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
Alfred Nobel1833–1896 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists13 decades - 2
Svante Arrhenius1859–1927 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists6 decades - 3
Jöns Jacob Berzelius1779–1848 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 4
Salomon August Andrée1854–1897 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 5
John Ericsson1803–1889 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists19 decades - 6
Anders Jonas Ångström1814–1874 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 7
Lars Levi Læstadius1800–1861 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 8
Gustaf de Laval1845–1913 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 9
Johannes Rydberg1854–1919 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 10
Lars Magnus Ericsson1846–1926 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 11
Elias Magnus Fries1794–1878 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 12
Per Teodor Cleve1840–1905 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 13
Johan August Arfwedson1792–1841 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 14
Carl Gustaf Mosander1797–1858 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 15
Carl Adolph Agardh1785–1859 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 16
Nils Strindberg1872–1897 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 17
Knut Frænkel1870–1897 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 18
Johan Petter Johansson1853–1943 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 19
Thorsten Nordenfelt1842–1920 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 20
Nils Ericson1802–1870 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 21
Carl Edvard Johansson1864–1943 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 22
Anders Gustaf Ekeberg1767–1813 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 23
Lars Fredrik Nilson1840–1899 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 24
Emil Oskar Nobel1843–1864 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 25
Jacob Georg Agardh1813–1901 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 26
Carl Axel Magnus Lindman1856–1928 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 27
Amalia Eriksson1824–1923 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 28
Nils Gabriel Sefström1787–1845 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 29
Anders Retzius1796–1860 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 30
Johan August Brinell1849–1925 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 31
Oskar Backlund1846–1916 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 32
Knut Ångström1857–1910 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 33
Carl Vilhelm Ludvig Charlier1862–1934 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 34
Johan August Wahlberg1810–1856 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 35
Wilhelm Hisinger1766–1852 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 36
Göran Wahlenberg1780–1851 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 37
Per Georg Scheutz1785–1873 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 38
Jonas Wenström1855–1893 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 39
Theodor Magnus Fries1832–1913 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 40
Nils Gustaf Ekholm1848–1923 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 41
Alfred Gabriel Nathorst1850–1921 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 42
Otto Martin Torell1828–1900 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 43
Anna Sundström1785–1871 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 44
Albert Atterberg1846–1916 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 45
Willgodt Theophil Odhner1845–1905 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 46
Per Axel Rydberg1860–1931 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 47
Nils Christoffer Dunér1839–1914 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 48
Hugo Gyldén1841–1896 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 49
Erik Edlund1819–1888 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 50
Hjalmar Lundbohm1855–1926 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 51
Christian Wilhelm Blomstrand1826–1897 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 52
Gustaf Johan Billberg1772–1844 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 53
Nils Johan Andersson1821–1880 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 54
Johan Wilhelm Zetterstedt1785–1874 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 55
Helge Palmcrantz1842–1880 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 56
Emil von Sydow1812–1873 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 57GEGustaf Erik Hasch1788–1862 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 58
Martin Wiberg1826–1905 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 59GAGustavus Augustus Eisen1847–1940 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 60
Veit Wittrock1839–1914 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 61
Albert Ulrik Bååth1853–1912 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 62
Otto Pettersson1848–1941 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 63
Louise Hammarström1849–1917 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 64
Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch1770–1811 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 65
Sextus Otto Lindberg1835–1889 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 66
Carl Daniel Ekman1845–1904 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 67
Robert Thalén1827–1905 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 68
Hanna Hammarström1829–1914 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 69
Johan Erhard Areschoug1811–1887 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 70
Frans Reinhold Kjellman1846–1907 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 71
Axel Möller1830–1896 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 72
Frans Wilhelm Lindqvist1862–1931 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 73
Nils Johan Berlin1812–1891 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 74
Herman Schultz1823–1890 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 75
Carl Fredrik Nyman1820–1893 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 76
Karl Starbäck1863–1931 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 77
Carl Reinhold Sahlberg1779–1860 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 78
Nils Conrad Kindberg1832–1910 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 79
Carl Johann Hartman1790–1849 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 80
Nils Gustaf von Lagerheim1860–1926 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 81CQConrad Quensel1767–1806 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 82
Sven Berggren1837–1917 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 83
Hampus Wilhelm Arnell1848–1932 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 84
Samuel Owen1774–1854 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 85
Carl Bovallius1849–1907 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 86JEJohan Emanuel Wikström1789–1856 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 87HDHans Daniel Johan Wallengren1823–1894 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 88
Per Karl Hjalmar Dusén1855–1926 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 89
Anders Fredrik Regnell1807–1884 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 90
Henrik Gustaf Söderbaum1862–1933 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 91
Peter Fredrik Wahlberg1800–1877 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 92GAGustav Adolf Hugo Dahlstedt1856–1934 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 93
Carl Hartman1824–1884 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 94
Theofron Munktell1805–1887 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 95
Hilda Carolina Ericsson1860–1941 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 96
Nils Lilja1808–1870 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 97
Nils Peter Angelin1805–1876 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 98
Svante Samuel Murbeck1859–1946 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 99
Gustaf Oskar Andersson Malme1864–1937 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 100JÅJohan Ångström1813–1879 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · 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.