Top 10 highest IQ of all time are only relative, as there are many different IQ tests and variations, and not all scores are publicly available or verified. However, here are some individuals who are often cited as having exceptionally high IQ scores.
Top 10 highest IQ of all time
There are many other individuals who have been reported to have very high IQ scores, but without verified test results, it’s difficult to include them on this list. Additionally, IQ is just one measure of intelligence and doesn’t necessarily reflect a person’s overall cognitive abilities or potential for success.
1. William James Sidis (IQ score of 250-300)
William James Sidis (1898-1944) was an American prodigy who is often cited as having one of the highest IQs ever recorded. He was born in New York City to immigrant parents who were both highly educated – his father, Boris Sidis, was a renowned psychologist and his mother, Sarah Mandelbaum, was a physician.
Sidis demonstrated exceptional intelligence from a very young age, reportedly learning to read at age two and mastering several languages by the age of six. He was admitted to Harvard University at the age of 11, becoming the youngest student ever to attend that institution.
While at Harvard, Sidis pursued a variety of academic interests, including mathematics, astronomy, and linguistics. He completed his undergraduate degree in just two years and went on to earn a master’s degree in mathematics from Harvard as well. Despite his academic success, Sidis struggled to find work after leaving Harvard, and eventually withdrew from public life. He died in 1944 at the age of 46.
Sidis is often remembered as a tragic figure who was unable to fully realize his potential due to societal and personal pressures. However, he remains a fascinating figure in the history of intelligence research and has inspired many people to explore their own intellectual abilities.
2. Terence Tao (IQ score of 225-230)
Terence Tao is an Australian-American mathematician who was born on July 17, 1975, in Adelaide, Australia. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians of our time and has made significant contributions to many areas of mathematics, including number theory, harmonic analysis, and partial differential equations.
Tao demonstrated remarkable mathematical ability from an early age, and he began attending university-level mathematics courses at the age of nine. He received his undergraduate degree from Flinders University in Adelaide at the age of 16 and earned his PhD from Princeton University at the age of 21.
Tao has received numerous honors and awards for his contributions to mathematics, including the Fields Medal in 2006, which is often regarded as the highest honor in mathematics. He has also been awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics and the Crafoord Prize in Mathematics, among other prestigious awards.
In addition to his research, Tao is also known for his work as an educator and a popularizer of mathematics. He has written several influential textbooks and has given many public lectures and talks aimed at making mathematics more accessible to a wider audience.
3. Christopher Hirata (IQ score of 225)
Christopher Hirata is a Japanese-American astrophysicist who was born on November 30, 1982, in Michigan, USA. Hirata demonstrated remarkable mathematical ability from a young age and was a gold medalist at the International Physics Olympiad at the age of 13.
Hirata went on to study astrophysics at the California Institute of Technology, where he completed his undergraduate degree at the age of 16 and earned his PhD at the age of 22. His doctoral research focused on the formation of cosmic structure, including galaxies and galaxy clusters.
Hirata has made many important contributions to the field of astrophysics, particularly in the area of cosmology. He has developed new statistical methods for analyzing data from large astronomical surveys and has worked on several space-based missions, including the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and the upcoming Euclid mission.
In addition to his research, Hirata is also known for his work as an educator and science communicator. He has given many public talks and has written popular articles and books aimed at making astrophysics and cosmology more accessible to a wider audience. Hirata is currently a professor of physics at Ohio State University.
4. Kim Ung-Yong (IQ score of 210 – 230)
Kim Ung-Yong is a South Korean child prodigy who was born on March 8, 1962. He is widely recognized as one of the smartest people in the world, having earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for his high IQ.
Kim demonstrated exceptional intelligence from a very young age, reportedly speaking fluently at six months old and reading Japanese, Korean, German, and English by the age of three. He was invited to study physics at Hanyang University in Seoul at the age of three and completed his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees by the age of 16.
After completing his education, Kim worked for a number of years as a researcher at NASA and later returned to South Korea, where he became a professor of civil engineering at Chungbuk National University. In addition to his academic work, Kim has also written several books and has been involved in various social and political causes in South Korea.
While Kim’s exact IQ is not publicly known, he is widely believed to have scored in the range of 210-230 on IQ tests, which would make him one of the smartest people in history.
5. Evangelos Katsioulis (IQ score of 198)
Evangelos Katsioulis is a Greek psychiatrist and consultant who has gained attention for his exceptionally high IQ score. He was born on October 19, 1976, in Ioannina, Greece.
Katsioulis holds several degrees, including a medical degree from the University of Ioannina and a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Edinburgh. He has also completed additional training in psychiatry, clinical psychology, and cognitive psychology.
Katsioulis is best known for his high IQ score, which he claims is 198 based on the Stanford-Binet intelligence test. This score is one of the highest ever recorded and places him in the top 0.1% of the population in terms of intellectual ability. He is a member of several high IQ societies, including Mensa and the International High IQ Society.
In addition to his work as a psychiatrist and consultant, Katsioulis is also a writer and public speaker. He has written several books on psychology and philosophy and has given many talks on topics related to intelligence, creativity, and self-development.
