The most famous person from Irvine has been revealed, according to a new interactive map.
Mapbox researcher and geographer Topi Tjukanov developed the insightful map which reveals the birthplaces of the most 'notable people' around the world.
The data is based on a study published in June this year from researchers from the University of Paris.
A person's significance was calculated based on information scraped from Wikipedia and Wikidata.
Did you know Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar and Barack Obama in Honolulu? Who is the most famous person from your home town?
— Topi Tjukanov (@tjukanov) July 28, 2022
I made a map of the most notable people around the world. Built with @Mapbox.
Check it out here: https://t.co/NR0J7nqTn1
🧵 pic.twitter.com/GoI4VnGzvd
The data accounts for a series of factors including the number of Wikipedia entries, their average length, the average number of views from 2015-18 as well as the total number of external links.
"The data contains a rank value and a notability "sum value" these are used to determine which names are shown and how big they are," Mr Tjukanov explained to users on Twitter.
You can explore the map and view the noteworthy people from hometowns all over the world in four different categories:
- Culture
- Discovery & Science
- Leadership
- Sports & Games
Who is the most famous person from Irvine?
The interactive map reveals that Nicola Sturgeon is the most significant person to come from Irvine.
Scotland's longest-serving and first female First Minister and leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party is considered the biggest name to come from the town.
Sturgeon has been a member of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, working in various positions over her career including as Deputy First Minister in the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum.
Other recognisable names that made a splash on the map include the inventor and vet John Boyd Dunlop who was born in Dreghorn as well as former Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners' Rights Alex Neil.
Meanwhile, Kilwinning's most notable person is the lead vocalist of the band Men at Work Colin Hay.
Beyond Irvine, legendary actor Sean Connery has been deemed the most notable name from Edinburgh and comic Charlie Chaplin is considered the most significant person from the UK's capital.
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