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 Chinese books during the 19th century — whenever they lived.

Lived then

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

  1. 1Karl MarxKarl Marx1818–1883 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics17 decades
  2. 2Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche1844–1900 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  3. 3Georg Wilhelm Friedrich HegelGeorg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel1770–1831 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics21 decades
  4. 4Carl Friedrich GaussCarl Friedrich Gauss1777–1855 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics11 decades
  5. 5Max WeberMax Weber1864–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  6. 6Friedrich EngelsFriedrich Engels1820–1895 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics17 decades
  7. 7Ludwig FeuerbachLudwig Feuerbach1804–1872 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics19 decades
  8. 8Theodor MommsenTheodor Mommsen1817–1903 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics18 decades
  9. 9Wilhelm von HumboldtWilhelm von Humboldt1767–1835 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics22 decades
  10. 10Bernhard RiemannBernhard Riemann1826–1866 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics12 decades
  11. 11Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph SchellingFriedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling1775–1854 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics9 decades
  12. 12Jacob GrimmJacob Grimm1785–1863 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics21 decades
  13. 13Heinrich SchliemannHeinrich Schliemann1822–1890 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  14. 14Gottlob FregeGottlob Frege1848–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics9 decades
  15. 15Wilhelm WundtWilhelm Wundt1832–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  16. 16Karl WeierstrassKarl Weierstrass1815–1897 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics8 decades
  17. 17Peter Gustav Lejeune DirichletPeter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet1805–1859 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  18. 18Carl Gustav Jacob JacobiCarl Gustav Jacob Jacobi1804–1851 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics1 decades
  19. 19Felix KleinFelix Klein1849–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  20. 20Max MüllerMax Müller1823–1900 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics5 decades
  21. 21Houston Stewart ChamberlainHouston Stewart Chamberlain1855–1927 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics13 decades
  22. 22August Heinrich Hoffmann von FallerslebenAugust Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben1798–1874 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics6 decades
  23. 23Emil KraepelinEmil Kraepelin1856–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics14 decades
  24. 24Bruno BauerBruno Bauer1809–1882 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics19 decades
  25. 25August Ferdinand MöbiusAugust Ferdinand Möbius1790–1868 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics3 decades
  26. 26Werner SombartWerner Sombart1863–1941 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics13 decades
  27. 27Franz BrentanoFranz Brentano1838–1917 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics16 decades
  28. 28Richard DedekindRichard Dedekind1831–1916 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics8 decades
  29. 29Moses HessMoses Hess1812–1875 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics10 decades
  30. 30Hermann EbbinghausHermann Ebbinghaus1850–1909 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics7 decades
  31. 31Ferdinand TönniesFerdinand Tönnies1855–1936 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics13 decades
  32. 32Johann Friedrich HerbartJohann Friedrich Herbart1776–1841 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics17 decades
  33. 33Friedrich RatzelFriedrich Ratzel1844–1904 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  34. 34Adolf von HarnackAdolf von Harnack1851–1930 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics11 decades
  35. 35Silvio GesellSilvio Gesell1862–1930 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics11 decades
  36. 36Rudolf Christoph EuckenRudolf Christoph Eucken1846–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  37. 37Ferdinand von LindemannFerdinand von Lindemann1852–1939 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  38. 38Eugen DühringEugen Dühring1833–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics14 decades
  39. 39Carl David Tolmé RungeCarl David Tolmé Runge1856–1927 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics6 decades
  40. 40Konrad DudenKonrad Duden1829–1911 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics10 decades
  41. 41Rudolf von JheringRudolf von Jhering1818–1892 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics9 decades
  42. 42Ulrich von Wilamowitz-MoellendorffUlrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff1848–1931 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics13 decades
  43. 43Friedrich Wilhelm RaiffeisenFriedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen1818–1888 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics8 decades
  44. 44Hermann SchwarzHermann Schwarz1843–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics2 decades
  45. 45Heinrich RickertHeinrich Rickert1863–1936 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics13 decades
  46. 46Hans VaihingerHans Vaihinger1852–1933 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics13 decades
