The last 50 years have seen substantial change in the characterisation and treatment of both epilepsy and personality disorder, making the literature on personality in epilepsy difficult to interpret. Personality dysfunction appears more common in patients with intractable epilepsy than in the general population, but there is little data on the wider epilepsy population. Early studies suggested that Temporal Lobe Epilepsy was associated with a particular personality type, but recent data has generally not supported this. However, this ‘epileptic personality’ has some similarity to DSM ‘Cluster C’ personality disorders, which appear, more common in patients admitted for Video EEG monitoring. Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy has been associated with an impulsive, irresponsible personality style; recent reports of increases in cluster B personality disorders and frontal lobe dysfunction in this population may explain these observations. Certain personality traits, especially neuroticism, are associated with poorer quality of life and poorer adjustment following epilepsy surgery.