GEOLOGIST

William Smith

1769 - 1839

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William 'Strata' Smith (23 March 1769 – 28 August 1839) was an English geologist, credited with creating the first detailed, nationwide geological map of any country. At the time his map was first published he was overlooked by the scientific community; his relatively humble education and family connections prevented him from mixing easily in learned society. Financially ruined, Smith spent time in debtors' prison. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of William Smith has received more than 175,529 page views. His biography is available in 36 different languages on Wikipedia. William Smith is the 15th most popular geologist (up from 16th in 2019), the 1,063rd most popular biography from United Kingdom (up from 1,077th in 2019) and the 5th most popular British Geologist.

William Smith is most famous for his work in the field of geology. He is credited with developing the law of uniformitarianism which states that the rate of natural processes has remained constant over time.

Memorability Metrics

  • 180k

    Page Views (PV)

  • 59.07

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 36

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 7.59

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 3.16

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among GEOLOGISTS

Among geologists, William Smith ranks 15 out of 90. Before him are James Hutton, Eduard Suess, Friedrich Mohs, Francis Beaufort, Vasily Dokuchaev, and Abraham Gottlob Werner. After him are Beno Gutenberg, Christian Leopold von Buch, Ignacy Domeyko, Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu, Giuseppe Mercalli, and Gideon Mantell.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1769, William Smith ranks 14. Before him are Jean-de-Dieu Soult, Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ivan Krylov, André-Jacques Garnerin, Thomas Lawrence, and Ivan Kotliarevsky. After him are Józef Elsner, Ernst Moritz Arndt, Lotf Ali Khan, Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, Aleksey Arakcheyev, and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Among people deceased in 1839, William Smith ranks 10. Before him are Fernando Sor, Friedrich Mohs, Ranjit Singh, William, Duke of Nassau, Princess Marie of Orléans, and Pehr Henrik Ling. After him are Joseph Fesch, Milan Obrenović II, Prince of Serbia, Charlotte Bonaparte, William Murdoch, Lord William Bentinck, and Ferdinando Paer.

Others Born in 1769

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Others Deceased in 1839

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In United Kingdom

Among people born in United Kingdom, William Smith ranks 1,063 out of 8,785. Before him are Ron Dennis (1947), George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford (1504), Frank Lloyd (1886), Stephen Boyd (1931), Thomas Willis (1621), and Frank Oz (1944). After him are Isabella Bird (1831), David Hamilton (1933), Cozy Powell (1947), Nicko McBrain (1952), Dave Gahan (1962), and Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872).

Others born in United Kingdom

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Among GEOLOGISTS In United Kingdom

Among geologists born in United Kingdom, William Smith ranks 5. Before him are Charles Lyell (1797), Mary Anning (1799), James Hutton (1726), and Eduard Suess (1831). After him are Gideon Mantell (1790), William Buckland (1784), Adam Sedgwick (1785), Arthur Holmes (1890), John Phillips (1800), Henry Clifton Sorby (1826), and Joseph Thomson (1858).

British born Geologists

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