Historians from France

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Frenchs Historians of all time. This list of famous Frenchs Historians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Frenchs Historians.

1. #1

   

   Tacitus

   54 - 120

   HPI 82.2189 langs

   Tacitus is most famous for writing the Annals of Imperial Rome, a set of books that chronicle the history of Rome from the death of Augustus...Read moreShow less

   Tacitus is most famous for writing the Annals of Imperial Rome, a set of books that chronicle the history of Rome from the death of Augustus in 14 AD to the death of Nero in 68 AD.

2. #2

   

   Alexis de Tocqueville

   1805 - 1859

   HPI 78.3376 langs

   Alexis de Tocqueville is most famous for his book "Democracy in America." He traveled to the United States in 1831 and wrote a book about...Read moreShow less

   Alexis de Tocqueville is most famous for his book "Democracy in America." He traveled to the United States in 1831 and wrote a book about his experiences.

3. #3

   

   Fernand Braudel

   1902 - 1985

   HPI 75.1356 langs

   Fernand Braudel was a French historian who is most famous for his work on the three-part division of history into the long-term,...Read moreShow less

   Fernand Braudel was a French historian who is most famous for his work on the three-part division of history into the long-term, medium-term, and short-term.

4. #4

   

   Marc Bloch

   1886 - 1944

   HPI 73.3849 langs

   Marc Bloch is most famous for his book "The Historian's Craft" which is a book about the history of French and European society.

5. #5

   

   Hippolyte Taine

   1828 - 1893

   HPI 73.0348 langs

   Hippolyte Taine was a French philosopher and critic who is most famous for his work "History of English Literature."

6. #6

   

   Jacques Le Goff

   1924 - 2014

   HPI 72.9246 langs

   Jacques Le Goff is a French historian and sociologist who is most famous for his work on the Middle Ages. He is also known for his work on...Read moreShow less

   Jacques Le Goff is a French historian and sociologist who is most famous for his work on the Middle Ages. He is also known for his work on the history of the family, the history of education, and the history of women.

7. #7

   

   Lucien Febvre

   1878 - 1956

   HPI 71.8843 langs

   Lucien Febvre is most famous for being one of the founders of the Annales School, which is a group of historians who study long-term trends...Read moreShow less

   Lucien Febvre is most famous for being one of the founders of the Annales School, which is a group of historians who study long-term trends rather than individual events.

8. #8

   

   François Guizot

   1787 - 1874

   HPI 71.5148 langs

   François Guizot was a French statesman who served as the Prime Minister of France from 1847 to 1848 and again from 1848 to 1851. He is most...Read moreShow less

   François Guizot was a French statesman who served as the Prime Minister of France from 1847 to 1848 and again from 1848 to 1851. He is most famous for his strong opposition to the French Revolution of 1848, and for his support of the July Monarchy of Louis-Philippe.

9. #9

   

   Joseph Justus Scaliger

   1540 - 1609

   HPI 70.9837 langs

   Joseph Justus Scaliger was a French scholar and mathematician who is most famous for his work in the fields of chronology and historical...Read moreShow less

   Joseph Justus Scaliger was a French scholar and mathematician who is most famous for his work in the fields of chronology and historical linguistics.

10. #10

    

    Geoffrey of Villehardouin

    1150 - 1210

    HPI 69.2431 langs

    Geoffrey of Villehardouin is most famous for being a knight, a historian, and a participant in the Fourth Crusade. He was an eyewitness to...Read moreShow less

    Geoffrey of Villehardouin is most famous for being a knight, a historian, and a participant in the Fourth Crusade. He was an eyewitness to the events of the Fourth Crusade and wrote about them in detail in his work, "The Conquest of Constantinople."