6. Christopher Michael Langan (IQ score of 195-210)
Christopher Michael Langan is an American autodidact who has gained attention for his extraordinary intelligence and his score on IQ tests. He was born on March 25, 1952, in San Francisco, California.
Langan has not had a conventional academic career, but he is considered one of the smartest people in the world. He has scored very high on several IQ tests, including the Cognitive Assessment System and the Guinness Book of World Records IQ test. His IQ score has been estimated to be between 195 and 210, which would make him one of the smartest people in history.
Despite his lack of formal education, Langan has made significant contributions to fields such as cognitive psychology, philosophy, and artificial intelligence. He is best known for his development of the Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe, a theory that aims to unify many areas of knowledge including mathematics, physics, linguistics, and philosophy. He has also published several papers on topics such as linguistics, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence.
Langan’s life and intellect have been the subject of several documentaries and media stories, including a feature in the New Yorker magazine. Despite his intellectual gifts, he has faced various challenges in his personal life, including financial difficulties and legal troubles.
7. Garry Kasparov (IQ score of 190-225)
Garry Kasparov is a Russian chess player who is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. He was born on April 13, 1963, in Baku, Azerbaijan, which was then part of the Soviet Union.
Kasparov began playing chess at a young age and quickly showed exceptional talent, becoming the youngest player to win the Soviet Junior Championship at the age of 13. He went on to win the World Junior Chess Championship in 1985 and became the youngest-ever undisputed World Chess Champion in 1985, at the age of 22.
Kasparov held the World Chess Championship title for 15 years, from 1985 to 2000, and is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. He has won numerous tournaments and matches, including the famous 1997 match against IBM’s Deep Blue computer, which was the first time a computer defeated a reigning world champion in a match.
Kasparov has also been involved in politics and activism in Russia, where he has been a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin and has been involved in various opposition movements. He has also written several books on chess and politics and is a well-known speaker and commentator on a range of topics related to chess, technology, and politics.
8. Marilyn Vos Savant (IQ score of 190-225)
Marilyn Vos Savant is an American writer, columnist, and lecturer who is widely known for having one of the highest recorded IQ scores. She was born on August 11, 1946, in Missouri, USA.
In 1985, Vos Savant was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the highest IQ ever recorded, with a score of 228. This score was later disputed by some experts, but she is still widely recognized as having exceptional intelligence. Vos Savant has written a popular column called “Ask Marilyn” for Parade magazine since 1986, in which she answers questions on a wide range of topics, including science, mathematics, and philosophy.
In addition to her column, Vos Savant has written several books, including “The Power of Logical Thinking” and “The Art of Spelling.” She has also made appearances on various television shows, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Good Morning America,” and has been a lecturer and speaker on topics related to intelligence, critical thinking, and creativity.
Vos Savant’s intelligence and accomplishments have made her a prominent figure in popular culture, and she has been the subject of numerous media stories and profiles over the years.
9. Rick Rosner (IQ score of 192)
Rick Rosner is an American television writer and producer and is known for his high IQ score and his appearances on various game shows. He was born on May 2, 1960, in Colorado, USA.
Rosner has claimed to have one of the highest IQ scores ever recorded, with an estimated score of 192. He has taken dozens of IQ tests and is a member of several high IQ societies, including Mensa and the Prometheus Society. Rosner’s intelligence and knowledge have helped him become a successful television writer and producer, working on shows such as “The Tonight Show,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Man Show.”
In addition to his work in television, Rosner has also gained attention for his appearances on various game shows. He has appeared on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” “Jeopardy!” and “The Chase,” among others, and has performed well on these shows due to his broad knowledge and quick thinking.
Rosner is also known for his unusual career path and his varied interests. He has worked as a stripper, bouncer, and roller-skating waiter, and has pursued hobbies such as bodybuilding, astronomy, and quantum physics. His intelligence, creativity, and eclectic background have made him a popular figure in the media and entertainment industries.
10. Judit Polgar (IQ score of 170-190)
Judit Polgar is a retired Hungarian chess player who is widely considered to be one of the greatest female players of all time, and one of the greatest players regardless of gender. She was born on July 23, 1976, in Budapest, Hungary.
Polgar learned to play chess at a young age, and quickly showed exceptional talent. She began competing in international tournaments as a child, and in 1991, at the age of 15, she became the youngest grandmaster (male or female) in history, breaking the previous record held by Bobby Fischer.
Throughout her career, Polgar defeated many top-ranked male players and achieved numerous successes in both individual and team competitions. She has won several prestigious tournaments, including the Hungarian Championship, the Polgar Chess Festival, and the prestigious Corus tournament. In 2002, she became the first woman to compete in the elite Corus A tournament, and in 2005 she defeated former world champion Garry Kasparov in a game in a rapid chess match.
Polgar retired from professional chess in 2014, but her achievements have had a lasting impact on the sport, and she has been an inspiration to many young players, especially girls and women, who aspire to play at the highest levels of chess. In addition to her chess career, Polgar has written several books on chess, and has been involved in various educational and promotional activities to promote the game.