49.4430° N, 1.1025° E

ROUEN

Most Famous People Born in Rouen, France

Notable people
943
Peak decade
1960s
Median birth year
1845
Most distinctive
Explorer 6.8×

The Norman capital and deep-water Seine port, running from medieval Plantagenet births through the Ancien Régime bourgeoisie to the Impressionist Seine valley. The outsized Explorer count descends from the Dieppois and Norman navigators who ran the 16th-century Newfoundland cod trade, while the thick Architect, Painter, and Poet benches mark the cathedral-and-studio culture that drew the Impressionists here. The Botanist bump is a quieter surprise from the city's 18th-century Jardin des Plantes tradition.

Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in Rouen during each.

What Rouen Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Rouen's biggest profession — 13% of all notables (127).

Rouen over-indexes on explorer6.8× the global rate.

Rouen under-produces football — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Politician127
  2. Painter76
  3. Writer46
  4. Football41
  5. Actor39
  6. Poet30
  7. Architect28
  8. Historian27
  1. Explorer106.8×
  2. Architect283.4×
  3. Botanist123.1×
  4. Painter763.1×
  5. Poet303.1×
  6. Historian272.7×
  7. Sculptor152.4×
  8. Mathematician91.9×
  1. Football410.4×
  2. Singer130.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Rouen's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

15001550160016501700175018001850190019502000
  • Writing
  • Art & Design
  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Science
  • Music
  • Other
All943
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Showing 19 of 943 notable people

0019 COMPOSER

François-Adrien Boieldieu

1775 - 1834

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0246 PAINTER

Charles Boulanger de Boisfremont

1773 - 1838

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0257 POET

Pierre-Ange Vieillard

1778 - 1862

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0357 WRITER

Rose-Céleste Bache

1774 - 1843

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0436 ENGINEER

Charles Bérigny

1772 - 1842

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0483 POLITICIAN

Jean-Marie Duvergier de Hauranne

1771 - 1831

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0526 POLITICIAN

Abdon-Patrocle-Frédéric Hély d'Oissel

1777 - 1833

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0554 LITERARY

René-Jean Durdent

1776 - 1819

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0598 HISTORIAN

Emmanuel-Pierre Gaillard

1779 - 1836

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0673 OFFICER

François Grouvel

1771 - 1836

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0689 EXPLORER

Étienne-Henri Mengin du Val d'Ailly

1778 - 1865

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0699 ACTOR

Laurent Franconi

1776 - 1849

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0703 AGRONOMIST

Guérard de La Quesnerie

1776 - 1849

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0779 POLITICIAN

Jean-Baptiste Rondeaux

1775 - 1864

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0853 POLITICIAN

Eugène-Dominique Maille

1771 - 1840

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0874 JOURNALIST

Isidore Langlois

1770 - 1808

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0880 POET

Claude-Nicolas Chatillon

1776 - 1826

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0901 POLITICIAN

Charles Louis Élie Lefebvre

1773 - 1861

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0929 PAINTER

Jean-Benjamin Houël

1776 - 1853

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