Famous People

Actors

• Anna Bård, (1980-), model, actress
• Asbjørn Riis, actor, professional wrestler
• Asta Nielsen, (1883-1972), silent film star, actress
• Birthe Neumann, actress
• Brigitte Nielsen, actress, former wife of Sylvester Stallone
• Caroline Halle-Müller, (1755-1826), actor, singer and dancer.
• Connie Nielsen, actress
• Dirch Passer, actor
• Ghita Nørby, actress
• Gry Bay, (1974-), actress
• Hjalte Flagstad, actor
• Holger Juul Hansen
• Ib Schønberg, actor
• Iben Hjejle, (1971-), actress
• Jean Hersholt, (1886-1956) film actor
• Jens Okking, actor
• Jesper Christensen, actor
• John Hahn-Petersen, actor
• Jonas Schmidt, actor
• Julie Lund, (1979-), actress
• Karl Dane, (1886-1934), silent film actor, comedian
• Karl Stegger, actor
• Kirsten Rolffes, actress
• Lars Bom, actor
• Mads Mikkelsen, actor
• Mia Lyhne, actress
• Morten Grunwald, actor
• Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, actor
• Nikolaj Lie Kaas, actor
• Ove Sprogøe, actor
• Paprika Steen, actress
• Poul Bundgaard, actor
• Poul Reichhardt, actor
• Rasmus Bjerg, (1976-), actor, comedian
• Søren Pilmark, actor
• Susse Wold, actress
• Sven-Ole Thorsen, actor
• Ulf Pilgaard, actor
• Ulrich Thomsen, actor
• Viggo Mortensen, (1958-), actor (Half Danish)
• Yutte Stensgaard, actress

Archaeologists

• Christian Jürgensen Thomsen, (1788-1865), archaeologist
• Frans Blom
• Jens Jacob Asmussen Worsaae
• Peter Glob, (1911-1985)
• Architects and Designers
• Arne Jacobsen, (1902-1971), architect
• David Heinemeier Hansson, (1979-), programmer
• Georg Jensen, (1866-1935), silversmith, designer
• Hans J. Wegner, (1914-2007), designer
• Jørn Utzon, (1918- ), architect, Sydney Opera House.
• Poul Henningsen, (1894-1967), author, architect, designer
• Steen Eiler Rasmussen, (1898-1990), architect
• Verner Panton, (1926-1998), designer
• Vilhelm Lauritzen, architect

Artists

• Asger Jorn, (1914-1973), painter
• Bertel Thorvaldsen, (1770-1844), sculptor
• Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, painter
• Else Alfelt, (1910-1974), Painter
• Henry Heerup, (1907-1993), painter
• Jacob Jensen, (Born 1926), Designer
• Martin Bigum, (Born 1966), Painter
• Nikolaj Abraham Abildgaard, (1744-1809), painter
• Peder Severin Krøyer, (1851-1909), painter
• Peter Ilsted, (1861-1933), painter/etcher
• Robert Jacobsen, (1912-1993), sculptor and painter
• Vilhelm Hammershoi, painter
• Wilhelm Marstrand, painter

Business

• Arnold Peter Møller, (1876-1965), founder of A.P. Møller-Mærsk Group, the largest Danish company.
• Charles E. Sorensen, (1881-1968), pioneering industrialist at Ford in USA
• Henning Holck-Larsen and Søren Kristian Toubro, founders of Indian engineering firm Larsen & Toubro
• J. C. Jacobsen, (1811-1887)
• Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen, (1878-1964)
• Mads Clausen, founder of Danfoss Industries.
• Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller
• Mickey Beyer-Clausen, entrepreneur and philanthropist
• Ole Kirk Christiansen, (1891-1958), inventor of LEGO
• William S. Knudsen, industrialist (president, General Motors) in USA

