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 English books during the 19th century — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish18,114German3,599French3,347Italian1,787Spanish1,162Russian325Hebrew105Chinese9
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
.jpg?width=1200)
Jesus5 BC–30 · 1st century · Religious Figures94 - 2
.jpg?width=1200)
Homer900 BC–800 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers15 - 3
_-_Palazzo_Nuovo_-_Musei_Capitolini_-_Rome_2016.jpg?width=1200)
Cicero106 BC–43 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians13 - 4
.jpg?width=1200)
Augustus63 BC–14 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians13 - 5
Plato428 BC–348 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics10 - 6
.jpg?width=1200)
Virgil70 BC–19 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers9.6 - 7
Aristotle384 BC–322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics9.4 - 8
Socrates470 BC–399 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇧🇷 Brazil · Academics6.4 - 9
.jpg)
Herodotus484 BC–425 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers6.2 - 10
Charles II, Duke of Savoy1489–1496 · 15th century · Historical Figures5.9 - 11
Charles II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1545–1617 · 16th century · Historical Figures5.9 - 12
Charles II, Lord of Monaco1555–1589 · 16th century · Politicians5.9 - 13
Plutarch40–120 · 1st century · Academics5.6 - 14
Ovid43 BC–17 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers4.2 - 15
Strabo63 BC–23 · 1st millennium BC · Academics4.1 - 16
Charlemagne748–814 · 8th century · Historical Figures3.9 - 17
Demosthenes384 BC–322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians3.8 - 18
Lord Byron1788–1824 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers3.6 - 19
Henry IV, Duke of Limburg1195–1247 · 13th century · Historical Figures3.5 - 20HIHenry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1463–1514 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany3.5
- 21
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor1050–1106 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures3.5 - 22
Henry IV, Count of Luxembourg1113–1196 · 12th century · Politicians3.5 - 23
Henry IV, Duke of Brabant1251–1272 · 13th century3.5 - 24HIHenry IV, Count of Waldeck1300–1348 · 14th century3.5
- 25
Livy59 BC–17 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers3.4 - 26
Origen185–254 · 3rd century · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Academics3.1 - 27
Cleopatra69 BC–30 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figures3.0 - 28
Xenophon430 BC–354 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics3.0 - 29
Walter Scott1771–1832 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers3.0 - 30
.jpg?width=1200)
Henry III, Duke of Głogów1251–1309 · 13th century · Politicians2.8 - 31
Henry III, Count of Gorizia1263–1323 · 13th century2.8 - 32
_Miniatur.jpg?width=1200)
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor1016–1056 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures2.8 - 33
Henry III, Count of Schauenburg-Holstein1370–1421 · 15th century2.8 - 34
Henry III, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1542–1587 · 16th century2.8 - 35
Henry III, Margrave of Baden-Hachberg1300–1330 · 14th century · Models2.8 - 36
Henry III, Count of Louvain1060–1095 · 11th century · Politicians2.8 - 37HIHenry III, Count of Luxembourg1070–1096 · 11th century · Historical Figures2.8
- 38
Tertullian160–240 · 2nd century · Academics2.7 - 39
James II, Count of Urgell1388–1433 · 15th century2.6 - 40
Robert Peel1788–1850 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians2.6 - 41
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor1275–1313 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France2.6 - 42
Pericles494 BC–429 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians2.5 - 43
Henry VI1376–1454 · 15th century2.5 - 44
Henry VI, Count of Luxembourg1240–1288 · 13th century · Politicians2.5 - 45HVHenry VI, Count of Waldeck1340–1397 · 14th century2.5
- 46
John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford1485–1555 · 16th century · Politicians2.4 - 47
Euclid333 BC–285 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics2.4 - 48
John the Baptist6 BC–30 · 1st century · 🇮🇱 Israel · Religious Figures2.4 - 49
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor973–1024 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures2.3 - 50
Henry II1207–1248 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians2.3 - 51Henry II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1507–1548 · 16th century2.3
- 52
Henry II, Duke of Ziębice1396–1420 · 15th century2.3 - 53
Henry II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen1289–1351 · 14th century · Historical Figures2.3 - 54
Henry II, Count of Champagne1166–1197 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures2.3 - 55
Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben1215–1266 · 13th century · Historical Figures2.3 - 56
Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg1317–1390 · 14th century2.3 - 57
Henry II , Duke of Lower Lorraine1059–1119 · 11th century2.3 - 58
Henry II, Duke of Świdnica1312–1345 · 14th century2.3 - 59HIHenry II, Margrave of the Nordmark1102–1128 · 12th century2.3
- 60
Henry II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal1308–1320 · 14th century · Models2.3 - 61
Otho32–69 · 1st century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians2.3 - 62
Trajan53–117 · 1st century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians2.3 - 63
Bede672–735 · 8th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers2.3 - 64
Solon630 BC–560 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers2.2 - 65
Euripides480 BC–406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers2.2 - 66
