Claim profile
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 Russian books during the 19th century — whenever they lived.

In books written inEnglish18,114German3,599French3,347Italian1,787Spanish1,162Russian325Hebrew105Chinese9
  1. 1Patriarch Nikon of MoscowPatriarch Nikon of Moscow1605–1681 · 17th century · Religious Figures6.7
  2. 2Macarius, Metropolitan of MoscowMacarius, Metropolitan of Moscow1482–1563 · 16th century · Writers3.1
  3. 3Nikolai RezanovNikolai Rezanov1764–1807 · 18th century · Historical Figures1.3
  4. 4Boris GodunovBoris Godunov1552–1605 · 16th century · Politicians0.99
  5. 5Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich of RussiaGrand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich of Russia1859–1919 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.94
  6. 6Patriarch JoachimPatriarch Joachim1621–1690 · 17th century0.86
  7. 7Vasili IV of RussiaVasili IV of Russia1552–1612 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.86
  8. 8Nikolay KaramzinNikolay Karamzin1766–1826 · 19th century · Writers0.85
  9. 9Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsesarevich of RussiaNicholas Alexandrovich, Tsesarevich of Russia1843–1865 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.83
  10. 10Anna of RussiaAnna of Russia1693–1740 · 18th century · Politicians0.82
  11. 11Nikolay SemyonovNikolay Semyonov1896–1986 · 20th century · Scientists0.75
  12. 12Ivan I of TverIvan I of Tver1357–1425 · 14th century · Historical Figures0.66
  13. 13Avraamy PalitsynAvraamy Palitsyn1550–1626 · 16th century · Writers0.64
  14. 14Ivan I Aleksandrovich, Prince of SmolenskIvan I Aleksandrovich, Prince of Smolenskdied 1359 · 14th century0.62
  15. 15Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of RussiaGrand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia1779–1831 · 19th century · Politicians0.62
  16. 16Elizabeth of RussiaElizabeth of Russia1709–1761 · 18th century · Historical Figures0.58
  17. 17Alexandra VelyaminovaAlexandra Velyaminova1301–1364 · 14th century0.57
  18. 18Peter the GreatPeter the Great1672–1725 · 18th century · Politicians0.53
  19. 19Maximus the GreekMaximus the Greek1475–1556 · 16th century · Writers0.53
  20. 20Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna of RussiaGrand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna of Russia1783–1801 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.43
  21. 21Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich of RussiaGrand Duke Peter Nikolaevich of Russia1864–1931 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.42
  22. 22Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of RussiaGrand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia1832–1909 · 19th century · Politicians0.42
  23. 23Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of RussiaGrand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia1895–1918 · 20th century · Historical Figures0.39
  24. 24Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of RussiaGrand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia1827–1892 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.39
  25. 25Grigory OrlovGrigory Orlov1734–1783 · 18th century · Historical Figures0.38
  26. 26Alexander I of RussiaAlexander I of Russia1777–1825 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.36
  27. 27Leo TolstoyLeo Tolstoy1828–1910 · 19th century · Writers0.35
  28. 28Alexander BestuzhevAlexander Bestuzhev1797–1837 · 19th century · Writers0.34
  29. 29Ivan the TerribleIvan the Terrible1530–1584 · 16th century · Politicians0.33
  30. 30Pyotr PaninPyotr Panin1721–1789 · 18th century0.33
  31. 31Ippolit BogdanovichIppolit Bogdanovich1743–1803 · 18th century · Writers0.33
  32. 32Peter III of RussiaPeter III of Russia1728–1762 · 18th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0.31
  33. 33Stefan YavorskyStefan Yavorsky1658–1722 · 17th century · Academics0.30
  34. 34Grigory PotemkinGrigory Potemkin1739–1791 · 18th century · Politicians0.30
  35. 35Boris of TverBoris of Tver1400–1461 · 15th century0.29
  36. 36Ivan MazepaIvan Mazepa1639–1709 · 17th century · Politicians0.29
  37. 37Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of RussiaGrand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia1899–1918 · 20th century · Historical Figures0.29
  38. 38Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of RussiaGrand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia1850–1908 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.29
  39. 39Vasily Vasilyevich GolitsynVasily Vasilyevich Golitsyn1643–1714 · 17th century · Politicians0.28
  40. 40Paul I of RussiaPaul I of Russia1754–1801 · 18th century · Historical Figures0.28
  41. 41Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of RussiaGrand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia1860–1919 · 19th century · Politicians0.28
  42. 42Ivan Ivanovich ShuvalovIvan Ivanovich Shuvalov1727–1797 · 18th century · Writers0.28
  43. 43Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of RussiaAlexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia1690–1718 · 18th century · Politicians0.27
  44. 44Nicholas I of RussiaNicholas I of Russia1796–1855 · 19th century · Models0.26
  45. 45Alexander PushkinAlexander Pushkin1799–1837 · 19th century · Writers0.26
  46. 46Dimitry of RostovDimitry of Rostov1651–1709 · 17th century · Writers0.26
