ISTJ (introverted sensing thinking judging) is one of the sixteen personality types of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test. ISTJs are one of the most common types, making up an estimated 13% of the population.
ISTJs are clear-sighted, logical, and efficient. They are planners rather than spontaneous, and prefer order and routine in their work and home lives. They value tradition, hierarchy, and clarity of purpose.
To some of the more creative types, ISTJs can seem dull and unimaginative, unwilling to break the rules and unable to respond flexibly to changing situations.
But ISTJs are steady and reliable – if an ISTJ tells you something will be done, you can trust that it will be. Here are some famous ISTJs:
POLITICIANS & WORLD LEADERS
George Washington src
Queen Elizabeth II src
Condoleeza Rice src
ISTJ politicians value working within the system and protecting their country’s traditions.
- George Washington, U.S. President. source
- Andrew Johnson, U.S. President. source
- Benjamin Harrison, U.S. President. source
- Harry Truman, U.S. President. source
- George H. W. Bush, U.S. President. source
- Queen Elizabeth II of Britain. source
- Queen Rania of Jordan. source
- Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. source
- Arthur, Duke of Wellington, British general and prime minister. source
- Rosalynn Carter, U.S. First Lady. source
- Mitt Romney, U.S. governor and presidential candidate. source
- Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State. source
BUSINESS
Henry Ford src
Jeff Bezos src
Peter Thiel src
As planners and executors, ISTJs do well in a business environment.
- Henry Ford, U.S. inventor and founder of Ford Motor Company. source
- Jeff Bezos, U.S. founder of Amazon. source
- John D. Rockefeller, U.S. Co-Founder of Standard Oil. source
- Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish founder of IKEA. source
- Peter Thiel, U.S. Co-Founder of PayPal. source
- Elizabeth Holmes, U.S. founder of Theranos. source
RELIGIOUS FIGURES
Thomas the Apostle src
Pope Benedict XVI src
ISTJs, keepers of tradition, are naturally drawn to religious institutions.
ATHLETES
Michael Krzyzewski src
Evander Holyfield src
Jack Nicklaus src
ISTJs make excellent coaches and role players on the field.
- Tom Landry, U.S. football coach. source
- John Wooden, U.S. basketball coach. source
- Michael Krzyzewski, U.S. basketball coach. source
- Evander Holyfield, U.S. boxer. source
- Jack Nicklaus, U.S. golfer. source
- Christy Mathewson, U.S. pitcher. source
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee, U.S. track star. source
ACTORS & ENTERTAINERS
Robert De Niro src
Julia Roberts src
Gary Sinise src
ISTJs in the entertainment field are solid, reliable stars who can always turn in a good performance.
- Robert De Niro, U.S. actor. source
- Christopher Lee, English actor. source
- Denzel Washington, U.S. actor. source
- Natalie Portman, U.S. actress. source
- Anthony Hopkins, Welsh actor. source
- Kirk Douglas, U.S. actor. source
- Julia Roberts, U.S. actress. source
- Gary Sinise, U.S. actor. source
- John Malkovich, U.S. actor. source
- Jean-Claude Van Damme, Belgian martial artist and actor. source
- Johnny Carson, U.S. talk show host and comedian. source
- Malcolm McDowell, English actor. source
- Jack Webb, U.S. actor. source
- Billy Bob Thornton, U.S. actor. source
- Tony Shalhoub, U.S. actor. source
- Jack Palance, U.S. actor. source
- Ethan Hawke, U.S. actor. source
- Nick Offerman, U.S. actor and carpenter. source
- Jamie Hyneman, U.S. special effects engineer and television host. source
- Danica McKellar, U.S. actress and mathematician. source
- Misha Collins, U.S. actor. source
- Kris Kristofferson, U.S. actor. source
MILITARY
Stonewall Jackson src
Karl Doenitz src
Xenophon src
ISTJs can form the backbone of any well-organized military unit.
- Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, Confederate general source
- Karl Doenitz, Nazi admiral. source
- Xenophon, Greek military historian. source
MUSICIANS
George Strait src
Alan Jackson src
Sting src
Musicians of the ISTJ types are hard-working and traditional.
- George Strait, U.S. country musician. source
- Rivers Cuomo, U.S. musician. source
- Gordon Sumner (Sting), English musician. source
- Alan Jackson, U.S. country singer-songwriter. source
- Martina McBride, U.S. country singer-songwriter. source
PHILOSOPHERS
Sigmund Freud src
Martin Heidegger src
Thomas Hobbes src
ISTJs’ love for order often drives them to find ways to classify human thought and experience.
- Sigmund Freud, Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst. source
- Martin Heidegger, German philosopher. source
- Thomas Hobbes, English political philosopher. source
FICTIONAL CHARACTERS
Rick Grimes src
Ron Swanson src
Severus Snape src
Finally, here are some people from literature, movies, and TV who qualify as ISTJs.
- Alexei Karenin from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. source
- Vegeta from Dragonball Z. source
- Edward Cullen from Twilight. source
- Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. source
- Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. source
- Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead. source
- Leroy Gibbs from NCIS. source
- Edmond Dantes, from The Count of Monte Cristo. source
- Severus Snape from the Harry Potter books. source
- Rick Blaine from Casablanca. source
- Owen Lars from Star Wars. source
- Inspector Javert from Les Miserables. source
- Mr. Carson from Downton Abbey. source
- Tom Hagen from The Godfather. source
- Sam the Eagle from The Muppets. source
- Peggy Olson from Mad Men. source
- Commissioner Gordon from Batman. source
- Hank Hill from King of the Hill. source
- Martha Jones from Doctor Who. source
- Stannis Baratheon from Game of Thrones. source
- Gale from The Hunger Games. source
List of Famous People With ISFJ Personality
List of Famous People With ISFP Personality
List of Famous People With INFP Personality
List of Famous People With ESTP Personality
Learning your Meyers-Briggs type can be very helpful in a relationship! My husband and I are only 1 letter off…but it makes a difference! It was liberating for each of us to know that the other was just wired that way, he/she wasn’t doing thing just to irritate the other one!
Most of them seem spot on…but I would defidently question Misha Collins. Not a traditional guy in the least bit. A lot of what he says he is just purposely weird. I would say Enfp or entp.
The thing with Misha is that we’re seeing his PRESENTING self. He’s self describes as an introvert and says a lot of his wacky, out-of-the-box inspiration comes from Vicki, his wife.
He he either has Si or Se in his functional stack based on his extensive hand-made projects–like building his home and most of his furniture, plus hand-crafting an engagement ring for Vicki.
I find the balance he strikes fascinating; I’d love to talk to him in person and get a better read.
I can’t believe Vegeta is ISTJ, he is such a dick I can’t relate to him. But Jean Claude Van Veranberg, that’s awesome, I’m a proud introvert myself. Shout out’s to Evander Holyfield.
Snape and Vegeta are 100% INTJ’s. I agree with the rest though.
I agree with Snape, definitely a Ni-dom.
Hermione Granger is an ISTJ
I completely agree with you
I think Hermione Granger is an INTP.