Thucydides460 BC–395 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers2.1 - 67
Pythagoras582 BC–490 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics2.1 - 68
Pindar517 BC–437 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers2.0 - 69
Richard II963–1026 · 10th century · 🇫🇷 France1.9 - 70
_(cropped).jpg?width=1200)
Julius Caesar100 BC–44 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians1.9 - 71
Sophocles496 BC–406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.9 - 72
John Smith1580–1631 · 17th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures1.8 - 73
.jpg)
Vespasian9–79 · 1st century · Politicians1.8 - 74
Aristophanes445 BC–385 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.8 - 75
William Henry1774–1836 · 19th century · Scientists1.7 - 76
Ben Jonson1572–1637 · 17th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers1.7 - 77
.jpg?width=1200)
Alexander the Great356 BC–323 BC · 1st millennium BC · Historical Figures1.7 - 78
Hippocrates460 BC–370 BC · 1st millennium BC · Doctors1.7 - 79
Alcibiades450 BC–404 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians1.6 - 80
Ahab918 BC–852 BC · 1st millennium BC · Models1.6 - 81
Isaac Newton1642–1727 · 17th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics1.6 - 82WIWilliam III, Duke of Aquitaine910–963 · 10th century1.6
- 83WIWilliam III, Marquess of Montferrat970–1042 · 11th century · Historical Figures1.6
- 84WIWilliam III, Count of Burgundy1110–1127 · 12th century · Historical Figures1.6
- 85
William III, Duke of Bavaria1375–1435 · 15th century · Historical Figures1.6 - 86
William III, Count of Toulouse975–1037 · 11th century · Historical Figures1.6 - 87WIWilliam III, Count of Jülich1150–1218 · 12th century · Historical Figures1.6
- 88WIWilliam III, Count of Genevaborn 1280 · 14th century1.6
- 89
.jpg?width=1200)
John Bull1562–1628 · 16th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians1.6 - 90
George II, Duke of Württemberg-Montbéliard1626–1699 · 17th century1.6 - 91
George II, Duke of Brieg1523–1586 · 16th century1.6 - 92
George II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1512–1553 · 16th century1.6 - 93
Polybius200 BC–120 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.5 - 94
Galen129–300 · 2nd century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Doctors1.5 - 95
Hadrian76–138 · 2nd century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures1.5 - 96
Lucretius94 BC–55 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.5 - 97
Lucan39–65 · 1st century · Writers1.4 - 98
William Jones1746–1794 · 18th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics1.4 - 99
William the Conqueror1028–1087 · 11th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures1.4
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
Alfred Nobel1833–1896 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists13 decades - 2
Svante Arrhenius1859–1927 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists6 decades - 3
Jöns Jacob Berzelius1779–1848 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 4
.jpg?width=1200)
Salomon August Andrée1854–1897 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 5
John Ericsson1803–1889 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists19 decades - 6
Anders Jonas Ångström1814–1874 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 7
Lars Levi Læstadius1800–1861 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 8
Gustaf de Laval1845–1913 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 9
.jpg?width=1200)
Johannes Rydberg1854–1919 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 10
Lars Magnus Ericsson1846–1926 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 11
Elias Magnus Fries1794–1878 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 12
Per Teodor Cleve1840–1905 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 13
Johan August Arfwedson1792–1841 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 14
Carl Gustaf Mosander1797–1858 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 15
Carl Adolph Agardh1785–1859 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 16
Nils Strindberg1872–1897 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 17
Knut Frænkel1870–1897 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 18
Johan Petter Johansson1853–1943 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 19
Thorsten Nordenfelt1842–1920 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 20
Nils Ericson1802–1870 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 21
Carl Edvard Johansson1864–1943 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 22
Anders Gustaf Ekeberg1767–1813 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 23
Lars Fredrik Nilson1840–1899 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 24
Emil Oskar Nobel1843–1864 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 25
.jpg?width=1200)
Jacob Georg Agardh1813–1901 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 26
Carl Axel Magnus Lindman1856–1928 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 27
Amalia Eriksson1824–1923 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 28
_3.png?width=1200)
Nils Gabriel Sefström1787–1845 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientists0 decades - 29
Anders Retzius1796–1860 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 30
Johan August Brinell1849–1925 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 31
Oskar Backlund1846–1916 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 32
Knut Ångström1857–1910 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 33
.jpg?width=1200)
Carl Vilhelm Ludvig Charlier1862–1934 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 34
Johan August Wahlberg1810–1856 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 35
Wilhelm Hisinger1766–1852 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 36
Göran Wahlenberg1780–1851 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 37
Per Georg Scheutz1785–1873 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 38
Jonas Wenström1855–1893 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 39
.png?width=1200)
Theodor Magnus Fries1832–1913 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 40
Nils Gustaf Ekholm1848–1923 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 41
Alfred Gabriel Nathorst1850–1921 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 42
Otto Martin Torell1828–1900 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 43
Anna Sundström1785–1871 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 44
Albert Atterberg1846–1916 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 45
Willgodt Theophil Odhner1845–1905 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 46
Per Axel Rydberg1860–1931 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 47
Nils Christoffer Dunér1839–1914 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 48
Hugo Gyldén1841–1896 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 49
.jpg?width=1200)
Erik Edlund1819–1888 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 50
Hjalmar Lundbohm1855–1926 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 51
Christian Wilhelm Blomstrand1826–1897 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 52
Gustaf Johan Billberg1772–1844 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 53
Nils Johan Andersson1821–1880 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 54
Johan Wilhelm Zetterstedt1785–1874 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 55
Helge Palmcrantz1842–1880 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 56
M%C3%BCller_Carl_btv1b8453272j_(cropped).jpg?width=1200)
Emil von Sydow1812–1873 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 57GEGustaf Erik Hasch1788–1862 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 58
Martin Wiberg1826–1905 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 59GAGustavus Augustus Eisen1847–1940 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 60
Veit Wittrock1839–1914 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 61
Albert Ulrik Bååth1853–1912 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 62
Otto Pettersson1848–1941 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 63
Louise Hammarström1849–1917 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 64
Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch1770–1811 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 65
Sextus Otto Lindberg1835–1889 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 66
.jpg?width=1200)
Carl Daniel Ekman1845–1904 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 67
Robert Thalén1827–1905 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 68
.png?width=1200)
Hanna Hammarström1829–1914 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 69
Johan Erhard Areschoug1811–1887 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 70
Frans Reinhold Kjellman1846–1907 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 71
.png?width=1200)
Axel Möller1830–1896 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 72
Frans Wilhelm Lindqvist1862–1931 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 73
Nils Johan Berlin1812–1891 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 74
.jpg?width=1200)
Herman Schultz1823–1890 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 75
Carl Fredrik Nyman1820–1893 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 76
Karl Starbäck1863–1931 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 77
Carl Reinhold Sahlberg1779–1860 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 78
Nils Conrad Kindberg1832–1910 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 79
Carl Johann Hartman1790–1849 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 80
Nils Gustaf von Lagerheim1860–1926 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 81CQConrad Quensel1767–1806 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 82
.jpg?width=1200)
Sven Berggren1837–1917 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 83
Hampus Wilhelm Arnell1848–1932 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 84
Samuel Owen1774–1854 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 85
Carl Bovallius1849–1907 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 86JEJohan Emanuel Wikström1789–1856 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 87HDHans Daniel Johan Wallengren1823–1894 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 88
Per Karl Hjalmar Dusén1855–1926 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 89
Anders Fredrik Regnell1807–1884 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 90
Henrik Gustaf Söderbaum1862–1933 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 91
Peter Fredrik Wahlberg1800–1877 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 92GAGustav Adolf Hugo Dahlstedt1856–1934 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured—
- 93
Carl Hartman1824–1884 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 94
Theofron Munktell1805–1887 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 95
Hilda Carolina Ericsson1860–1941 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 96
Nils Lilja1808–1870 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 97
.jpg?width=1200)
Nils Peter Angelin1805–1876 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 98
.jpg?width=1200)
Svante Samuel Murbeck1859–1946 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 99
Gustaf Oskar Andersson Malme1864–1937 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot measured— - 100JÅJohan Ångström1813–1879 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Scientistsnot 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.