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 Italian books during the 19th century — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish18,114German3,599French3,347Italian1,787Spanish1,162Russian325Hebrew105Chinese9
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
Giotto1267–1337 · 14th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists5.5 - 2
Antonio da Correggio1489–1534 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists5.0 - 3
Lorenzo de' Medici1449–1492 · 15th century · Politicians3.0 - 4
Dante Alighieri1265–1321 · 14th century · Writers2.9 - 5
Pietro Perugino1448–1523 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists2.9 - 6
Donato Bramante1444–1514 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Architects2.6 - 7
Torquato Tasso1544–1595 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers2.6 - 8
Caravaggio1571–1610 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists2.1 - 9
Apostolo Zeno1668–1750 · 18th century · Writers2.1 - 10
Cimabue1240–1302 · 13th century · Artists2.1 - 11
Tintoretto1519–1594 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.9 - 12
Charles Borromeo1538–1584 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures1.8 - 13
Donatello1386–1466 · 15th century · Artists1.8 - 14
Paul the Deacon720–799 · 8th century · Writers1.8 - 15
Leonardo da Vinci1452–1519 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.7 - 16
Philip Neri1515–1595 · 16th century · Religious Figures1.7 - 17
Marco Polo1254–1324 · 13th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians1.7 - 18
Cosimo de' Medici1389–1464 · 15th century · Politicians1.7 - 19
Galileo Galilei1564–1642 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists1.7 - 20
Andrea Doria1466–1560 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians1.6 - 21
Giulio Romano1499–1546 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.6 - 22
Guercino1591–1666 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.5 - 23
Domenichino1581–1641 · 17th century · Artists1.5 - 24
Ugo Foscolo1778–1827 · 19th century · Writers1.4 - 25
Petrarch1304–1374 · 14th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics1.4 - 26
Andrea del Sarto1486–1530 · 16th century · Artists1.2 - 27
Pietro Aretino1492–1556 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.2 - 28
Alessandro Manzoni1785–1873 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.2 - 29
Giorgio Vasari1511–1574 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.2 - 30
Masaccio1401–1428 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.1 - 31
Baldassare Franceschini1611–1690 · 17th century · Artists1.1 - 32
Francis of Assisi1182–1226 · 13th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.1 - 33
Cesare Borgia1475–1507 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures1.1 - 34
Paolo Veronese1528–1588 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.1 - 35
Guido Reni1575–1642 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.0 - 36
Dino Compagni1255–1324 · 13th century · Writers1.0 - 37
Pietro Bembo1470–1547 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures1.00 - 38
Guido Cavalcanti1258–1300 · 13th century · Writers0.99 - 39
Niccolò Machiavelli1469–1527 · 16th century · Politicians0.99 - 40
Filippo Maria Visconti1392–1447 · 15th century · Politicians0.97 - 41
Cesare Balbo1789–1853 · 19th century · Politicians0.97 - 42
Giuseppe Mazzini1805–1872 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Activists0.93 - 43
Prospero Colonna1452–1523 · 15th century0.90 - 44
Benvenuto Cellini1500–1571 · 16th century · Artists0.90 - 45
Benedetto Varchi1503–1565 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.88 - 46
Francesco Guicciardini1483–1540 · 16th century · Writers0.88 - 47
Aloysius Gonzaga1568–1591 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0.88 - 48
Vittorio Alfieri1749–1803 · 18th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures0.87 - 49
Silvio Pellico1789–1854 · 19th century · Writers0.87 - 50
Cesare Cantù1804–1895 · 19th century · Writers0.87 - 51
Giacomo Leopardi1798–1837 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.85 - 52
Vincenzo Gioberti1801–1852 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.85 - 53
Giovanni Boccaccio1313–1375 · 14th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.85 - 54
Francesco Redi1626–1697 · 17th century · Doctors0.85 - 55
Francesco Gonzaga1444–1483 · 15th century0.84 - 56
Franco Sacchetti1332–1400 · 14th century · Writers0.82 - 57
Teodato Ipato750–800 · 8th century · Politicians0.80 - 58
Salvator Rosa1615–1673 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.76 - 59
Giordano Bruno1548–1600 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.75 - 60
Girolamo Savonarola1452–1498 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.74 - 61
Domenico Passignano1559–1638 · 16th century · Artists0.74 - 62
Paolo Sarpi1552–1623 · 16th century · Academics0.73 - 63
Parmigianino1503–1540 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.72 - 64
Paolo Giovio1483–1552 · 16th century · Writers0.71 - 65
Massimo d'Azeglio1798–1866 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.71 - 66AMAldus Manutius the Younger1547–1597 · 16th century0.71
- 67
Aldus Manutius1449–1515 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy0.71 - 68
Bernardo Tasso1493–1569 · 16th century · Writers0.71 - 69
Lucrezia Borgia1480–1519 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures0.69 - 70
Pietro da Cortona1596–1669 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.69
- 71MVMatteo Villani1283–1363 · 14th century · Writers0.68
- 72
Francesco Scipione, marchese di Maffei1675–1755 · 18th century · Writers0.66 - 73
