Herbert Wilf

American mathematician (1931–2012)
Person human Q1035425
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Herbert Wilf

Summary

Herbert Wilf is a human[1]. Born in Philadelphia[2], he… he was born on June 13, 1931[3]. He died in Wynnewood[4]. He died on January 7, 2012[5]. He worked as a mathematician[6] and university teacher[7]. He ranks in the top 0.73% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (24 views/month, #7,277 of 1,000,298).[8]

Key Facts

  • Herbert Wilf was born in Philadelphia[2].
  • Herbert Wilf passed away in Wynnewood[4].
  • Herbert Wilf was born on June 13, 1931[3].
  • Herbert Wilf died on January 7, 2012[5].
  • Herbert Wilf is buried at Philadelphia[9].
  • Herbert Wilf is buried at Mount Sharon Cemetery[10].
  • A child of Herbert Wilf was Peter Wilf[11].
  • Herbert Wilf held citizenship in United States[12].
  • Herbert Wilf is identified as part of the Jewish people ethnic group[13].
  • Herbert Wilf's professions included mathematician[6].
  • Herbert Wilf worked as a university teacher[7].
  • Herbert Wilf's field of work was combinatorics[14].
  • Herbert Wilf's field of work was mathematics[15].
  • Herbert Wilf's field of work was graph theory[16].
  • Herbert Wilf held the position of Thomas A. Scott Professorship of Mathematics[17].
  • Among Herbert Wilf's employers was University of Pennsylvania[18].
  • Among Herbert Wilf's employers was University of Illinois system[19].
  • Herbert Wilf's education included a stint at Massachusetts Institute of Technology[20].
  • Herbert Wilf was educated at Columbia University[21].
  • Herbert Wilf was educated at Central High School[22].
  • Herbert Wilf's doctoral advisor was Herbert Robbins[23].
  • A notable work attributed to Herbert Wilf is Stanley–Wilf conjecture[24].
  • A notable work attributed to Herbert Wilf is Calkin–Wilf tree[25].
  • A notable work attributed to Herbert Wilf is Wilf equivalence[26].
  • A notable work attributed to Herbert Wilf is Wilf–Zeilberger pair[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Herbert Wilf's place of birth was Philadelphia[2]. He was born on June 13, 1931[3]. He is identified as part of the Jewish people ethnic group[13].

Education

Educated at Massachusetts Institute of Technology[20], a university[28], in United States[29], founded in 1861[30], headquartered in Cambridge[31]; Columbia University[21], a private university[32], in United States[33], founded in 1754[34], headquartered in Manhattan[35]; and Central High School[22], a high school[36], in United States[37], founded in 1836[38]. Herbert Wilf's doctoral advisor was Herbert Robbins[23].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include mathematician[6] and university teacher[7]. Fields of work include combinatorics[14], a branch of mathematics[39]; mathematics[15], an academic discipline[40]; and graph theory[16], an academic discipline[41]. Employers include University of Pennsylvania[18], a private university[42], in United States[43], founded in 1740[44], headquartered in Philadelphia[45] and University of Illinois system[19], a state university system[46], in United States[47], founded in 1867[48], headquartered in Urbana[49]. Herbert Wilf held the position of Thomas A. Scott Professorship of Mathematics[17]. Doctoral students include Fan Chung[50], a mathematician[51], b. 1949[52], of United States[53], awarded the Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics[54], specialised in combinatorics[55]; Ebadollah S. Mahmoodian[56]; Felix G. Lazebnik[57]; Eric J. Schmutz[58]; Anthony Mikovsky[59]; and Alkes Price[60].

Works and Contributions

Notable works include Stanley–Wilf conjecture[24], Calkin–Wilf tree[25], Wilf equivalence[26], and Wilf–Zeilberger pair[27]. Things named for Herbert Wilf include Calkin–Wilf tree[61], a tree[62].

