List of Icelanders

This is a list of notable people from Iceland, arranged in categories and ordered alphabetically by first name, following the usual naming conventions of Iceland.

Business

• Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson, billionaire entrepreneur
• Björgólfur Guðmundsson, former billionaire entrepreneur, father of Thor Björgólfsson (above)
• Eggert Magnússon, businessman and former chairman of the English Premiership football club West Ham United
• Hreiðar Már Sigurðsson, businessman
• Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson, billionaire and founder of the Bónus supermarket and the Baugur Group
• Magnús Þorsteinsson, businessman
• Þorsteinn M. Jónsson, banker

Arts and culture

Architects

• Guðjón Samúelsson
• Guðmundur Jónsson
• Högna Sigurðardóttir
• Trausti Valsson

Authors

• Arnaldur Indriðason, writer
• Davíð Stefánsson, poet
• Einar Benediktsson, writer, poet
• Einar Kárason, writer
• Einar Hjörleifsson Kvaran editor, novelist, poet, dramatist
• Einar Már Guðmundsson, writer
• Guðmundur G. Hagalín, writer, poet
• Halldór Kiljan Laxness, writer, poet, Nobel Prize winner
• Hallgrímur Helgason, writer
• Jón Kalman Stefánsson, writer, poet
• Jón Thoroddsen, author
• Jónas Hallgrímsson, writer, poet
• Jóhannes úr Kötlum, writer, poet
• Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir, writer
• Magnus Magnusson, television presenter, writer
• Nína Björk Árnadóttir, poet, novelist, playwright
• Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson, writer
• Sjón, poet, writer, lyricist.
• Snorri Hjartarson, poet
• Snorri Sturluson, historian, poet
• Steinunn Sigurðardóttir, writer, poet
• Stephan G. Stephansson, Western Icelander, poet
• Tómas Guðmundsson, poet
• Vigdís Grímsdóttir, writer
• Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson, writer
• Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, writer
• Þórarinn Eldjárn, writer, poet
• Þórbergur Þórðarson, writer, poet

Film, radio, and TV

• Anita Briem, actress
• Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, best known as Silvía Nótt (Silvia Night), actress, singer, model, TV personality.
• Baltasar Kormákur, film actor and film director
• Friðrik Þór Friðriksson, film director
• Gunnar Hansen, film actor
• Hilmir Snær Guðnason, film actor
• Hrafn Gunnlaugsson, film director
• Karl Júlíusson, film production designer/costume designer
• Magnus Magnusson, television presenter, writer
• Magnús Scheving, writer, actor, athlete, creator of LazyTown
• Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir, actress
• Marinó Sigurðsson, actor
• Markús Örn Antonsson, former mayor of Reykjavík and former director of RÚV
• Páll Magnússon director of RÚV
• Ragnar Bragason, director
• Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir, actress and head of [the National Theater of Iceland]
• Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson, actor
• Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, poet, writer, musician

Music

• Anna Mjöll singer and songwriter
• Arnor Dan, lyricist and singer.(Agent Fresco and Olafur Arnalds)
• Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, more commonly known as Silvía Nótt, singer, actress, and TV personality
• Björgvin Halldórsson, singer
• Björk Guðmundsdóttir, singer and songwriter more commonly known as Björk.
• Bragi Ólafsson, musician
• Diddú (Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir), soprano and songwriter
• Eggert Pálsson, percussionist, founder of the music group Voces Thules
• Emilíana Torrini, singer and songwriter
• Einar Örn Benediktsson, musician
• Eiríkur Hauksson, musician
• Garðar Thór Cortes, tenor
• Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir, singer, violinist
• Hafdís Huld, singer
• Haukur Tómasson, composer
• Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, musician, art director, and chief goði of the Icelandic Ásatrú Association.
• Jóhann Jóhannsson, composer, musician, producer
• Jón Jósep Snæbjörnsson, (Jónsi) singer
• Jón Leifs, composer
• Jón Þór Birgisson, singer, guitarist
• Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir, pop singer (Yohanna)
• Kjartan Ólafsson, composer, professor
• Mugison, composer, musician
• Ólafur Arnalds, composer, musician
• Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson (Paul Oscar), pop singer, songwriter and disc jockey
• Ragnheiður Gröndal, musician
• Sigurður Bragason, baritone singer and composer
• Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, poet, writer and musician

