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 Hebrew books during the 19th century — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish18,114German3,599French3,347Italian1,787Spanish1,162Russian325Hebrew105Chinese9
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
Rav Ashi352–427 · 4th century13 - 2
Haggaiborn 550 BC · 1st millennium BC · Religious Figures12 - 3SBSimeon ben Gamliel IIborn 100 · 2nd century12
- 4NTNathan the Babylonianborn 101 · 2nd century11
- 5
Habakkuk626 BC–600 BC · 1st millennium BC · Religious Figures7.3 - 6
Johanan ben Zakai50 BC–70 · 1st millennium BC4.8 - 7
Saadia Gaon882–942 · 10th century · Academics3.7 - 8SBSimeon ben Zomadied 200 · 2nd century3.4
- 9
Hai Gaon939–1038 · 10th century · Writers2.9 - 10
Hillel the Elder50 BC–100 · 1st millennium BC2.9
- 11
Sabbatai Zevi1626–1676 · 17th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Religious Figures2.3 - 12
Ahad Ha'am1856–1927 · 19th century · Writers2.2 - 13SISamuel ibn Naghrillah993–1055 · 11th century · Writers2.1
- 14
Isaac Abrabanel1437–1508 · 15th century · Academics1.6 - 15JBJudah ben Samuel of Regensburg1150–1217 · 12th century · Academics1.5
- 16
Judas Maccabeus500 BC–160 BC · 1st millennium BC · Religious Figures1.3
- 17HBHanina ben Dosa40–75 · 1st century1.3
- 18
Menasseh Ben Israel1604–1657 · 17th century · Academics1.2 - 19JKJoseph Kimhi1105–1170 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.0
- 20YYanaiborn 600 · 7th century · Writers0.99
- 21EBEliezer ben Hurcanus100–200 · 2nd century0.89
- 22
Rabbeinu Tam1100–1171 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.83 - 23
Josephus37–100 · 1st century · Writers0.74 - 24
Amram Gaon810–875 · 9th century0.67 - 25
Chaim Joseph David Azulai1724–1806 · 18th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Historical Figures0.66 - 26EBEleazar ben Arach100–200 · 2nd century0.65
- 27
Azariah dei Rossi1513–1578 · 16th century · Writers0.64 - 28ZHZerachiah haLevi of Girona1130–1186 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.63
- 29
Abraham bar Hiyya1070–1136 · 12th century · Academics0.61 - 30
Hasdai Crescas1340–1410 · 14th century · Academics0.59 - 31
Joseph Albo1380–1444 · 15th century · Academics0.58 - 32MKMoses Kimhi1127–1190 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France0.56
- 33
Dunash ben Labrat920–990 · 10th century · Writers0.53 - 34JCJoseph Caspi1280–1345 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.50
- 35
Hayyim ben Joseph Vital1542–1620 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Musicians0.50 - 36MYMordecai Yoffe1530–1612 · 16th century0.49
- 37
Yehuda Alharizi1165–1225 · 13th century · Writers0.47 - 38
Shabbethai Donnoloborn 913 · 10th century · Scientists0.47 - 39
Jacob Emden1697–1776 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany0.37
- 40
Eleazar ben Killir600–700 · 7th century · Writers0.36 - 41
Jonathan Eybeschutz1690–1764 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany0.35 - 42JBJedaiah ben Abraham Bedersi1270–1340 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.30
- 43
Nathan of Gaza1644–1680 · 17th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0.29 - 44
Isaac the Blind1160–1235 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.26 - 45
Moshe Alshich1508–1593 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey0.26
- 46
Yonah Gerondi1210–1263 · 13th century · Academics0.26 - 47
Solomon Molcho1500–1532 · 16th century · Academics0.25 - 48
Immanuel the Roman1260–1328 · 13th century · Writers0.25
- 49PDProfiat Duran1350–1415 · 14th century · Musicians0.23
- 50IBIsaac ben Moses Arama1420–1494 · 15th century0.22
- 51MBMenahem ben Aaron ibn Zerah1310–1385 · 14th century · Writers0.22
- 52OBObadiah ben Jacob Sforno1470–1549 · 16th century · Doctors0.22
- 53
Joel Sirkis1561–1640 · 16th century0.21 - 54
Abraham ben Mordecai Farissol1451–1525 · 15th century · Musicians0.20 - 55
Paul the Apostle5–66 · 1st century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0.19 - 56RRashbam1080–1158 · 12th century0.18
- 57
Moses Sofer1762–1839 · 18th century0.17 - 58
Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz1505–1576 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0.17
- 59
Shimon bar Yochai100–160 · 2nd century0.16 - 60
Baruch Spinoza1632–1677 · 17th century · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Academics0.15 - 61
Onias III300 BC–170 BC · 1st millennium BC0.14 - 62JIJacob ibn Habib1450–1516 · 15th century0.14
- 63
Menaḥem ben Shelomoh Meʾiri1249–1306 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians0.14 - 64
Moses ben Joshua1300–1362 · 14th century · Academics0.13 - 65
Chaim ibn Attar1696–1743 · 18th century0.12
- 66JNJoseph Nasi1524–1579 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0.11
- 67
Baal Shem Tov1698–1760 · 18th century0.11 - 68SOShemariah of Negropont1275–1352 · 14th century · Academics0.11
- 69BBBahya ben Asher1255–1340 · 13th century · Writers0.11
- 70ABAbraham ben Samuel ibn Hasdai ha-Levi1180–1240 · 13th century · Writers0.10
- 71TBTobiah ben Eliezer1080–1150 · 12th century · Actors0.10
- 72IAIsaac Albalag1300–1300 · 14th century · Academics0.09
- 73
Joseph ibn Tzaddik1075–1149 · 12th century · Academics0.09 - 74
Moses ben Jacob Cordovero1522–1570 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Actors0.08
- 75
