John GrauntBorn 24 Apr 1620; died 18 Apr 1674 at age 53. English statistician who is considered by many historians to have founded the science of demography (statistical study of human populations). For his published analysis of the parish records of christenings and deaths, he was made a charter member of the Royal Society. His 90-page book, “Natural and Political Observations Mentioned in a Following Index, and Made upon the Bills of Mortality” was distributed at the Royal Society meeting on 5 Feb 1662. He described his work as having “reduced several great confused volumes” of parish records into a few easily to understood tables, and “abridged such Observations... into a few succinct Paragraphs.” He initiated “life tables” of life expectancy. His use of demographics was further pioneered by his friend Sir William Petty and Edmond Halley, the Astronomer Royal.« |
