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 - 66
Aldus Manutius1449–1515 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy0.71 - 67AMAldus Manutius the Younger1547–1597 · 16th century0.71
- 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
Adam Opel1837–1895 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Founders12 decades - 2
August Oetker1862–1918 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 3
Henry E. Steinway1797–1871 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 4
Maximilian Karl, 6th Prince of Thurn and Taxis1802–1871 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 5
Nathan Straus1848–1931 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 6
Carl Heinrich von Siemens1829–1906 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 7
Carl Walther1858–1915 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 8
Georg Wilhelm von Siemens1855–1919 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 9
Gustav Becker1819–1885 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 10
Theodor Bergmann1850–1931 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 11
Carl Heinrich Theodor Knorr1800–1875 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 12
Rudolf Mosse1843–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 13
Friedrich Soennecken1848–1919 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 14
Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck1830–1916 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 15
James Simon1851–1932 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 16
Friedrich Weyerhäuser1834–1914 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 17
Hermann Tietz1837–1907 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 18
Arnold von Siemens1853–1918 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 19
John Jacob Bausch1830–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 20
Conrad Dietrich Magirus1824–1895 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 21
Friedrich Siemens1826–1904 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 22
Georg Krauss1826–1906 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 23
Victor Mayer1857–1946 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 24
Ludwig Knoop1821–1894 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 25KGKarl Godulla1781–1848 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 26
Margarethe Krupp1854–1931 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 27
Friedrich Eduard Bilz1842–1922 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 28
Sophie Opel1840–1913 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 29
Reinhard Mannesmann1856–1922 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 30HBHermann Blohm1848–1930 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 31
Julius Pintsch1815–1884 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 32
Hermann Einstein1847–1902 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 33EBEdwin Bechstein1859–1934 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 34
Otto Gerstenberg1848–1935 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 35
Ernst Leitz senior1843–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 36
Johann Sigmund Schuckert1846–1895 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 37EVErnst Voss1842–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 38
C.F. Theodore Steinway1825–1889 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 39
Adolph Friedländer1851–1904 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 40FHFriedrich Heine1863–1929 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 41RPRudolf Pringsheim1821–1906 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 42
Josef Rodenstock1846–1932 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 43CFCarl Friedrich Alexander Bosch1843–1904 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 44GLGeorg Liebermann1844–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 45CCCarl Canaris1852–1904 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 46HSHans Siemens1818–1867 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 47
Chris von der Ahe1851–1913 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured— - 48HAHugo Adolph von Steinheil1832–1893 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 49WBWunibald Braun1839–1912 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 50AMAdam May1855–1936 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot measured—
- 51EHEduard Hermann Schwitters1857–1931 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Foundersnot 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.