Eliezer ben Nathan1090–1170 · 12th century · Writers0.08 - 76
Herod Archelaus23 BC–18 · 1st century · Models0.07
- 77ADAbraham de Balmes1440–1523 · 15th century · Doctors0.07
- 78
Mendele Mocher Sforim1835–1917 · 19th century · Writers0.07 - 79IIIsaac ibn Ezra1114–1158 · 12th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers0.06
- 80
Jacob ben Asher1269–1343 · 14th century · Writers0.05 - 81
Tzvi Ashkenazi1660–1718 · 17th century0.05 - 82
Ben Sira300 BC–150 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.05 - 83CBChananel ben Chushiel990–1053 · 11th century · Actors0.05
- 84
Shneur Zalman of Liadi1745–1812 · 18th century · Academics0.05 - 85
Benjamin of Tudela1130–1174 · 12th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.04 - 86LBLevi ben Abraham ben Hayyimborn 1245 · 13th century · Writers0.04
- 87
Joseph ben Judah ibn Aknin1150–1266 · 12th century · Academics0.03 - 88
Daniel Bomberg1483–1549 · 16th century0.03
- 89BHBerechiah ha-Nakdan1200–1300 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.03
- 90
Shalom Shabazi1619–1719 · 17th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0.03 - 91NBNissim ben Jacob990–1062 · 11th century · Writers0.03
- 92YBYefet ben Ali950–1010 · 10th century · Actors0.03
- 93IBIsrael ben Moses Najara1555–1628 · 16th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0.03
- 94
Menahem Recanati1250–1310 · 13th century · Musicians0.03 - 95
Elia del Medigo1458–1497 · 15th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Academics0.03 - 96ISIbn Shaprutborn 1400 · 15th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Actors0.03
- 97
Judah ben David Hayyuj945–1000 · 10th century · Writers0.02
- 98IBIsaac ben Moses of Vienna1180–1250 · 13th century · Writers0.02
- 99
Ishtori Haparchi1280–1337 · 14th century · Scientists0.02 - 100
Nachman of Breslov1772–1810 · 19th century0.02
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
Robert Koch1843–1910 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctors14 decades - 2
Alois Alzheimer1864–1915 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctors3 decades - 3
Theodor Schwann1810–1882 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctors16 decades - 4
Richard von Krafft-Ebing1840–1902 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctors4 decades - 5
Karl Theodor, Duke in Bavaria1839–1909 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctors3 decades - 6
Franz Oppenheimer1864–1943 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctors13 decades - 7
Ernst Heinrich Weber1795–1878 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctors15 decades - 8
Wilhelm Fliess1858–1928 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 9
Friedrich Joseph Haass1780–1853 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 10
Abraham Jacobi1830–1919 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 11
August Bier1861–1949 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 12
Jan Mikulicz-Radecki1850–1905 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 13
Oskar Minkowski1858–1931 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 14WWWilhelm Weinberg1862–1937 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 15
Friedrich Trendelenburg1844–1924 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 16
Theodor Bilharz1825–1862 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 17
Albert von Schrenck-Notzing1862–1929 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 18
Wilhelm His1863–1934 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 19
Wilhelm Heinrich Erb1840–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 20
Franz Gerhard Wegeler1765–1848 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 21
Hermann von Ihering1850–1930 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 22
Emanuel Felke1856–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 23
Julius Friedrich Cohnheim1839–1884 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 24
Hermann Oppenheim1857–1919 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 25
Ernst Ludwig Alfred Hegar1830–1914 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 26
Max Nonne1861–1959 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 27
Julius Roger1819–1865 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 28
Georg Theodor August Gaffky1850–1918 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 29
Gustav Killian1860–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 30
Eduard Arnold Martin1809–1875 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 31
Vincenz Czerny1842–1916 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 32
Charlotte von Siebold1788–1859 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 33
Elisabeth Winterhalter1856–1952 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 34
Franziska Tiburtius1843–1927 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 35
Wilhelm Heinrich Friedrich Molly1838–1919 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 36
Emil Pfeiffer1846–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 37
Justus Friedrich Carl Hecker1795–1850 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 38
Adolf Just1859–1936 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 39
Georg Anton Schäffer1779–1836 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 40
