Joseph Fourier

French mathematician and physicist (1768 – 1830)
Person human Q8772
Joseph Fourier
Julien-Léopold Boilly · Public Domain · Wikimedia
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Joseph Fourier

Summary

Joseph Fourier is a human[1]. He was born in Auxerre[2]. He was born on March 21, 1768[3]. He died in Paris[4]. He died on May 16, 1830[5]. He worked as a mathematician[6], physicist[7], historian[8], archaeologist[9], and university teacher[10]. He ranks in the top 0.68% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (2,877 views/month, #6,781 of 1,000,298).[11]

Key Facts

  • Joseph Fourier was born in Auxerre[2].
  • Joseph Fourier died in Paris[4].
  • Joseph Fourier was born on March 21, 1768[3].
  • Joseph Fourier died on May 16, 1830[5].
  • Joseph Fourier is buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery[12].
  • Joseph Fourier is buried at Grave of Fourier[13].
  • Joseph Fourier held citizenship in France[14].
  • Joseph Fourier's professions included mathematician[6].
  • Joseph Fourier worked as a physicist[7].
  • Joseph Fourier's professions included historian[8].
  • Joseph Fourier's professions included archaeologist[9].
  • Joseph Fourier worked as a university teacher[10].
  • Joseph Fourier worked as an official[15].
  • Joseph Fourier's field of work was mathematical analysis[16].
  • Joseph Fourier's field of work was mathematics[17].
  • Joseph Fourier's field of work was physics[18].
  • Joseph Fourier's field of work was African studies[19].
  • Joseph Fourier's field of work was study of history[20].
  • Joseph Fourier's field of work was archaeology[21].
  • Joseph Fourier held the position of member of the Académie française[22].
  • Joseph Fourier held the position of Prefect of Isère[23].
  • Joseph Fourier held the position of Prefect of Rhône[24].
  • Among Joseph Fourier's employers was École Normale Supérieure[25].
  • Joseph Fourier was employed by École polytechnique[26].
  • Among Joseph Fourier's employers was Grenoble Alpes University[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Joseph Fourier's place of birth was Auxerre[2]. He was born on March 21, 1768[3].

Education

Educated at École normale[28], a course[29], in France[30]; Fleury Abbey[31], an abbey[32], in France[33], founded in 0651[34]; and Royal Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre[35], a Royal abbey[36], in France[37], founded in 0500[38], headquartered in Auxerre[39]. Joseph Fourier's doctoral advisor was Joseph-Louis Lagrange[40].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include mathematician[6], physicist[7], historian[8], archaeologist[9], university teacher[10], and official[15]. Fields of work include mathematical analysis[16], an academic discipline[41]; mathematics[17], an academic discipline[42]; physics[18], a branch of science[43]; African studies[19], an academic discipline[44]; study of history[20], an academic discipline[45]; and archaeology[21], an academic discipline[46]. Employers include École Normale Supérieure[25], a école normale supérieure[47], in France[48], founded in 1794[49], headquartered in Paris[50]; École polytechnique[26], a grande école[51], in France[52], founded in 1794[53], headquartered in Palaiseau[54]; Grenoble Alpes University[27], a grand établissement[55], in France[56], founded in 2020[57], headquartered in Grenoble[58]; Commission des Sciences et des Arts[59], an organization[60], founded in 1798[61]; French Academy of Sciences[62], an academy of sciences[63], in France[64], founded in 1666[65], headquartered in Paris[66]; and Lycée Jacques-Amyot d'Auxerre[67], a school building[68], in France[69]. Positions held include member of the Académie française[22]; Prefect of Isère[23], a position[70], in France[71]; and Prefect of Rhône[24], a position[72], in France[73]. A notable student of Joseph Fourier was Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet[74]. Doctoral students include Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet[75], Giovanni Plana[76], and Claude-Louis Navier[77].

Works and Contributions

Notable works include Fourier series[78], Fourier transform[79], heat equation[80], Théorie analytique de la chaleur[81], and Fourier number for heat transfer[82]. Things named for Joseph Fourier include Fourier transform[83], Fourier series[84], fast Fourier transform[85], discrete Fourier transform[86], Fourier analysis[87], Fourier[88], separation of variables[89], and Fourier optics[90].

Recognition

Awards received include Officer of the Legion of Honour[91], Grand prix des sciences mathématiques[92], Foreign Member of the Royal Society[93], and 72 names on the Eiffel Tower[94].

Death and Burial

Joseph Fourier died on May 16, 1830[5]. He passed away in Paris[4]. Recorded place of burial include Père Lachaise Cemetery[12] and Grave of Fourier[13].

Why It Matters

Joseph Fourier ranks in the top 0.68% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (2,877 views/month, #6,781 of 1,000,298).[11] He has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[95] He is known by 43 alternative names across languages and contexts.[96]

He has been cited as an influence by Enrico Fermi[97], a physicist[98], 1901–1954[99], of Kingdom of Italy[100], awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics[101], specialised in nuclear physics[102] and Adolphe Quetelet[103], an astronomer[104], 1796–1874[105], of Belgium[106], awarded the Foreign Member of the Royal Society[107], specialised in mathematics[108].

He is credited with the discovery of heat equation[109], a parabolic partial differential equation[110] and Fourier–Motzkin elimination[111], an algorithm[112]. Entities named for him include Fourier transform[83], Fourier series[84], fast Fourier transform[85], discrete Fourier transform[86], Fourier analysis[87], and Fourier[88].