Comedians

• Anders Bircow, comedian, musician
• Anders Matthesen, (1975-), comedian
• Casper Christensen, (1968-), comedian
• De Nattergale, comedy trio
• Drengene fra Angora, comedy trio
• Frank Hvam, (1970-), comedian
• Jan Gintberg, (1963-), comedian
• Lars Hjortshøj, (1967-), comedian
• Lasse Rimmer, (1972-), comedian
• Mads Vangsø, comedian
• Morten Lindberg, comedian also known as "Master Fatman"
• Sandi Toksvig, comedian in the UK
• Simon Kvamm, (1975-), comedian, musician
• Thomas Eje, comedian, musician, touring in U.S. as Tom Dane
• Victor Borge, (1909-2000), comedian, musician

Dancers

• August Bournonville, (1805-1879), ballet dancer, choreographer
• Erik Bruhn, (1929-1986), ballet dancer
• Henning Kronstam (external link), dancer, ballet master, Theatre director, Royal Danish Ballet
• Peter Martins (external link), dancer, choreographer, Ballet Master in Chief, New York City Ballet

Danish Americans

• Arn Anderson, professional wrestler (Danish/Swedish heritage)
• Ben Roy Mottelson, physicist
• Bridgette Andersen, child actress
• Buddy Ebsen, actor
• Chris Andersen, professional basketball player
• Chris Madsen, soldier
• David Gress, historian
• Eliza Dushku, actress
• Ellen Corby, actress
• Gutzon Borglum, artist
• Ib Melchior - novelist and director
• Janet Reno - Attorney General
• Jean Hersholt, actor
• Jelena Jensen, model (Danish/German heritage)
• Jessica Alba, actress
• John Melendez, actor
• Kaj-Erik Eriksen, actor
• Kelsey Grammer, actor (from U.S. Virgin Islands, which once belonged to Denmark)
• Ken Kennedy, professional wrestler (Danish/Swedish heritage)
• Lauritz Melchior, opera singer
• Leslie Nielsen, actor, comedian
• Lis Wiehl - Fox News Channel
• Lloyd Bentsen, former Texas Senator
• Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, actresses
• Michael Madsen, actor
• Osa Massen, actress
• Scarlett Johanssen, actress
• Solon Borglum, artist
• Stan Hansen, professional wrestler
• Steny Hoyer, leader of the Democratic Party in U.S. House of Representatives
• Virginia Madsen, actress
• William S. Knudsen, automobile executive

Exploration

• Conrad Malta-Brown (1755-1826), Danish-born French geographer.
• Hans Egede
• Jens Munk
• Knud Rasmussen
• Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen
• Vitus Bering, (1680-1741)

Fictional Danes

• Annika Hansen
• Dani Beck
• Gertrude
• Holger Danske
• Jimmy Olsen
• King Claudius
• King Hamlet
• Petra
• Prince Hamlet
• Skærmtrolden Hugo
• The Little Mermaid
• Thumbelina

Film Directors

• Anders Thomas Jensen
• Bille August
• Carl Theodor Dreyer
• Erik Balling
• Jørgen Leth
• Lars von Trier
• Mikael Salomon
• Nicolas Winding Refn
• Nils Malmros
• Ole Bornedal
• Per Fly
• Susanne Bier
• Thomas Vinterberg

Linguists

• Ada Adler, (1878-1946)
• Axel Olrik, (1864-1917)
• Holger Pedersen, (1867-1953)
• Johan Nicolai Madvig, (1804-1886)
• Jørgen Rischel
• Karl Verner, (1846-1896)
• Louis Hjelmslev, (1899-1955)
• Otto Jespersen, (1860-1943)
• Rasmus Rask
• Una Canger
• Vilhelm Thomsen, (1842-1927)

Models

• Anine Bing
• Anne P
• Catharina Svensson
• Cecilie Thomsen
• Elsa Sorensen
• Freja Beha Erichsen
• Gitte Hanspal
• Helena Christensen
• Majken Haugedal
• Maria Gregersen
• May Andersen
• Oliver Bjerrehuus
• Renee Simonsen
• Tania Strecker