Luigi Alamanni1495–1556 · 16th century · Writers0.65 - 74
Vittoria Colonna1492–1547 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.64 - 75
Pietro Verri1728–1797 · 18th century · Academics0.64 - 76
Pinturicchio1454–1513 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.64 - 77
Giuliano de' Medici1453–1478 · 15th century · Politicians0.62 - 78
Marsilio Ficino1433–1499 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.62 - 79
Filippo Villani1325–1407 · 14th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.62 - 80
Paulus Manutius1512–1574 · 16th century · Writers0.61 - 81
Catherine de' Medici1519–1589 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0.60 - 82
Scipione Ammirato1531–1601 · 16th century · Writers0.58 - 83
Bernardino of Siena1380–1444 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.58 - 84
Francesco Filelfo1398–1481 · 15th century · Academics0.56 - 85
Andrea Gritti1455–1538 · 15th century · Politicians0.56 - 86
Pontormo1494–1556 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.52 - 87
Antonio Rosmini1797–1855 · 19th century · Academics0.51 - 88
Leon Battista Alberti1404–1472 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Architects0.49 - 89
Francesco Foscari1373–1457 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.47 - 90
Giosuè Carducci1835–1907 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.47 - 91
Andrea Dandolo1306–1354 · 14th century · Politicians0.45 - 92
Alessandro Cagliostro1743–1795 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Doctors0.45 - 93
Francesco Vettori1474–1540 · 16th century · Writers0.45 - 94
Leandro Alberti1479–1552 · 16th century · Writers0.45 - 95
Amerigo Vespucci1454–1512 · 15th century · Historical Figures0.44 - 96
Erasmo of Narni1370–1443 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy0.44 - 97
Anton Maria Salvini1653–1729 · 17th century · Writers0.43 - 98
Michelangelo1475–1564 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.43 - 99
Francesca da Rimini1259–1285 · 13th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.42 - 100
Antonio Canova1757–1822 · 18th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.42
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
Napoleon1769–1821 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures22 decades - 2
Ferdinand Foch1851–1929 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures7 decades - 3
Eugénie de Montijo1826–1920 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures17 decades - 4
Marie Thérèse of France1778–1851 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures8 decades - 5
Oscar I of Sweden1799–1859 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0 decades - 6
Charles de Foucauld1858–1916 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures11 decades - 7
Charles Albert of Sardinia1798–1849 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures18 decades - 8
Désirée Clary1777–1860 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures14 decades - 9
Jean Lannes1769–1809 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures1 decades - 10
Louise of Orléans1812–1850 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures21 decades - 11
Napoléon Louis Bonaparte1804–1831 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0 decades - 12
Jules Dumont d'Urville1790–1842 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures1 decades - 13
Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza1852–1905 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures9 decades - 14
Archduchess Adelaide of Austria1822–1855 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 15
Empress Amélie of Brazil1812–1873 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures1 decades - 16
Prince Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans1810–1842 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0 decades - 17
Astolphe-Louis-Léonor de Custine, Marquis de Custine1790–1857 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures10 decades - 18
Stéphanie de Beauharnais1789–1860 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures14 decades - 19
Antoine of Orléans, Duke of Montpensier1824–1890 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0 decades - 20
Prince Philipp, 4th Prince of Koháry1844–1921 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 21
René Caillié1799–1838 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures19 decades - 22
Princess Elisabeth of Savoy1800–1856 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 23
Francis Garnier1839–1873 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures16 decades
- 24
Princess Maria Carolina, Duchess of Aumale1822–1869 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 25
Princess Theodolinde de Beauharnais of Leuchtenberg1814–1857 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 26
Louis Henri Boussenard1847–1910 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 27
Paul du Chaillu1835–1903 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures3 decades - 28
Michel Croz1830–1865 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 29
Prince Francis, Count of Trapani1827–1892 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 30
Princess Marguerite of Orléans1846–1893 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 31
Duchess Maria Elisabeth in Bavaria1784–1849 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 32
Louis Gustave Binger1856–1936 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 33
Alexandrine de Bleschamp1778–1855 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 34
Charles Alexandre Lesueur1778–1846 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 35
