GEOLOGIST
William Smith
1769 - 1839

William Smith
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. It was only late in his life that Smith received recognition for his accomplishments, and became known as the "Father of English Geology". Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. William Smith is the 18th most popular geologist (down from 15th in 2019), the 1,360th most popular biography from United Kingdom (down from 1,064th in 2019) and the 6th 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.
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Among GEOLOGISTS
Among geologists, William Smith ranks 18 out of 90. Before him are Francis Beaufort, Abraham Gottlob Werner, Beno Gutenberg, Gideon Mantell, Vasily Dokuchaev, and Walter Alvarez. After him are Adam Sedgwick, Jean-André Deluc, Christian Leopold von Buch, Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu, Ignacy Domeyko, and Giuseppe Mercalli.
Most Popular Geologists in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsFrancis Beaufort
1774 - 1857
HPI: 68.94
Rank: 12
Abraham Gottlob Werner
1749 - 1817
HPI: 68.30
Rank: 13
Beno Gutenberg
1889 - 1960
HPI: 65.83
Rank: 14
Gideon Mantell
1790 - 1852
HPI: 65.77
Rank: 15
Vasily Dokuchaev
1846 - 1903
HPI: 65.42
Rank: 16
Walter Alvarez
1940 - Present
HPI: 65.30
Rank: 17
William Smith
1769 - 1839
HPI: 65.26
Rank: 18
Adam Sedgwick
1785 - 1873
HPI: 65.25
Rank: 19
Jean-André Deluc
1727 - 1817
HPI: 65.21
Rank: 20
Christian Leopold von Buch
1774 - 1853
HPI: 65.09
Rank: 21
Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu
1750 - 1801
HPI: 63.82
Rank: 22
Ignacy Domeyko
1802 - 1889
HPI: 63.76
Rank: 23
Giuseppe Mercalli
1850 - 1914
HPI: 63.47
Rank: 24
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1769, William Smith ranks 14. Before him are Jean Lannes, Ivan Krylov, Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, André-Jacques Garnerin, Ivan Kotliarevsky, and Józef Elsner. After him are Thomas Lawrence, Mahmud Shah Durrani, Ernst Moritz Arndt, Barthélemy Catherine Joubert, Aleksey Arakcheyev, and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Among people deceased in 1839, William Smith ranks 10. Before him are Friedrich Mohs, Fernando Sor, Ranjit Singh, William, Duke of Nassau, Princess Marie of Orléans, and Charlotte Bonaparte. After him are Joseph Fesch, Pehr Henrik Ling, Ferdinando Paer, Aloysia Weber, Hugues-Bernard Maret, duc de Bassano, and William Murdoch.
Others Born in 1769
Go to all RankingsJean Lannes
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1769 - 1809
HPI: 73.29
Rank: 8
Ivan Krylov
WRITER
1769 - 1844
HPI: 71.86
Rank: 9
Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany
POLITICIAN
1769 - 1824
HPI: 70.98
Rank: 10
André-Jacques Garnerin
INVENTOR
1769 - 1823
HPI: 68.25
Rank: 11
Ivan Kotliarevsky
WRITER
1769 - 1838
HPI: 66.60
Rank: 12
Józef Elsner
COMPOSER
1769 - 1854
HPI: 65.46
Rank: 13
William Smith
GEOLOGIST
1769 - 1839
HPI: 65.26
Rank: 14
Thomas Lawrence
PAINTER
1769 - 1830
HPI: 65.24
Rank: 15
Mahmud Shah Durrani
POLITICIAN
1769 - 1829
HPI: 64.99
Rank: 16
Ernst Moritz Arndt
PHILOSOPHER
1769 - 1860
HPI: 63.87
Rank: 17
Barthélemy Catherine Joubert
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1769 - 1799