  47. 47Alexander GriboyedovAlexander Griboyedov1795–1829 · 19th century · Politicians0.25
  48. 48Alexander HerzenAlexander Herzen1812–1870 · 19th century · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Writers0.24
  49. 49Vissarion BelinskyVissarion Belinsky1811–1848 · 19th century · Academics0.23
  50. 50Konstantin AksakovKonstantin Aksakov1817–1860 · 19th century · Writers0.23
  51. 51Nikita PaninNikita Panin1718–1783 · 18th century · Politicians0.22
  52. 52Symeon of PolotskSymeon of Polotsk1629–1680 · 17th century · Writers0.21
  53. 53Aleksei Musin-PushkinAleksei Musin-Pushkin1744–1817 · 18th century · Writers0.21
  54. 54Alexis of RussiaAlexis of Russia1629–1676 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.21
  55. 55Xenia ShestovaXenia Shestova1560–1631 · 16th century0.20
  56. 56Mikhail LermontovMikhail Lermontov1814–1841 · 19th century · Writers0.19
  57. 57Olga Nikolaevna of RussiaOlga Nikolaevna of Russia1822–1892 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.19
  58. 58Pavel FedotovPavel Fedotov1815–1852 · 19th century · Artists0.19
  59. 59Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich of RussiaGrand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich of Russia1858–1915 · 19th century · Writers0.19
  60. 60Dmitry ShuiskyDmitry Shuisky1560–1612 · 16th century0.19
  61. 61Nikolay Alexandrovich LvovNikolay Alexandrovich Lvov1753–1803 · 18th century · Academics0.18
  62. 62Alexey VenetsianovAlexey Venetsianov1780–1847 · 19th century · Artists0.18
  63. 63Catherine Pavlovna of RussiaCatherine Pavlovna of Russia1788–1819 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.18
  64. 64Fyodor AlekseyevFyodor Alekseyev1755–1824 · 18th century · Artists0.18
  65. 65Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna of RussiaGrand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna of Russia1825–1844 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.17
  66. 66Konstantin BatyushkovKonstantin Batyushkov1787–1855 · 19th century · Writers0.15
  67. 67Mykhailo MaksymovychMykhailo Maksymovych1804–1873 · 19th century · Writers0.15
  68. 68Nicholas RepninNicholas Repnin1734–1801 · 18th century · Writers0.15
  69. 69Kirill RazumovskyKirill Razumovsky1728–1803 · 18th century · Politicians0.14
  70. 70Natalya Alexeevna of RussiaNatalya Alexeevna of Russia1673–1716 · 18th century · Writers0.14
  71. 71Grand Duchess Natalya Alexeyevna of RussiaGrand Duchess Natalya Alexeyevna of Russia1714–1728 · 18th century0.14
  72. 72Nikolai LeskovNikolai Leskov1831–1895 · 19th century · Writers0.13
  73. 73Aleksei Fedorovich AdashevAleksei Fedorovich Adashev1510–1561 · 16th century · Politicians0.13
  74. 74Alexander ShishkovAlexander Shishkov1754–1841 · 18th century · Writers0.13
  75. 75Joseph VolotskyJoseph Volotsky1440–1515 · 15th century · Writers0.12
  76. 76Alexander MenshikovAlexander Menshikov1673–1729 · 18th century · Politicians0.12
  77. 77Nikolay DobrolyubovNikolay Dobrolyubov1836–1861 · 19th century · Academics0.11
  78. 78Ivan the YoungIvan the Young1458–1490 · 15th century · Historical Figures0.11
  79. 79Konstantin of UglichKonstantin of Uglich1389–1434 · 15th century0.11
  80. 80Dmitry PozharskyDmitry Pozharsky1577–1642 · 17th century · Politicians0.11
  81. 81Gleb UspenskyGleb Uspensky1843–1902 · 19th century · Writers0.10
  82. 82Pyotr Andreyevich TolstoyPyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy1645–1729 · 17th century · Writers0.10
  83. 83Alexander SuvorovAlexander Suvorov1730–1800 · 18th century0.10
  84. 84Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of RussiaGrand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia1871–1899 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.10
  85. 85Alexander IvanovAlexander Ivanov1806–1858 · 19th century · Artists0.10
  86. 86Ivan KrylovIvan Krylov1769–1844 · 19th century · Writers0.09
  87. 87Ivan DmitrievIvan Dmitriev1760–1837 · 18th century · Writers0.09
  88. 88Alexander Sergeyevich MenshikovAlexander Sergeyevich Menshikov1787–1869 · 19th century · Politicians0.09
  89. 89Mikhail of TverMikhail of Tver1271–1318 · 14th century · Politicians0.08
  90. 90Peter Ivanovich ShuvalovPeter Ivanovich Shuvalov1711–1762 · 18th century · Politicians0.08
  91. 91Maxim GorkyMaxim Gorky1868–1936 · 20th century · Writers0.08
  92. 92Vladimir OdoevskyVladimir Odoevsky1803–1869 · 19th century · Writers0.08
  93. 93Oleg I of ChernigovOleg I of Chernigov1052–1115 · 11th century · Historical Figures0.08
  94. 94Mikhail VorontsovMikhail Vorontsov1782–1856 · 19th century · Politicians0.08
  95. 95Faddey BulgarinFaddey Bulgarin1789–1859 · 19th century · Writers0.08
  96. 96Tikhon of ZadonskTikhon of Zadonsk1724–1783 · 18th century · Religious Figures0.08
  97. 97Konstantin of RostovKonstantin of Rostov1185–1218 · 13th century · Politicians0.08
  98. 98Peter II of RussiaPeter II of Russia1715–1730 · 18th century · Politicians0.08
  99. 99Kirill II of KyivKirill II of Kyiv1250–1280 · 13th century0.08
  100. 100Alexander II of RussiaAlexander II of Russia1818–1881 · 19th century · Historical Figures0.08

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 19th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇺🇸 United States🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇮🇹 Italy🇪🇸 Spain🇯🇵 Japan🇦🇹 Austria🇹🇷 Turkey🇸🇪 Sweden
