Bernoulli family

The Bernoullis were a family of traders and scholars from Basel, Switzerland. The founder of the family, Leon Bernoulli, immigrated to Basel from Antwerp in Flanders in the 16th century, fleeing Spanish oppression.

The Bernoulli family has produced many notable artists and scientists, in particular a number of famous mathematicians in the 18th century:

• Jacob Bernoulli (1654–1705; also known as James or Jacques) Mathematician after whom Bernoulli numbers are named.
• Nicolaus Bernoulli (1662–1716) Painter and alderman of Basel.
• Johann Bernoulli (1667–1748; also known as Jean) Swiss mathematician and early adopter of infinitesimal calculus.
• Nicolaus I Bernoulli (1687–1759) Swiss mathematician.
• Nicolaus II Bernoulli (1695–1726) Swiss mathematician; worked on curves, differential equations, and probability.
• Daniel Bernoulli (1700–1782) Developer of Bernoulli's principle and St. Petersburg paradox.
• Johann II Bernoulli (1710–1790; also known as Jean) Swiss mathematician and physicist.
• Johann III Bernoulli (1744–1807; also known as Jean) Swiss-German astronomer, geographer, and mathematician.
• Jacob II Bernoulli (1759–1789; also known as Jacques) Swiss-Russian physicist and mathematician.

Devices and ideas named for members of the family

References

• Family tree at the MacTutor History of Mathematics archive.
• Bernoulli family in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.