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A cross-verified database of notable people, 3500BC-2018AD

Author

Listed:
  • Morgane Laouenan

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, LIEPP - Laboratoire interdisciplinaire d'évaluation des politiques publiques (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po, CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Palaash Bhargava

    (Department of Economics Columbia University - Columbia University [New York])

  • Jean-Benoît Eyméoud

    (LIEPP - Laboratoire interdisciplinaire d'évaluation des politiques publiques (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po)

  • Olivier Gergaud

    (LIEPP - Laboratoire interdisciplinaire d'évaluation des politiques publiques (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po)

  • Guillaume Plique

    (médialab - médialab (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po, Kedge BS - Kedge Business School)

  • Etienne Wasmer

    (New York University [Abu Dhabi] - NYU - NYU System, LIEPP - Laboratoire interdisciplinaire d'évaluation des politiques publiques (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po)

Abstract

A new strand of literature aims at building the most comprehensive and accurate database of notable individuals. We collect a massive amount of data from various editions of and . Using deduplication techniques over these partially overlapping sources, we cross-verify each retrieved information. For some variables, adds 15% more information when missing in . We find very few errors in the part of the database that contains the most documented individuals but nontrivial error rates in the bottom of the notability distribution, due to sparse information and classification errors or ambiguity. Our strategy results in a cross-verified database of 2.29 million individuals (an elite of 1/43,000 of human being having ever lived), including a third who are not present in the English edition of . Data collection is driven by specific social science questions on gender, economic growth, urban and cultural development. We document an Anglo-Saxon bias present in the English edition of , and document when it matters and when not.

Suggested Citation

  • Morgane Laouenan & Palaash Bhargava & Jean-Benoît Eyméoud & Olivier Gergaud & Guillaume Plique & Etienne Wasmer, 2022. "A cross-verified database of notable people, 3500BC-2018AD," Post-Print hal-03930666, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03930666
    DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01369-4
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-03930666
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    JEL classification:

    • N01 - Economic History - - General - - - Development of the Discipline: Historiographical; Sources and Methods
    • N9 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History
    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General

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