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
Joseph Lister1827–1912 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors18 decades - 2
John Snow1813–1858 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors21 decades - 3
John Langdon Down1828–1896 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors0 decades - 4
Havelock Ellis1859–1939 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors14 decades - 5
Ronald Ross1857–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors13 decades - 6
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson1836–1917 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors7 decades - 7
Joseph Bell1837–1911 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors19 decades - 8
Hudson Taylor1832–1905 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors14 decades - 9
Henry Gray1827–1861 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors19 decades - 10
Charles Bell1774–1842 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors22 decades - 11
Frederick Hopkins1861–1947 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors1 decades - 12
Thomas Addison1793–1860 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors12 decades - 13
James Braid1795–1860 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors7 decades - 14
Edward Granville Browne1862–1926 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors0 decades - 15
Anna Kingsford1846–1888 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors3 decades - 16
Astley Cooper1768–1841 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 17
Almroth Wright1861–1947 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 18
Edward Albert Sharpey-Schäfer1850–1935 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 19
Henry Head1861–1940 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 20
Bertrand Dawson, 1st Viscount Dawson of Penn1864–1945 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 21
Edward Treacher Collins1862–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 22
Agnes McLaren1837–1913 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 23
Sir Thomas Barlow, 1st Baronet1845–1945 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 24
Waren Tay1843–1927 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
- 25
John Kidd1775–1851 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 26
Alice Vickery1844–1929 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 27
Isaac Baker Brown1811–1873 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 28
Madre Teresa Nuzzo1851–1923 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 29
Frederick Parkes Weber1863–1962 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 30
Mary Scharlieb1845–1930 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 31
Jane Elizabeth Waterston1843–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 32
Henry Walter Bellew1834–1892 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 33
John Hughes Bennett1812–1875 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 34
Ethel Bentham1861–1931 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 35
James Syme1799–1870 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 36
William Fergusson1808–1877 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 37ASAlice Stewart Ker1853–1943 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
- 38
Frederick Howard Taylor1862–1946 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 39
William Ramsay Smith1859–1937 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 40
William Whitla1851–1933 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 41
Joseph Bancroft1836–1894 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
- 42
Robert Muir1864–1959 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 43TBThomas Bateman1778–1821 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
- 44
Charles Alfred Ballance1856–1936 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 45
Byrom Bramwell1847–1931 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 46
Humphry Rolleston1862–1944 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 47
Arthur Sloggett1857–1929 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 48
Sir John Bradford, 1st Baronet1863–1935 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured— - 49JTJames Thorne1777–1847 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot 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.