Musical bands and groups

Agent Fresco Amiina Ampop Bang Gang Changer Cynic Guru Dikta FM Belfast GusGus Kaleo

HAM Mammút Mezzoforte Mínus Mugison múm Nylon Of Monsters and Men

Quarashi Seabear Sigur Rós Singapore Sling Ske Sólstafir The Sugarcubes Trúbrot Voces Thules

Painters

• Einar Hákonarson
• Erró
• Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval

Photographers

• Ragnar Axelsson
• Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson

Sculptors

• Ásmundur Sveinsson
• Bertel Thorvaldsen
• Einar Jónsson
• Gunnfríður Jónsdóttir
• Olafur Eliasson
• Ríkarður Jónsson
• Steinunn Thorarinsdottir

Miss World

• Hólmfríður "Hófí" Karlsdóttir, Miss World 1985
• Linda Pétursdóttir, Miss World 1988
• Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir, Miss World 2005

Historical figures of Iceland

Ari Þorgilsson, priest and author of Íslendingabók, a historical work Egill Skallagrímsson, Viking skald Eiríkur rauði, (e. Eirík he Red, Old Norse. Eirīkr hinn rauði) named Greenland Freydís Eiríksdóttir Guðmundur Arason Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir, explorer Ingólfur Arnarson Ísleifur Gissurarson Kolbeinn Tumason

Leifur Eiríksson (e. Leif Ericson, Old Norse Leifr Eiríksson), discovered America in the year 1000 and named it Vínland (Land of Wine) Loftur Sæmundsson, priest and chieftain at Oddi Snorri Sturluson Þorfinnur "Karlsefni" Þórðarson Þorvaldur Eríksson Vilhjálmur Stefánsson, Western Icelander, Arctic explorer Þóra Magnúsdóttir, born 1100 in Norway, daughter of Magnus III of Norway, a direct descendant of Harald Fairhair the first Norwegian King. Þóra Magnúsdóttir married an Icelander and moved to Iceland.

Politics

See also: List of Presidents of Iceland, List of Prime Ministers of Iceland and List of rulers of Iceland

Albert Guðmundsson, former minister Árni Sigfússon, politician Ásgeir Ásgeirsson, former president Birgitta Jónsdóttir, member of parliament Björn Bjarnason, minister of justice and ecclesiastical affairs Davíð Oddsson, former prime minister and former mayor of Reykjavík Geir H. Haarde, former prime minister, former foreign minister Halldór Ásgrímsson, former prime minister Halldór Blöndal, former minister Hannes Hafstein, first prime minister Hannibal Valdimarsson, chairman of two parties and one electoral alliance

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, former prime minister, also the world's first openly gay head of government Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson, former foreign minister, ambassador Jón Loftsson, chieftain and politician Jón Sigurðsson, independence leader Kristján Eldjárn, former president Markús Örn Antonsson, former mayor of Reykjavík and former director of RÚV Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, current president Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson current prime minister Steingrímur Hermannsson, former prime minister Sveinn Björnsson, first president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, former president, first elected female head of state Þorsteinn Pálsson, former prime minister