FieldAllPoliticiansWritersHistorical FiguresScientistsAcademicsArtistsMusiciansDoctorsFoundersJournalists
  1. 1Joseph ListerJoseph Lister1827–1912 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors18 decades
  2. 2John SnowJohn Snow1813–1858 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors21 decades
  3. 3John Langdon DownJohn Langdon Down1828–1896 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors0 decades
  4. 4Havelock EllisHavelock Ellis1859–1939 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors14 decades
  5. 5Ronald RossRonald Ross1857–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors13 decades
  6. 6Elizabeth Garrett AndersonElizabeth Garrett Anderson1836–1917 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors7 decades
  7. 7Joseph BellJoseph Bell1837–1911 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors19 decades
  8. 8Hudson TaylorHudson Taylor1832–1905 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors14 decades
  9. 9Henry GrayHenry Gray1827–1861 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors19 decades
  10. 10Charles BellCharles Bell1774–1842 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors22 decades
  11. 11Frederick HopkinsFrederick Hopkins1861–1947 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors1 decades
  12. 12Thomas AddisonThomas Addison1793–1860 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors12 decades
  13. 13James BraidJames Braid1795–1860 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors7 decades
  14. 14Edward Granville BrowneEdward Granville Browne1862–1926 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors0 decades
  15. 15Anna KingsfordAnna Kingsford1846–1888 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctors3 decades
  16. 16Astley CooperAstley Cooper1768–1841 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  17. 17Almroth WrightAlmroth Wright1861–1947 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  18. 18Edward Albert Sharpey-SchäferEdward Albert Sharpey-Schäfer1850–1935 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  19. 19Henry HeadHenry Head1861–1940 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  20. 20Bertrand Dawson, 1st Viscount Dawson of PennBertrand Dawson, 1st Viscount Dawson of Penn1864–1945 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  21. 21Edward Treacher CollinsEdward Treacher Collins1862–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  22. 22Agnes McLarenAgnes McLaren1837–1913 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  23. 23Sir Thomas Barlow, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Barlow, 1st Baronet1845–1945 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  24. 24Waren TayWaren Tay1843–1927 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  25. 25John KiddJohn Kidd1775–1851 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  26. 26Alice VickeryAlice Vickery1844–1929 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  27. 27Isaac Baker BrownIsaac Baker Brown1811–1873 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  28. 28Madre Teresa NuzzoMadre Teresa Nuzzo1851–1923 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  29. 29Frederick Parkes WeberFrederick Parkes Weber1863–1962 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  30. 30Mary ScharliebMary Scharlieb1845–1930 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  31. 31Jane Elizabeth WaterstonJane Elizabeth Waterston1843–1932 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  32. 32Henry Walter BellewHenry Walter Bellew1834–1892 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  33. 33John Hughes BennettJohn Hughes Bennett1812–1875 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  34. 34Ethel BenthamEthel Bentham1861–1931 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  35. 35James SymeJames Syme1799–1870 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  36. 36William FergussonWilliam Fergusson1808–1877 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  37. 37ASAlice Stewart Ker1853–1943 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  38. 38Frederick Howard TaylorFrederick Howard Taylor1862–1946 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  39. 39William Ramsay SmithWilliam Ramsay Smith1859–1937 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  40. 40William WhitlaWilliam Whitla1851–1933 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  41. 41Joseph BancroftJoseph Bancroft1836–1894 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  42. 42Robert MuirRobert Muir1864–1959 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  43. 43TBThomas Bateman1778–1821 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  44. 44Charles Alfred BallanceCharles Alfred Ballance1856–1936 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  45. 45Byrom BramwellByrom Bramwell1847–1931 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  46. 46Humphry RollestonHumphry Rolleston1862–1944 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  47. 47Arthur SloggettArthur Sloggett1857–1929 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  48. 48Sir John Bradford, 1st BaronetSir John Bradford, 1st Baronet1863–1935 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Doctorsnot measured—
  49. 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.