- Co-recipient (with Jeffrey G. Williamson), the Economic History Association’s biennial Gallman-Parker Prize for Lifetime Contribution to Data Set Creation, September 2019.
- The Economic History Association created and funded The Lindert-Williamson Prize for an outstanding book in global, African, Asian, Australian, and/or South American economic history, 2019.
- 5th Angus Maddison Development Lecture, OECD, Paris, 3 October 2017.
- Several other keynote lectures since 2010.
- Jonathan Hughes Prize for Excellence in Teaching Economic History, awarded by the Economic History Association, 2007.
- Two book prizes for Growing Public: (1) The 2005 Allan Sharlin Prize, for the Best Book in Social Science History in 2004, awarded by the Social Science History Association; and (2) the Gyorgy Ranki Prize for the Best Book in European Economic History 2003 and 2004 (for Growing Public), awarded by the Economic History Association.
- Sir John Hicks Lecture, Oxford, 13 May 2005.
- President of the Economic History Association, 2001-2002.
- UC Davis Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement, 1999.
- Vice-President of the Economic History Association for 1996-1997.
- UC Davis, Academic Senate, Distinguished Teaching Award, 1995.
- Cliometrics Society “Can” Award, 1992-1993. [It’s like an Oscar.]