Carl Siegmund Franz Credé1819–1892 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 41
Hermann Brehmer1826–1889 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 42
Gustav Fritsch1838–1927 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 43
Hugo Liepmann1863–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 44
Erich Paulun1862–1909 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 45CSCurt Schimmelbusch1860–1895 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 46
Eduard Heinrich Henoch1820–1910 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 47
Ludwig Rehn1849–1930 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 48
Wilhelm Heinrich Schüßler1821–1898 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 49
Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert1796–1870 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 50
Karl Ewald Hasse1810–1902 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 51
Ernst Schweninger1850–1924 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 52
Hans Kehr1862–1916 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 53
Friedrich Wilhelm Scanzoni von Lichtenfels1821–1891 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 54
Friedrich Julius Rosenbach1842–1923 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 55
Karl Thiersch1822–1895 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 56
Paul Grawitz1850–1932 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 57
James Israel1848–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 58
Otto Wilhelm Madelung1846–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 59
Victor von Bruns1812–1883 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 60CFCarl Friedländer1847–1887 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 61
Georg Kloss1787–1854 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 62
Christian Georg Schmorl1861–1932 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 63
Robert Christian Avé-Lallemant1812–1884 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 64KFKarl Friedrich Canstatt1807–1850 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 65JVJohannes von Kries1853–1928 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 66
Bernhard Moritz Carl Ludwig Riedel1846–1916 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 67
Antoni Jurasz1847–1923 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 68
Heinrich Braun1862–1934 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 69FAFriedrich August Carus1770–1807 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 70
Max Linde1862–1940 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 71
Friedrich Bezold1842–1908 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 72
Heinrich Lahmann1860–1905 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 73
Hugo Wilhelm von Ziemssen1829–1902 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 74
Carl Anton Ewald1845–1915 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 75
Sigbert Josef Maria Ganser1853–1931 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 76
Rudolf Böhm1844–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 77
Georg Ledderhose1855–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 78
Paul Frosch1860–1928 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 79
Johannes Fabry1860–1930 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 80
Carl Langenbuch1846–1901 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 81
Karl Heinrich August Burow1809–1874 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 82
Dietrich Georg von Kieser1779–1862 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 83
Johann Ludwig Wilhelm Thudichum1829–1901 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 84
Wilhelm Olivier Leube1842–1922 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 85
Otto Funke1828–1879 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 86AWAdolf Wallenberg1862–1949 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 87
Otto Gottlieb Mohnike1814–1887 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 88
Wilhelm Baum1799–1883 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 89
Arnold Pagenstecher1837–1913 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 90
Otto Bollinger1843–1909 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 91
Hermann David Weber1823–1918 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 92KTKarl Theodor Menke1791–1861 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 93
Adam Elias von Siebold1775–1828 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 94HKHermann Krukenberg1863–1935 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured—
- 95
Heinrich Adolf Rinne1819–1868 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 96
Karl Otto Weber1827–1867 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 97
Oskar Lassar1849–1907 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 98
Carl Wigand Maximilian Jacobi1775–1858 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 99
Felix von Niemeyer1820–1871 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Doctorsnot measured— - 100
Morris Simmonds1855–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · 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.