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
Giuseppe Verdi1813–1901 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians18 decades - 2
Pope Leo XIII1810–1903 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures15 decades - 3
Giacomo Puccini1858–1924 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians15 decades - 4
Giacomo Leopardi1798–1837 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers22 decades - 5
Pope Pius XI1857–1939 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures10 decades - 6
Gabriele D'Annunzio1863–1938 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers14 decades - 7
Pope Pius IX1792–1878 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures18 decades - 8
Pope Pius X1835–1914 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures12 decades - 9
Pope Benedict XV1854–1922 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures11 decades - 10
Alessandro Manzoni1785–1873 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers22 decades - 11
Giosuè Carducci1835–1907 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers17 decades - 12
Gioachino Rossini1792–1868 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians20 decades - 13
Victor Emmanuel II of Italy1820–1878 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures12 decades - 14
Giuseppe Mazzini1805–1872 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Activists20 decades - 15
Niccolò Paganini1782–1840 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians18 decades - 16
Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour1810–1861 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians10 decades - 17
Umberto I of Italy1844–1900 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures14 decades - 18
Pope Gregory XVI1765–1846 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures19 decades - 19
John Bosco1815–1888 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures16 decades - 20
Gaetano Donizetti1797–1848 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians19 decades - 21
Vincenzo Bellini1801–1835 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians22 decades - 22
Pietro Mascagni1863–1945 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades - 23
Giovanni Verga1840–1922 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers15 decades - 24
Emilio Salgari1862–1911 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers13 decades - 25
Amedeo Avogadro1776–1856 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists19 decades - 26
Cesare Lombroso1835–1909 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Doctors16 decades - 27
Amadeo I of Spain1845–1890 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 28
Eleonora Duse1858–1924 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Actors14 decades - 29
Giovanni Giolitti1842–1928 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians14 decades - 30
Giovanni Pascoli1855–1912 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers14 decades - 31
Vittorio Emanuele Orlando1860–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians13 decades - 32
Francesco Crispi1818–1901 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians18 decades - 33
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies1806–1878 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 34
Luigi Cadorna1850–1928 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 35
Margaret of Savoy1851–1926 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists17 decades - 36
Armando Diaz1861–1928 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 37
John William Waterhouse1849–1917 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0 decades - 38
Francis II of the Two Sicilies1836–1894 · 🇮🇹 Italynot measured—
- 39
Francis I of the Two Sicilies1777–1830 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 40
Dominic Savio1842–1857 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures11 decades - 41
Cosima Wagner1837–1930 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades - 42
John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton1834–1902 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 43
Francesco Hayez1791–1882 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists20 decades - 44
Edmondo De Amicis1846–1908 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers16 decades - 45
Errico Malatesta1853–1932 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Activists11 decades - 46
Ruggero Leoncavallo1857–1919 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades
- 47
Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily1772–1807 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot measured— - 48
Alexander of Battenberg1857–1893 · 🇮🇹 Italy17 decades - 49
Andreas Hofer1767–1810 · 🇮🇹 Italy22 decades - 50
Camillo Golgi1843–1926 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Doctors15 decades - 51
Luigi Facta1861–1930 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians12 decades - 52
Charles Felix of Savoy1765–1831 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures0 decades - 53
Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies1822–1889 · 🇮🇹 Italynot measured— - 54
Giuseppe Peano1858–1932 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics14 decades - 55
Giovanni Segantini1858–1899 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists13 decades - 56
Princess Maria Carolina, Duchess of Berry1798–1870 · 🇮🇹 Italy0 decades - 57
Maria Anna of Savoy1803–1884 · 🇮🇹 Italy0 decades - 58
Giovanni Schiaparelli1835–1910 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists15 decades - 59
Massimo d'Azeglio1798–1866 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians19 decades - 60
Marco Minghetti1818–1886 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians18 decades - 61
Antonio Salandra1853–1931 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians15 decades - 62
Giovanni Battista Belzoni1778–1823 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures4 decades - 63
Arrigo Boito1842–1918 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers16 decades - 64
Amilcare Ponchielli1834–1886 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians15 decades - 65
Prince Henry of Battenberg1858–1896 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 66
Karl Mozart1784–1858 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians0 decades - 67
Louis of Parma, king of Etruria1773–1803 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0 decades - 68
Filippo Turati1857–1932 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians14 decades - 69
Goffredo Mameli1827–1849 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers18 decades - 70
Pietro Gasparri1852–1934 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures12 decades - 71
Alessandro Moreschi1858–1922 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians3 decades - 72
Vito Volterra1860–1940 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics14 decades - 73
Lidia Poët1855–1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Lawyersnot measured— - 74
Vincenzo Gioberti1801–1852 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics20 decades - 75
Luigi Capuana1839–1915 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Journalists15 decades - 76
Giuseppe Caspar Mezzofanti1774–1849 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured— - 77
Saverio Mercadante1795–1870 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians20 decades - 78
Oreste Baratieri1841–1901 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured—
- 79
Joseph Cafasso1811–1860 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured— - 80
Ernesto Teodoro Moneta1833–1918 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Journalists11 decades - 81
Alfredo Catalani1854–1893 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians13 decades - 82
Benedetto Pistrucci1783–1855 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artistsnot measured— - 83
Macedonio Melloni1798–1854 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists19 decades - 84
Ermete Zacconi1857–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Actorsnot measured— - 85
Gennaro Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte1851–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured— - 86
Gemma Bellincioni1864–1950 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot measured— - 87
Giuseppe Bossi1777–1815 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artistsnot measured— - 88
Luigi Canina1795–1856 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academicsnot measured— - 89
Luigi Lavazza1859–1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Foundersnot measured— - 90PTPietro Tacchi Venturi1861–1956 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured—
- 91
Alice Barbi1858–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot measured— - 92
Camillo Serafini1864–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italynot measured— - 93
Pelagio Palagi1775–1860 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artistsnot measured— - 94
Antonio Anastasio Rossi1864–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figuresnot measured— - 95
Franco Leoni1864–1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot measured— - 96
Enrico Sibilia1861–1948 · 🇮🇹 Italynot measured— - 97
Giovanni Migliara1785–1837 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artistsnot measured— - 98
Luca Montuori1859–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 99
Gino Loria1862–1954 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academicsnot measured— - 100
Giovanni Tebaldini1864–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musiciansnot 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.