Benjamin Gompertz
A self-taught mind who devised a mathematical law of human mortality that remains foundational to insurance and demography centuries later.
1779–1865 (age 86)·English self-educated mathematician and actuary·Birthday: March 5
Biography
Benjamin Gompertz was a testament to the power of an inquisitive, self-directed intellect in the face of formal barriers. Born into a Jewish family in London, he educated himself in mathematics and astronomy, later gaining entry into the scientific establishment as a Fellow of the Royal Society. His lasting contribution emerged from his work as an actuary for the Alliance Assurance Company. In 1825, he published a paper proposing a simple but powerful mathematical curve to describe the increase in mortality rates with age. This Gompertz law became a cornerstone of actuarial science, allowing for the accurate pricing of life insurance and annuities. His intellectual life was rich and varied; he contributed papers on calculus and mechanics to the Royal Society and was part of a remarkable family—his brother Lewis was a dedicated animal rights advocate and inventor, and his brother Isaac a poet. Gompertz's legacy is a function that quietly underpins the financial structures of modern life.
#1 When Benjamin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1779
Benjamin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1779Born
1784Started school
1792Became a teenager
1795Could drive
1797Could vote
1800Turned 21
1809Turned 30
1819Turned 40
1829Turned 50
1839Turned 60
1849Turned 70
1859Turned 80
1865Died at 86
President: Andrew Johnson
Key Achievements
- Formulated Gompertz's law of mortality, a fundamental model in actuarial science and demography.
- Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society despite being largely self-educated.
- Served as head of the Alliance Assurance Company's actuarial department.
Did You Know?
He was barred from attending university due to his religion.
His brother, Lewis Gompertz, invented an early version of the bicycle and wrote 'Moral Inquiries on the Situation of Man and of Brutes.'
He presented a paper on a mechanical proof of the multiplication rule in calculus to the Royal Society in 1819.
“The force of mortality increases in geometric progression.”