Recognition

Awards received include Guggenheim Fellowship[63], a fellowship grant[64], in United States[65], founded in 1925[66]; Euler Medal[67], a science award[68], in Internationality[69], founded in 1993[70]; Steele Prize for Seminal Contribution to Research[71], a class of award[72]; Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching[73], an award[74], founded in 1961[75]; and Deborah and Franklin Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics[76], an award[77], in United States[78], founded in 1991[79].

Personal Life

A child of Herbert Wilf was Peter Wilf[11].

Death and Burial

Herbert Wilf died on January 7, 2012[5]. He passed away in Wynnewood[4]. The cause of death was neuromuscular disease[80]. Recorded place of burial include Philadelphia[9] and Mount Sharon Cemetery[10].

Why It Matters

Herbert Wilf ranks in the top 0.73% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (24 views/month, #7,277 of 1,000,298).[8] He has Wikipedia articles in 9 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[81] He is known by 10 alternative names across languages and contexts.[82]

Entities named for him include Calkin–Wilf tree[61], a tree[62].

His notable doctoral advisees include Richard Garfield[83], a game designer[84], b. 1963[85], of United States[86], specialised in parlour game[87]; Fan Chung[88], a mathematician[89], b. 1949[90], of United States[91], awarded the Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics[92], specialised in combinatorics[93]; and Rodica Simion[94], a mathematician[95], 1955–2000[96], of United States[97].

FAQs

Where was Herbert Wilf born?

Herbert Wilf's place of birth was Philadelphia[2].

Where did Herbert Wilf die?

Herbert Wilf died in Wynnewood[4].

What did Herbert Wilf do for work?

Herbert Wilf worked as mathematician[6] and university teacher[7].

Where did Herbert Wilf go to school?

Herbert Wilf was educated at Massachusetts Institute of Technology[20], Columbia University[21], and Central High School[22].

What awards did Herbert Wilf receive?

Honors received include Guggenheim Fellowship[63], Euler Medal[67], Steele Prize for Seminal Contribution to Research[71], and Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching[73].

References

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

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . ams.org. ams.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  2. [4] . wikidata.org.
  3. [12] . www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk. www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  4. [17] . wikidata.org.
  5. [11] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  6. [20] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  7. [21] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  8. [22] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  9. [14] . wikidata.org.
  10. [15] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  11. [16] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  12. [6] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. nationmaster.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  13. [7] . wikidata.org.
  14. [18] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. ams.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  15. [19] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  16. [9] . wikidata.org.
  17. [10] . Find a Grave. peoplelegacy.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  18. [63] . Guggenheim Fellows database. wikidata.org.
  19. [67] . wikidata.org.
  20. [71] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. ams.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  21. [73] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. archives.upenn.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  22. [76] . wikidata.org.
  23. [13] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  24. [23] . wikidata.org.
  25. [50] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  26. [56] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  27. [57] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  28. [58] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  29. [59] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  30. [60] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  31. [80] . wikidata.org.
  32. [3] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. Retrieved . ams.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  33. [5] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. Retrieved . math.upenn.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  34. [24] . wikidata.org.
  35. [25] . wikidata.org.
  36. [26] . wikidata.org.
  37. [27] . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [83] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [88] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [94] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [61] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [28] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [29] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [30] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [31] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [32] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  23. [64] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  25. [66] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [68] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [69] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  33. [78] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [79] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [51] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  36. [52] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  37. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  38. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  51. [97] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  52. [62] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [8] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [81] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [82] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Herbert Wilf. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/herbert-wilf
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BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_herbert-wilf_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Herbert Wilf}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/herbert-wilf}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-10}}
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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. 7d ago · Epìdosis · 2026-05-15 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Educated at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia University, Central High School
    Occupation
    Notable work
    Award received Guggenheim Fellowship, Euler Medal, Steele Prize for Seminal Contribution to Research +2
    + 30 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/31699|batch #31699]]: import P21 and P106 from GND (1)"
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