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 of Lorraine1567–1607 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France0.94 - 32
Charles de Lorraine de Vaudémont1561–1587 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0.94
- 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, Count of Soissons1604–1641 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France0.62 - 52
Louis, Count of Vermandois1667–1683 · 17th century0.62 - 53
Louis de Bourbon, Count of Clermont1709–1771 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France0.62 - 54
Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre1725–1793 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.62 - 55
Louis de Bourbon, Bishop of Liège1438–1482 · 15th 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
Hiroshige1797–1858 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 2
Tokugawa Yoshinobu1837–1913 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades - 3
Utagawa Kuniyoshi1798–1861 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades - 4
Yoshitoshi1839–1892 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 5
Utagawa Kunisada1786–1865 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades - 6
Keisai Eisen1790–1848 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 7
Kawanabe Kyōsai1831–1889 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 8
Katsushika Ōi1800–1866 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 9
Toyohara Chikanobu1838–1912 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 10
Utagawa Toyokuni I1769–1825 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 11
Hashimoto Gahō1835–1908 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 12
Kikuchi Yōsai1788–1878 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 13
Kobayashi Kiyochika1847–1915 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 14
Watanabe Kazan1793–1841 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 15
Kanō Hōgai1828–1888 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 16
Tomioka Tessai1837–1924 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 17
Takeuchi Seihō1864–1942 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 18
Kusakabe Kimbei1841–1932 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 19
Utagawa Yoshiiku1833–1904 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 20
Ōtagaki Rengetsu1791–1875 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 21
Matsuura Takeshirō1818–1888 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 22
Asai Chū1856–1907 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 23
Kiyohara Tama1861–1939 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 24
Utagawa Hiroshige II1826–1869 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 25
Ogata Gekkō1859–1920 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 26
Toyohara Kunichika1835–1900 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 27
Ueno Hikoma1838–1904 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 28
Kobayashi Eitaku1843–1890 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 29
Tanomura Chikuden1777–1835 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 30SKSuzuki Kiitsu1796–1858 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—
- 31
Uchida Kuichi1844–1875 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 32
Utagawa Yoshitora1836–1880 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 33
Yanagawa Shigenobu1787–1832 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 34
Rin Yamashita1857–1939 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 35
Kōno Bairei1844–1895 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 36
Matsumoto Jun1832–1907 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 37
Shibata Zeshin1807–1891 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 38
Hokkei1780–1850 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 39
Ogawa Kazumasa1860–1929 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 40
Utagawa Toyohiro1773–1828 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 41
Kikukawa Eizan1787–1867 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 42
Yashima Gakutei1786–1868 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 43
Utagawa Yoshitsuya1822–1866 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 44HIHiroshige III1842–1894 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—
- 45
Shimooka Renjō1823–1914 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 46
Kawahara Keiga1786–1862 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—
- 47
Hōsui Yamamoto1850–1906 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 48
Utagawa Kunisada II1823–1880 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 49
Utagawa Kunimasa1773–1810 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 50
Koyama Shōtarō1857–1916 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 51
Ichiki Shirō1829–1903 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 52
Harada Naojirō1863–1899 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 53
Kawamura Kiyoo1852–1934 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 54
Aoki Mokubei1767–1833 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 55
Adachi Ginkō1853–1908 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 56
Utagawa Sadahide1807–1873 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 57
Matsusaburō Yokoyama1838–1884 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 58
Ema Saikō1787–1861 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 59
Suzuki Shin'ichi I1835–1918 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 60
Toshihide Migita1862–1925 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 61
Shima Ryū1823–1900 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 62
Kuniyasu1794–1832 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 63EREsaki Reiji1845–1910 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—
- 64
Shima Kakoku1827–1870 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 65
Tomishige Rihei1837–1922 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 66
Watanabe Shōtei1852–1918 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 67
Tamoto Kenzō1832–1912 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 68
Juan José de Jesús Yas1846–1917 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 69
Tsubaki Chinzan1801–1854 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 70
Konishi Hirosada1810–1864 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 71
Ukai Gyokusen1807–1887 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 72
Ōno Benkichi1801–1870 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 73YBYamamoto Baiitsu1783–1856 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—
- 74
Utagawa Kunisada III1848–1920 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 75
Utagawa Toyokuni II1777–1835 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 76
Chikutō Nakabayashi1776–1853 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 77OHOkada Hanko1782–1846 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—
- 78
Utagawa Yoshitaki1841–1899 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 79
T. Enami1859–1929 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 80KOKokusai Ozaki1835–1894 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—
- 81
Tamamura Kōzaburō1856–1923 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 82
Torii Kiyoshige1800–1800 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 83
Nakajima Matsuchi1850–1938 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 84
Horie Kuwajirō1831–1866 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured— - 85TSTani Shunei1772–1832 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—
- 86TKTani Kōran1780–1833 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot 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.