Christine Boyer1771–1800 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 36
Évariste Régis Huc1813–1860 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 37
François Péron1775–1810 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 38
Auguste Pavie1847–1925 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 39
Alfred Grandidier1836–1921 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 40
François Pouqueville1770–1838 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 41
Henri Duveyrier1840–1892 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 42
Joseph Halévy1827–1917 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 43
Ernest Doudart de Lagrée1823–1868 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 44
Arnaud-Michel d'Abbadie1815–1893 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 45
Charles Baudin1784–1854 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 46
Pierre Amédée Jaubert1779–1847 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 47
Zoé Talon, comtesse du Cayla1785–1852 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 48
Amédée-François Lamy1858–1900 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 49
Jules Nicholas Crevaux1847–1882 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 50
Louis Édouard Bouët-Willaumez1808–1871 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 51
Gabriel Bonvalot1853–1933 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 52
Paul Crampel1864–1891 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 53
Charles Rabot1856–1944 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 54
Emile Gsell1838–1879 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 55
Charles Wiener1851–1913 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 56
Henri Coudreau1859–1899 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 57
Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin1768–1839 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 58
Fernand Foureau1850–1914 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 59
Parfait-Louis Monteil1855–1925 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 60
Louis Delaporte1842–1925 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 61
Étienne Aymonier1844–1929 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 62
Pierre Antoine Delalande1787–1823 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 63
Alphonse Pinart1852–1911 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 64
Eugène Mage1837–1869 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 65
Guillaume Lejean1824–1871 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 66ADAlfred Duvaucel1793–1824 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 67
Jules-Léon Dutreuil de Rhins1846–1894 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 68
Pierre-Médard Diard1794–1863 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 69
Harry de Windt1856–1933 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 70
Jules de Blosseville1802–1833 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 71
Jean Dupuis1829–1912 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 72JCJean-Marie Chopin1796–1871 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 73
Antoine Mizon1853–1899 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 74CGChristian Garnier1872–1898 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 75
Armand Reclus1843–1927 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 76
Francoise, Duchess de Praslin1807–1847 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 77AAri'imate1824–1874 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 78
Marie-Maurille de Sombreuil1768–1823 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 79
Anne d'Essling1802–1887 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 80
General Albert Baratier1864–1917 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 81
Christian de Bonchamps1860–1919 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 82JGJustin Goudot1802–1847 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 83
Adèle de Bellegarde1772–1830 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 84
Rose de Freycinet1794–1832 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 85
Théodore Pavie1811–1896 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 86
François Jules Harmand1845–1921 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 87
Marius Gabriel Cazemajou1864–1898 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 88AFAlbert-Auguste Fauvel1851–1909 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 89
Teriitua Tuavira Pōmare1847–1875 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 90
Augustin Hacquard1860–1901 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 91
Louis-Marie-François Tardy de Montravel1811–1864 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 92
Jean Chaffanjon1854–1913 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 93
Jean Baptiste Douville1794–1837 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 94CJCharles Jacquinot1796–1879 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 95
Charles-Édouard Hocquard1853–1911 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 96
Antoine-Alfred Marche1844–1898 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 97HDHenri de Parville1838–1909 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 98OMOscar Mac Carthy1815–1894 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 99
Isabelle Massieu1844–1932 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 100GDGeorges Destenave1854–1928 · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figuresnot 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.