  47. 47Theodor NöldekeTheodor Nöldeke1836–1930 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics16 decades
  48. 48Adolf HurwitzAdolf Hurwitz1859–1919 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics4 decades
  49. 49Johann Friedrich PfaffJohann Friedrich Pfaff1765–1825 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  50. 50Oscar HertwigOscar Hertwig1849–1922 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics10 decades
  51. 51Carl StumpfCarl Stumpf1848–1936 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics13 decades
  52. 52Kurt HenselKurt Hensel1861–1941 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics2 decades
  53. 53Ernst SchröderErnst Schröder1841–1902 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics13 decades
  54. 54Fritz MauthnerFritz Mauthner1849–1923 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics14 decades
  55. 55Max NoetherMax Noether1844–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics2 decades
  56. 56Wilhelm KillingWilhelm Killing1847–1923 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  57. 57Hermann DielsHermann Diels1848–1922 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics14 decades
  58. 58Carl NeumannCarl Neumann1832–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics0 decades
  59. 59Lujo BrentanoLujo Brentano1844–1931 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  60. 60Adolf KußmaulAdolf Kußmaul1822–1902 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  61. 61Franz von LisztFranz von Liszt1851–1919 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  62. 62Heinrich Leberecht FleischerHeinrich Leberecht Fleischer1801–1888 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  63. 63Friedrich von EsmarchFriedrich von Esmarch1823–1908 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  64. 64Hermann GunkelHermann Gunkel1862–1932 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics12 decades
  65. 65Georg Friedrich KnappGeorg Friedrich Knapp1842–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  66. 66Moritz CantorMoritz Cantor1829–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics6 decades
  67. 67Otto HirschfeldOtto Hirschfeld1843–1922 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  68. 68Heinrich Wilhelm Gottfried von Waldeyer-HartzHeinrich Wilhelm Gottfried von Waldeyer-Hartz1836–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  69. 69Karl BindingKarl Binding1841–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  70. 70Gottfried Reinhold TreviranusGottfried Reinhold Treviranus1776–1837 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  71. 71Hermann PaulHermann Paul1846–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics15 decades
  72. 72Franz NisslFranz Nissl1860–1919 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  73. 73Karl MollweideKarl Mollweide1774–1825 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  74. 74Hans von MangoldtHans von Mangoldt1854–1925 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  75. 75Georg DehioGeorg Dehio1850–1932 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  76. 76Arthur Moritz SchoenfliesArthur Moritz Schoenflies1853–1928 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  77. 77Philipp von JollyPhilipp von Jolly1809–1884 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  78. 78KBKarl Bücher1847–1930 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  79. 79Hermann OldenbergHermann Oldenberg1854–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics12 decades
  80. 80Richard SemonRichard Semon1859–1918 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  81. 81Walther von DyckWalther von Dyck1856–1934 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  82. 82KGKarl Groos1861–1946 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  83. 83Rudolf KittelRudolf Kittel1853–1929 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  84. 84Paul Gustav Heinrich BachmannPaul Gustav Heinrich Bachmann1837–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  85. 85Princess Marie of Windisch-GraetzPrincess Marie of Windisch-Graetz1856–1929 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  86. 86Fritz HommelFritz Hommel1854–1936 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  87. 87Henry ThodeHenry Thode1857–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  88. 88Georg WissowaGeorg Wissowa1859–1931 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  89. 89Hermann Wilhelm VogelHermann Wilhelm Vogel1834–1898 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  90. 90Heinrich DresselHeinrich Dressel1845–1920 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  91. 91Alexander von BrillAlexander von Brill1842–1935 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  92. 92Eduard SachauEduard Sachau1845–1930 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  93. 93Georg MeissnerGeorg Meissner1829–1905 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  94. 94Leo KönigsbergerLeo Königsberger1837–1921 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  95. 95Wilhelm Martin Leberecht de WetteWilhelm Martin Leberecht de Wette1780–1849 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  96. 96Franz von LeydigFranz von Leydig1821–1908 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  97. 97Heinrich PeschHeinrich Pesch1854–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  98. 98Otto FrankeOtto Franke1863–1946 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  99. 99Friedrich JodlFriedrich Jodl1849–1914 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot measured
  100. 100Rudolf BuchheimRudolf Buchheim1820–1879 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academicsnot 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.