George Pólya

Hungarian mathematician (1887-1985)
Person human Q296259
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George Pólya

Summary

George Pólya is a human[1]. Born in Budapest[2], he… he died in Palo Alto[3]. He worked as a mathematician[4] and university teacher[5]. He ranks in the top 0.71% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (555 views/month, #7,117 of 1,000,298).[6]

Key Facts

  • George Pólya was born in Budapest[2].
  • George Pólya passed away in Palo Alto[3].
  • George Pólya is buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park[7].
  • George Pólya's father was Jakab Pólya[8].
  • George Pólya held citizenship in Hungary[9].
  • George Pólya held citizenship in United States[10].
  • George Pólya's professions included mathematician[4].
  • George Pólya worked as a university teacher[5].
  • George Pólya's field of work was mathematical analysis[11].
  • George Pólya's field of work was combinatorics[12].
  • George Pólya's field of work was mathematics[13].
  • George Pólya's field of work was number theory[14].
  • George Pólya's field of work was numerical analysis[15].
  • George Pólya's field of work was probability theory[16].
  • Among George Pólya's employers was Stanford University[17].
  • Among George Pólya's employers was ETH Zurich[18].
  • Among George Pólya's employers was Brown University[19].
  • George Pólya's education included a stint at Eötvös Loránd University[20].
  • George Pólya's education included a stint at University of Vienna[21].
  • George Pólya's education included a stint at Berzsenyi Dániel Secondary School[22].
  • George Pólya was educated at University of Göttingen[23].
  • George Pólya's doctoral advisor was Lipót Fejér[24].
  • George Pólya was a member of National Academy of Sciences[25].
  • George Pólya was a member of Hungarian Academy of Sciences[26].
  • George Pólya was a member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Born in Budapest[2], George Pólya… his father was Jakab Pólya[8].

Education

Educated at Eötvös Loránd University[20], a public research university[28], in Hungary[29], founded in 1635[30], headquartered in Budapest[31]; University of Vienna[21], a university[32], in Austria[33], founded in 1365[34], headquartered in Vienna[35]; Berzsenyi Dániel Secondary School[22], a Gymnasium[36], in Hungary[37], founded in 1858[38]; and University of Göttingen[23], a campus university[39], in Germany[40], founded in 1734[41], headquartered in Göttingen[42]. George Pólya's doctoral advisor was Lipót Fejér[24].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include mathematician[4] and university teacher[5]. Fields of work include mathematical analysis[11], an academic discipline[43]; combinatorics[12], a branch of mathematics[44]; mathematics[13], an academic discipline[45]; number theory[14], a branch of mathematics[46]; numerical analysis[15], a branch of mathematics[47]; and probability theory[16], a branch of mathematics[48]. Employers include Stanford University[17], a private university[49], in United States[50], founded in 1885[51], headquartered in Stanford[52]; ETH Zurich[18], an institute of technology[53], in Switzerland[54], founded in 1855[55], headquartered in ETH Zurich main building[56]; and Brown University[19], a private university[57], in United States[58], founded in 1765[59], headquartered in Providence[60]. Doctoral students include Fritz Gassmann[61], Alice Roth[62], Albert Edrei[63], Hans Albert Einstein[64], Albert Pfluger[65], and James J. Stoker[66].

Personal Life

George Pólya's religion is recorded as Catholicism[67].

Death and Burial

George Pólya passed away in Palo Alto[3]. He is buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park[7].

Works and Contributions

Things named for George Pólya include Pólya enumeration theorem[68], Pólya urn model[69], Hilbert–Pólya conjecture[70], Pólya conjecture[71], George Pólya Prize[72], Fueter–Pólya theorem[73], Pólya Prize[74], and George Pólya Award[75].