Scholarship and academia

• Agnar Helgason, PhD, anthropologist
• Ari Brynjolfsson, PhD, physicist
• Ari Þorgilsson, documentarian, chronicler
• Árni Magnússon, documentarian
• Ásgeir Helgason, PhD, psychologist, public health scientist
• Eiríkur Magnússon, librarian and lecturer at Cambridge University, co-translator with William Morris
• Gisli Gudjonsson, Professor of Forensic Psychology
• Gísli Pálsson, PhD, anthropologist
• Guðbrandur Vigfússon, lexicographer, editor, and lecturer at Oxford University
• Hannes Hólmsteinn Gissurarson, PhD, political scientist
• Helgi Valdimarsson, MD, immunologist
• Hjörtur Þórðarson, inventor
• Kári Stefánsson, MD, founder of deCODE genetics
• Magnús Eiríksson, theologian
• Margrét Hermanns Auðardóttir, PhD, archaeologist
• Niels Finsen, physician, Nobel Prize winner (Icelandic parents)
• Páll Skúlason, PhD, philosopher, former Rector of the University of Iceland
• Reynir Böðvarsson, PhD, seismologist
• Sigurdur Helgason, mathematician
• Sigurður Nordal, PhD, philosopher
• Sigurður Þórarinsson, PhD, geologist, volcanologist, professor
• Snorri Sturluson, documentarian, writer
• Stefán Einarsson, linguist and literary historian
• Vilhjálmur Árnason, PhD, philosopher
• Þór Whitehead, historian
• Þorsteinn Gylfason, philosopher

Sports and games

Football (Soccer) players

• Albert Guðmundsson, first Icelandic professional footballer, played for Valur, Rangers, A.C. Milan, Arsenal and FC Nancy.
• Eiður Guðjohnsen, professional footballer, currently at Molde FK, also played for Chelsea and FC Barcelona.
• Arnór Guðjohnsen, former professional footballer
• Aron Gunnarsson, professional footballer, currently at Cardiff City FC
• Ásgeir Sigurvinsson, former professional footballer
• Eggert Jónsson, Professional footballer, currently at Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Eiður Smári Guðjohnsen, professional footballer, currently at Club Brugge K.V.
• Eyjólfur Héðinsson, professional footballer, currently at SønderjyskE
• Guðni Bergsson, former professional footballer, played for teams such as Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and Bolton Wanderers
• Gylfi Sigurðsson, Professional footballer, currently at Swansea City A.F.C.
• Teitur Thordarson, former professional footballer
• Heiðar Helguson, professional footballer, currently at Cardiff City FC
• Hermann Hreiðarsson, professional footballer, currently at ÍBV
• Ívar Ingimarsson, professional footballer, currently at Ipswich Town F.C.
• Jóhannes Karl Guðjónsson, Professional footballer, currently at Knattspyrnufélag ÍA
• Emil Hallfreðsson, Professional footballer, currently at Udinese Calcio

Chess players

• Bobby Fischer, former world chess champion, granted Icelandic citizenship on 21 March 2005
• Friðrik Ólafsson, chess grandmaster

Handball

• Arnór Atlason, handball player who plays for FCK Håndbold in Denmark.
• Guðjón Valur Sigurðsson, handball player who plays for Rhein-Neckar Löwen in Germany.
• Ólafur Stefánsson, handball player, Rhein-Neckar Löwen. Formerly of Wuppertal, Magdeburg and Ciudad Real.
• Snorri Steinn Guðjónsson, handball player who plays for Rhein-Neckar Löwen in Germany.

Strongmen

• Benedikt Magnússon, past deadlift world record holder
• Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
• Jón Páll Sigmarsson, four-time winner of World's Strongest Man
• Magnús Magnússon
• Magnús Ver Magnússon, four-time winner of World's Strongest Man
• Stefán Sölvi Pétursson

Others

• Anníe Þórisdóttir, back-to-back CrossFit Games winner (2011, 2012)
• Gunnar Nelson, MMA fighter
• Halldór Helgason, Snowboarder
• Kristján Einar Kristjánsson, racing driver, currently racing in British formula 3
• Vala Flosadóttir, pole vaulter
• Fiann Paul, artist, ocean rower, holding 6 Guinness World Records by 2016