We surveyed 753 historians to learn what personality traits and interests make them unique. Here are the results.


Holland Codes

Historians are investigative and artistic

Historians tend to be predominantly investigative individuals, which means that they are quite inquisitive and curious people that often like to spend time alone with their thoughts. They also tend to be artistic, meaning that they are creative and original and work well in a setting that allows for self-expression.

If you are one or both of these archetypes, you may be well suited to be a historian. However, if you are realistic, this is probably not a good career for you. Unsure of where you fit in? Take the career test now.

Here’s how the Holland codes of the average historian break down:


Big Five

The top personality traits of historians are social responsibility and openness

Historians score highly on social responsibility, indicating that they desire fair outcomes and have a general concern for others. They also tend to be high on the measure of openness, which means they are usually curious, imaginative, and value variety.

Once again, let’s break down the components of the personality of an average historian: