Adolf Soetbeer was a German economist, born at Hamburg. In 1840 he became librarian and in 1843 Secretary of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, where he laid the foundation of the excellent system of commercial statistics for which Hamburg became noted. He published Denkschrift über Hamburgs Münzverhältnisse (1846) and subsequently numerous monographs and pamphlets, defending the cause of gold monometallism. Until his death he ranked as the leading defender of the single gold standard, the adoption of which by Germany was brought about largely through his efforts. Among his most important works are:Denkschrift betreffend die Einführung der Goldwährung in Deutschland (1854) Zur Frage der deutschen Münzeinheit (1861) Beiträge zur Geschichte des Geld- and Münz- wesens in Deutschland (1862) Edelmettalproduction und Wertverhältnis zwischen Gold und Silber seit der Entdeckung Amerikas bis zur Gegenwart (1879) Materialien zur Erläuterung und Beurteilung der wirtschaftlichen Edelmettallverhältnisse und der Währungsfrage (1885).

Adolf Wilhelm Theodor Stahr was a German writer and literary historian.

Adolf Stern was a German literary historian and poet.

Adolf Heinrich Strodtmann was a German poet, journalist, translator and literary historian. He wrote an early biography of Heinrich Heine and emigrated to the United States for a time.

Adolf Tobler was a Swiss-German linguist and philologist. Born in Hirzel in Zürich, Switzerland, he was the brother of linguist Ludwig Tobler (1827–1895). Adolf Tobler died in Berlin, Germany.

Carl Gustav Adolf von Harnack was a Baltic German Lutheran theologian and prominent Church historian. He produced many religious publications from 1873 to 1912. He was ennobled in 1914.

Georg Martin Adolf von Henselt was a German composer and virtuoso pianist.

Adolf Wahrmund was an Austrian-German orientalist.

Adolf von Wilbrandt (24 August 1837 – 10 June 1911) was a German novelist and dramatist.

Adolf Zeising was a German psychologist, whose main interests were mathematics and philosophy.