HPI: 63.73
Rank: 18
Aleksey Arakcheyev
POLITICIAN
1769 - 1834
HPI: 63.32
Rank: 19
Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
NOBLEMAN
1769 - 1818
HPI: 62.42
Rank: 20
Others Deceased in 1839
Go to all RankingsFriedrich Mohs
GEOLOGIST
1773 - 1839
HPI: 71.59
Rank: 4
Fernando Sor
MUSICIAN
1778 - 1839
HPI: 69.88
Rank: 5
Ranjit Singh
POLITICIAN
1780 - 1839
HPI: 67.02
Rank: 6
William, Duke of Nassau
POLITICIAN
1792 - 1839
HPI: 66.83
Rank: 7
Princess Marie of Orléans
COMPANION
1813 - 1839
HPI: 65.92
Rank: 8
Charlotte Bonaparte
POLITICIAN
1802 - 1839
HPI: 65.61
Rank: 9
William Smith
GEOLOGIST
1769 - 1839
HPI: 65.26
Rank: 10
Joseph Fesch
NOBLEMAN
1763 - 1839
HPI: 64.94
Rank: 11
Pehr Henrik Ling
WRITER
1776 - 1839
HPI: 64.63
Rank: 12
Ferdinando Paer
COMPOSER
1771 - 1839
HPI: 63.89
Rank: 13
Aloysia Weber
COMPOSER
1760 - 1839
HPI: 62.99
Rank: 14
Hugues-Bernard Maret, duc de Bassano
POLITICIAN
1763 - 1839
HPI: 62.82
Rank: 15
William Murdoch
INVENTOR
1754 - 1839
HPI: 62.81
Rank: 16
In United Kingdom
Among people born in United Kingdom, William Smith ranks 1,360 out of 8,785. Before him are Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689), Mark Hollis (1955), Paul Grice (1913), Ciarán Hinds (1953), Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (1774), and Clive Owen (1964). After him are William Henry (1774), W. Montgomery Watt (1909), Adam Sedgwick (1785), Samuel Wallis (1728), Thomas Lawrence (1769), and Henry Royce (1863).
Others born in United Kingdom
Go to all RankingsLady Mary Wortley Montagu
WRITER
1689 - 1762
HPI: 65.27
Rank: 1,354
Mark Hollis
MUSICIAN
1955 - 2019
HPI: 65.27
Rank: 1,355
Paul Grice
PHILOSOPHER
1913 - 1988
HPI: 65.27
Rank: 1,356
Ciarán Hinds
ACTOR
1953 - Present
HPI: 65.26
Rank: 1,357
Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
POLITICIAN
1774 - 1850
HPI: 65.26
Rank: 1,358
Clive Owen
ACTOR
1964 - Present
HPI: 65.26
Rank: 1,359
William Smith
GEOLOGIST
1769 - 1839
HPI: 65.26
Rank: 1,360
William Henry
CHEMIST
1774 - 1836
HPI: 65.25
Rank: 1,361
W. Montgomery Watt
HISTORIAN
1909 - 2006
HPI: 65.25
Rank: 1,362
Adam Sedgwick
GEOLOGIST
1785 - 1873
HPI: 65.25
Rank: 1,363
Samuel Wallis
EXPLORER
1728 - 1795
HPI: 65.25
Rank: 1,364
Thomas Lawrence
PAINTER
1769 - 1830
HPI: 65.24
Rank: 1,365
Henry Royce
ENGINEER
1863 - 1933
HPI: 65.22
Rank: 1,366
Among GEOLOGISTS In United Kingdom
Among geologists born in United Kingdom, William Smith ranks 6. Before him are Charles Lyell (1797), James Hutton (1726), Mary Anning (1799), Eduard Suess (1831), and Gideon Mantell (1790). After him are Adam Sedgwick (1785), William Buckland (1784), Arthur Holmes (1890), William Nicol (1770), John Phillips (1800), and Archibald Geikie (1835).
Charles Lyell
1797 - 1875
HPI: 71.72
Rank: 1
James Hutton
1726 - 1797
HPI: 71.28
Rank: 2
Mary Anning
1799 - 1847
HPI: 70.94
Rank: 3
Eduard Suess
1831 - 1914
HPI: 70.69
Rank: 4
Gideon Mantell
1790 - 1852
HPI: 65.77
Rank: 5
William Smith
1769 - 1839
HPI: 65.26
Rank: 6
Adam Sedgwick
1785 - 1873
HPI: 65.25
Rank: 7
William Buckland
1784 - 1856
HPI: 62.13
Rank: 8
Arthur Holmes
1890 - 1965
HPI: 60.40
Rank: 9
William Nicol
1770 - 1851
HPI: 56.94
Rank: 10
John Phillips
1800 - 1874
HPI: 56.71
Rank: 11
Archibald Geikie
1835 - 1924
HPI: 56.59
Rank: 12