— Famous people & IQ

Évariste Galois IQ: 170 (estimated)

Estimated IQ

170

Field

Mathematician

Source basis

Group theory, died at 20

Rarity

top ~0.003%

Important note: Évariste Galois's IQ figure of 170 is an estimate. It comes from historiometric analysis (most prominently Catharine Cox's 1926 study of 300 historical geniuses), childhood ratio-IQ testing, or post-hoc assessment of biographical achievements — not from direct clinical IQ measurement.

Where the 170 estimate comes from

The number is a widely-circulated estimate based on Évariste Galois's documented work, peer assessments, and historical accounts. Like most famous-person IQs, it should be read as a defensible upper-end estimate rather than a measured score.

What the score implies — and what it doesn't

An IQ of 170 is in the extreme upper tail of measured human cognition. At this level, abstract reasoning, working memory, and pattern recognition all run far beyond typical adult capacity. Even within the gifted population, this score is exceedingly rare.

Évariste Galois's achievements in Mathematician reflect more than raw IQ. The pattern across high-achieving figures is that cognitive ability gets you into the game; the variables that determine outcomes from there are conscientiousness, sustained focus, time-on-task, mentorship, environment, and a tolerance for the social isolation that often accompanies deep specialized work.

Comparison with peers in Mathematician

Person	Est. IQ	Note
Terence Tao	230	Childhood ratio-IQ; Fields Medalist
John von Neumann	190	Manhattan Project, computing pioneer
Blaise Pascal	195	Cox historiometric estimate
Andrew Wiles	170	Fermat's Last Theorem
Grigori Perelman	180	Poincaré conjecture
Évariste Galois	170	Group theory, died at 20

How does your IQ compare to Évariste Galois?

Take a 20-minute calibrated test against the same standard distribution — see your six-axis cognitive profile.

The limits of celebrity IQ estimates

Historiometric estimates like Cox's are biographical inference, not measurement. Catharine Cox herself rated the reliability as "I" through "IV"; many figures are rated "III" or "IV" — weakest evidence.
Childhood ratio-IQs (mental age / chronological age × 100) systematically inflate scores compared to modern deviation IQ. A 1900-era child labeled "IQ 200" would likely test 140-160 on a modern WAIS.
Self-reported figures from public figures are essentially never independently verifiable.
Achievement is not pure intelligence. The correlation between extreme achievement and pure IQ peaks around 130-140; above that, conscientiousness and circumstance dominate the variance.

Frequently asked

What is Évariste Galois's IQ?

Évariste Galois's IQ is widely estimated at 170, based on group theory, died at 20. This is an estimate, not a clinically measured score.

Did Évariste Galois actually take an IQ test?

Most figures with reported IQs in this range never took a clinical IQ test — the numbers come from biographical estimation or childhood ratio-IQ data that doesn't compare cleanly to modern adult IQ.

How accurate is the IQ 170 figure?

Treat it as a defensible upper-end estimate within ±10-15 points. Famous-person IQ estimates carry substantial uncertainty and methodological bias.