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
Sort By

Showing 21 of 943 notable people

0030 PHYSICIST

Pierre Louis Dulong

1785 - 1838

Preview
0039 JOURNALIST

Charles-Louis Havas

1783 - 1858

Preview
0120 WRITER

Ulric Guttinguer

1787 - 1866

Preview
0162 POLITICIAN

Jean-Baptiste Cécille

1787 - 1873

Preview
0235 PAINTER

Alphonse de Cailleux

1788 - 1876

Preview
0253 POLITICIAN

Antoine Lefebvre de Vatimesnil

1789 - 1860

Preview
0292 BOTANIST

Benjamin Gaillon

1782 - 1839

Preview
0406 POLITICIAN

Adrien Charles Deshommets de Martainville

1783 - 1847

Preview
0573 PAINTER

Paul Claude-Michel Carpentier

1787 - 1877

Preview
0592 PRIEST

Jean-Edmé-Auguste Gosselin

1787 - 1858

Preview
0624 HISTORIAN

Charles-Juste Houël

1787 - 1853

Preview
0633 ACTOR

Jean-Pierre-Paul Adam

1782 - 1824

Preview
0641 POLITICIAN

Charles Legentil

1788 - 1855

Preview
0642 MANUFACTURER

Jacques-Juste Barbet de Jouy

1787 - 1864

Preview
0709 POLITICIAN

Guillaume Thouret

1782 - 1832

Preview
0738 POLITICIAN

Jean-Baptiste Thieullen

1789 - 1862

Preview
0784 HISTORIAN

Eustache de La Quérière

1783 - 1870

Preview
0837 POLITICIAN

Antoine Carrichon

1789 - 1847

Preview
0869 POLITICIAN

Louis Nicolas Martin

1782 - 1831

Preview
0870 BUSINESS

Alexandre Roland-Gosselin

1786 - 1866

Preview
0921 MILITAR

Alexandre Bache

1780 - 1848

Preview