His notable doctoral advisees include Claude-Louis Navier[113], a physicist[114], 1785–1836[115], of France[116], awarded the Knight of the Legion of Honour[117], specialised in mechanics[118]; Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet[119], a mathematician[120], 1805–1859[121], of Germany[122], awarded the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order[123], specialised in number theory[124]; and Giovanni Plana[125].

FAQs

Where was Joseph Fourier born?

Born in Auxerre[2], Joseph Fourier…

Where did Joseph Fourier die?

Joseph Fourier died in Paris[4].

What did Joseph Fourier do for work?

Joseph Fourier worked as mathematician[6], physicist[7], historian[8], archaeologist[9], and university teacher[10].

Where did Joseph Fourier go to school?

Joseph Fourier was educated at École normale[28], Fleury Abbey[31], and Royal Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre[35].

What awards did Joseph Fourier receive?

Honors received include Officer of the Legion of Honour[91], Grand prix des sciences mathématiques[92], Foreign Member of the Royal Society[93], and 72 names on the Eiffel Tower[94].

Who did Joseph Fourier influence?

Joseph Fourier has been cited as an influence by Enrico Fermi[97] and Adolphe Quetelet[103].

What did Joseph Fourier discover?

Joseph Fourier is credited as discoverer of heat equation[109] and Fourier–Motzkin elimination[111].

References

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

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  2. [4] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  3. [14] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  4. [22] ↑ . academie-francaise.fr. Retrieved . academie-francaise.fr. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  5. [23] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  6. [24] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  7. [28] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. Retrieved . www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  8. [31] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  9. [35] ↑ . mathouriste.eu. mathouriste.eu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  10. [16] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  11. [17] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  12. [18] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  13. [19] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  14. [20] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  15. [21] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  16. [6] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  17. [7] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  18. [8] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  19. [9] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  20. [10] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  21. [15] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  22. [25] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  23. [26] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. Retrieved . www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  24. [27] ↑ . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  25. [59] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  26. [62] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  27. [67] ↑ . mathouriste.eu. mathouriste.eu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  28. [12] ↑ . Le cimetière du Père-Lachaise. wikidata.org.
  29. [13] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  30. [91] ↑ . mathouriste.eu. mathouriste.eu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  31. [92] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  32. [93] ↑ . Complete List of Royal Society Fellows 1660-2007. wikidata.org.
  33. [94] ↑ . toureiffel.paris. toureiffel.paris. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  34. [40] ↑ . Mathematics Genealogy Project. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  35. [75] ↑ . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  36. [76] ↑ . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  37. [77] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  38. [3] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  39. [5] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  40. [78] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  41. [79] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  42. [80] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  43. [81] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  44. [82] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  45. [74] ↑ . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [97] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [103] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [109] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [111] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
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  6. [119] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
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  8. [83] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
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  14. [89] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
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Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [70] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [71] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [72] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  37. [66] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  38. [68] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  39. [69] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  40. [98] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  41. [99] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  43. [101] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  45. [104] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  46. [105] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  47. [106] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  48. [107] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  49. [108] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  50. [110] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  53. [115] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  54. [116] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  55. [117] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  56. [118] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  57. [120] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  58. [121] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  59. [122] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  60. [123] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  61. [124] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [11] ↑ . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [95] ↑ . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [96] ↑ . 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). Joseph Fourier. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/joseph-fourier
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BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_joseph-fourier_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Joseph Fourier}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/joseph-fourier}, note = {Accessed: 2026-10-09}}
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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 · Maxime Ravel · 2026-10-07 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Position held → member of the Académie française, Prefect of Isère, Prefect of Rhône
    Sitelink count → 133
    Wikipedia languages → ['af', 'als', 'am', 'an', 'ar', 'arz', 'ast', 'az', 'azb', 'ba', 'bat_smg', 'bcl
    Claims rich → —
    "/* wbsetclaim-update:2||1 */ [[Property:P39]]: [[Q18705668]]"
  2. 4w ago · Magnus Manske · 2026-09-10 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Student of → Joseph-Louis Lagrange
    "/* wbsetclaim-create:1||1 */ [[Property:P1066]]: [[Q80222]], Adding statement(s) using [[:toollabs:wikidata-todo/relator2|Relator2]]"
  3. 7w ago · Mahirtwofivesix · 2026-08-19 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Babelnet id → 00008647n
    Wordnet 3.1 synset id → 10996464-n
    Arabic ontology lexical concept id → 151059655
    "/* wbeditentity-statements-multiple-properties-update:0||4 */ added/modified IDs mapped to WordNet 3.1"
  4. 13w ago · Epìdosis · 2026-07-11 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    P14611 → 137030
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P14611]]: 137030, [[:toollabs:quickstatements/#/batch/260429|batch #260429]]"
  5. 13w ago · Printstream · 2026-07-05 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    P14608 → 118684310
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P14608]]: 118684310, #quickstatements; #temporary_batch_1783130387391"
  6. 16w ago · Yirba · 2026-06-20 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Student → Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet
    P14541 → 1UTOui
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/37444|batch #37444]]: Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) ID (2026) ([[Property:P14541]]) 2"
  7. 17w ago · Gerwoman · 2026-06-13 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    National library of spain spmabn id (bne v1.0) → XX5824454
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P950]]: XX5824454, [[:toollabs:quickstatements/#/batch/259615|batch #259615]]"
  8. 17w ago · Bargioni · 2026-06-08 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    P14397 → 1702
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/35551|batch #35551]]: add P1810 to P8034"
  9. 21w ago · Epìdosis · 2026-05-13 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Local thumb → —
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/30851|batch #30851]]: match CERL IDs on the basis of GND (7)"
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