Why It Matters

George Pólya ranks in the top 0.71% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (555 views/month, #7,117 of 1,000,298).[6] He has Wikipedia articles in 26 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[76] He is known by 75 alternative names across languages and contexts.[77]

He is credited with the discovery of all horses are the same color[78], a paradox[79] and Pólya conjecture[80], a conjecture[81]. Works attributed to him include How to Solve It[82], a literary work[83]. Entities named for him include Pólya enumeration theorem[68], Pólya urn model[69], Hilbert–Pólya conjecture[70], Pólya conjecture[71], George Pólya Prize[72], and Fueter–Pólya theorem[73].

His notable doctoral advisees include Hans Albert Einstein[84], an engineer[85], 1904–1973[86], of United States[87], awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship[88], specialised in hydraulics[89]; Imre Lakatos[90], a mathematician[91], 1922–1974[92], of Hungary[93], specialised in philosophy[94]; Alice Roth[95], a mathematician[96], 1905–1977[97], of Switzerland[98], specialised in set theory[99]; James J. Stoker[100], a mathematician[101], 1905–1992[102], of United States[103], awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship[104]; Fritz Gassmann[105], a mathematician[106], 1899–1990[107], of Switzerland[108], specialised in number theory[109]; and Donald Wayne Grace[110].

FAQs

Where was George Pólya born?

George Pólya was born in Budapest[2].

Where did George Pólya die?

George Pólya died in Palo Alto[3].

Who were George Pólya's parents?

George Pólya's father was Jakab Pólya[8].

What did George Pólya do for work?

George Pólya worked as mathematician[4] and university teacher[5].

Where did George Pólya go to school?

George Pólya was educated at Eötvös Loránd University[20], University of Vienna[21], Berzsenyi Dániel Secondary School[22], and University of Göttingen[23].

What did George Pólya discover?

George Pólya is credited as discoverer of all horses are the same color[78] and Pólya conjecture[80].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . wikidata.org.
  2. [3] . wikidata.org.
  3. [8] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  4. [9] . wikidata.org.
  5. [10] . wikidata.org.
  6. [20] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  7. [21] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  8. [22] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  9. [23] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  10. [11] . wikidata.org.
  11. [12] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  12. [13] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  13. [14] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  14. [15] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  15. [16] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  16. [4] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  17. [5] . wikidata.org.
  18. [17] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  19. [18] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  20. [19] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  21. [7] . Find a Grave. wikidata.org.
  22. [67] . Historical Dictionary of Switzerland. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  23. [24] . wikidata.org.
  24. [61] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  25. [62] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  26. [63] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  27. [64] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  28. [65] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  29. [66] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  30. [25] . wikidata.org.
  31. [26] . wikidata.org.
  32. [27] . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [78] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [80] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [82] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [84] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [90] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [95] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [100] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [105] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [110] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [68] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [69] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [70] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [71] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [72] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [73] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [74] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [75] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [28] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [29] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [30] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [31] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [32] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [43] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [44] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [48] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [50] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [51] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [52] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [55] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [56] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [58] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [59] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [60] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [79] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [81] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  36. [83] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  37. [85] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  38. [86] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  39. [87] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  40. [88] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  41. [89] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  42. [91] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  43. [92] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  44. [93] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  45. [94] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  46. [96] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  47. [97] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  48. [98] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  49. [99] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  50. [101] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  51. [102] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  52. [103] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  53. [104] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  54. [106] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  55. [107] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  56. [108] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  57. [109] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [6] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [76] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [77] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

📑 Cite this page

Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). George Pólya. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/george-polya
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BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_george-polya_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{George Pólya}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/george-polya}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-10}}
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 3d ago · JanaJin · 2026-05-17 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Sibling Eugen Pólya
    "/* wbremoveclaims-remove:1| */ [[Property:P3373]]: [[Q5406972]]"
  2. 13d ago · Magnus Manske · 2026-05-07 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Sex or gender
    Aliases
    Part of
    Pim authority id PIM68172
    + 244 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P9984]]: 981061497214606706, [[:toollabs:quickstatements/#/batch/257405|batch #257405]]"
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