 89
Jacques Clément1567–1589 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France0.36 - 90
Antoine Quentin Fouquier-Tinville1746–1795 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.36 - 91
Pope Clement IV1190–1268 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0.35
- 92
Pope Gregory XI1329–1378 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0.35 - 93
Charles Dupin1784–1873 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.35 - 94
Napoléon, Prince Imperial1856–1879 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.34 - 95
Napoleon II1811–1832 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Designers0.33 - 96
John of Luxembourg, Lord of Beauvoir1370–1397 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.33 - 97
Alfred de Vigny1797–1863 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.33 - 98
Prince Philippe, Count of Paris1838–1894 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.32 - 99
Blanche of Castile1188–1252 · 13th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.32 - 100
Camille Jordan1838–1922 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.32
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
Giuseppe Verdi1813–1901 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians18 decades - 2
Pope Leo XIII1810–1903 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures15 decades - 3
Giacomo Puccini1858–1924 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians15 decades - 4
Giacomo Leopardi1798–1837 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers22 decades - 5
Pope Pius XI1857–1939 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures10 decades - 6
Gabriele D'Annunzio1863–1938 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers14 decades - 7
Pope Pius IX1792–1878 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures18 decades - 8
Pope Pius X1835–1914 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures12 decades - 9
Pope Benedict XV1854–1922 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures11 decades - 10
Alessandro Manzoni1785–1873 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers22 decades - 11
Giosuè Carducci1835–1907 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers17 decades - 12
Gioachino Rossini1792–1868 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians20 decades - 13
Victor Emmanuel II of Italy1820–1878 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures12 decades - 14
Giuseppe Mazzini1805–1872 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Activists20 decades - 15
Niccolò Paganini1782–1840 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians18 decades - 16
Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour1810–1861 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians10 decades - 17
Umberto I of Italy1844–1900 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures14 decades - 18
Pope Gregory XVI1765–1846 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures19 decades - 19
John Bosco1815–1888 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures16 decades - 20
Gaetano Donizetti1797–1848 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians19 decades - 21
Vincenzo Bellini1801–1835 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians22 decades - 22
Pietro Mascagni1863–1945 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades - 23
Giovanni Verga1840–1922 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers15 decades - 24
Emilio Salgari1862–1911 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers13 decades - 25
Amedeo Avogadro1776–1856 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists19 decades - 26
Cesare Lombroso1835–1909 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Doctors16 decades - 27
Amadeo I of Spain1845–1890 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 28
Eleonora Duse1858–1924 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Actors14 decades - 29
Giovanni Giolitti1842–1928 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians14 decades - 30
Giovanni Pascoli1855–1912 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers14 decades - 31
Vittorio Emanuele Orlando1860–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians13 decades - 32
Francesco Crispi1818–1901 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians18 decades - 33
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies1806–1878 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 34
Luigi Cadorna1850–1928 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 35
Margaret of Savoy1851–1926 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists17 decades - 36
Armando Diaz1861–1928 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 37
John William Waterhouse1849–1917 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0 decades - 38
Francis II of the Two Sicilies1836–1894 · 🇮🇹 Italynot measured—
- 39
Francis I of the Two Sicilies1777–1830 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 40
Dominic Savio1842–1857 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures11 decades - 41
Cosima Wagner1837–1930 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades - 42
John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton1834–1902 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 43
Francesco Hayez1791–1882 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists20 decades - 44
Edmondo De Amicis1846–1908 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers16 decades - 45
Errico Malatesta1853–1932 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Activists11 decades - 46
Ruggero Leoncavallo1857–1919 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades
- 47
Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily1772–1807 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot measured— - 48
Alexander of Battenberg1857–1893 · 🇮🇹 Italy17 decades - 49
Andreas Hofer1767–1810 · 🇮🇹 Italy22 decades - 50
Camillo Golgi1843–1926 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Doctors15 decades - 51
Luigi Facta1861–1930 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians12 decades - 52
Charles Felix of Savoy1765–1831 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures0 decades - 53
Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies1822–1889 · 🇮🇹 Italynot measured— - 54
Giuseppe Peano1858–1932 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics14 decades - 55
Giovanni Segantini1858–1899 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists13 decades - 56
Princess Maria Carolina, Duchess of Berry1798–1870 · 🇮🇹 Italy0 decades - 57
Maria Anna of Savoy1803–1884 · 🇮🇹 Italy0 decades - 58
Giovanni Schiaparelli1835–1910 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists15 decades - 59
Massimo d'Azeglio1798–1866 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians19 decades - 60
Marco Minghetti1818–1886 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians18 decades - 61
Antonio Salandra1853–1931 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians15 decades - 62
Giovanni Battista Belzoni1778–1823 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures4 decades - 63
Arrigo Boito1842–1918 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers16 decades - 64
Amilcare Ponchielli1834–1886 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians15 decades - 65
Prince Henry of Battenberg1858–1896 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 66
Karl Mozart1784–1858 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians0 decades - 67
Louis of Parma, king of Etruria1773–1803 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0 decades - 68
Filippo Turati1857–1932 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians14 decades - 69
Goffredo Mameli1827–1849 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers18 decades - 70
Pietro Gasparri1852–1934 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures12 decades - 71
Alessandro Moreschi1858–1922 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians3 decades - 72
Vito Volterra1860–1940 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics14 decades - 73
Lidia Poët1855–1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Lawyersnot measured— - 74
Vincenzo Gioberti1801–1852 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics20 decades - 75
Luigi Capuana1839–1915 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Journalists15 decades - 76
Giuseppe Caspar Mezzofanti1774–1849 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured— - 77
Saverio Mercadante1795–1870 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians20 decades - 78
Oreste Baratieri1841–1901 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured—
- 79
Joseph Cafasso1811–1860 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured— - 80
Ernesto Teodoro Moneta1833–1918 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Journalists11 decades - 81
Alfredo Catalani1854–1893 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades - 82
Benedetto Pistrucci1783–1855 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artistsnot measured— - 83
Macedonio Melloni1798–1854 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists19 decades - 84
Ermete Zacconi1857–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Actorsnot measured— - 85
Gennaro Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte1851–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured— - 86
Gemma Bellincioni1864–1950 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot measured— - 87
Giuseppe Bossi1777–1815 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artistsnot measured— - 88
Luigi Canina1795–1856 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academicsnot measured— - 89
Luigi Lavazza1859–1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Foundersnot measured— - 90PTPietro Tacchi Venturi1861–1956 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured—
- 91
Alice Barbi1858–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot measured— - 92
Camillo Serafini1864–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italynot measured— - 93
Pelagio Palagi1775–1860 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artistsnot measured— - 94
Antonio Anastasio Rossi1864–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured— - 95
Franco Leoni1864–1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot measured— - 96
Enrico Sibilia1861–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italynot measured— - 97
Giovanni Migliara1785–1837 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artistsnot measured— - 98
Luca Montuori1859–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 99
Gino Loria1862–1954 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academicsnot measured— - 100
Giovanni Tebaldini1864–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot 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.