Music

• Afenginn
• Amir El-Falaki
• Anders Frandsen
• Anila Mirza, (1974-), singer
• Anna David
• Anne Linnet
• Aqua, peaked in 1997 with Barbie Girl
• Artillery
• B# Sharp
• Bamses Venner
• Bent Fabricius-Bjerre
• Bent Sørensen
• Bikstok Røgsystem
• Birmingham 6
• Birthe Kjær
• Birthe Wilke
• Black Rose
• Brats
• Brixx
• Bryan Rice
• C21
• Carl Nielsen, (1865-1931), composer
• Carpark North
• Christine Milton
• Christopher Ernst Friedrich Weyse
• Claus Norreen, composer
• D-A-D
• Daze
• Debbie Cameron
• DeFilm
• Dieterich Buxtehude, (1637-1707), composer
• Dizzy Mizz Lizzy
• DJ Encore
• Dominus
• DQ
• Efterklang
• Envelope
• Evil Masquerade
• Exmortem
• Fate
• Fielfraz
• Figurines
• Gangway
• Gasolin'
• Good Time Charlie, musician, entertainer
• Grethe Ingmann
• Gustav Winckler
• Hans Christian Lumbye
• Hatesphere
• Hit'n'Hide
• Holger Lagerfeldt
• Horrorpops
• Hot Eyes
• Hurdy Gurdy
• Húsakórið (Faroese/Danish)
• Illdisposed
• Illnath
• Infernal
• Jacob Andersen, singer
• Jacob Gade
• Jakob Sveistrup
• James Sampson
• John Mogensen
• Johnny Deluxe
• Jokeren
• Jørgen Ingmann
• Julie Berthelsen, singer
• Junior Senior
• Kashmir
• Kim Larsen
• King Diamond, (1956-)
• Kliché
• Klutæ
• Knud Jeppesen, (1892-1974)
• Kølig Kaj
• Laban
• Laid Back
• Lars Frederiksen, vocalist of Rancid
• Lars Ulrich, (1963-), drummer in Metallica
• Lazyboy
• Leæther Strip
• Lina Rafn
• Lonnie Devantier
• Luke
• Malene Mortensen
• Malk de Koijn
• Manticora
• MC Einar, rap duo
• Me & My
• Menfolk
• Mercyful Fate
• Mew
• Michael Elo, composer
• Michael Learns to Rock
• Miss Papaya
• Mnemic
• Mofus
• Morten Schjolin, composer
• Nekromantix
• Nephew
• Niels W. Gade
• Nik og Jay
• Obstinate Esther
• Oh No Ono
• Olsen Brothers
• Outlandish
• Parzival
• Peder Gram (1881-1956), composer
• Per Nørgård
• Phero
• Press Play on Tape
• Pretty Maids
• Psyched Up Janis
• Rasmus Nøhr
• Raunchy
• Red Warszawa
• Remee, composer
• René Dif, singer
• Ridin' Thumb
• Rollo & King
• S.O.A.P.
• Safri Duo
• Sanne Salomonsen
• Savage Rose
• Saybia
• Sebastian
• Shaya, singer in Greece (Danish father, Guyanese mother)
• Shu-Bi-Dua
• Sidsel Ben Semmane
• Søren Nystrøm Rasted, composer
• Sort Sol
• Spleen United
• Steve Cameron
• Superheroes
• Susanne Georgi, one half of Me & My
• The Blue Van
• The Cannibals
• The Cartoons
• The Naked
• The Psyke Project
• The Raveonettes
• The Rayguns
• Thomas Troelsen
• Tiggy
• Tim Christensen
• Tina Dico, singer
• Tommy Seebach
• Toy-Box
• Trentemøller
• TV-2
• Under byen
• Whigfield
• Zindy Laursen

Philosophers

• Harald Høffding, (1843-1931)
• Johannes Sløk Christian philosopher and translator of Shakespeare
• Knud Ejler Løgstrup, Christian philosopher
• N.F.S. Grundtvig, educationalist, philosopher and social reformer.
• Søren Kierkegaard, (1813-1855), philosopher

Scientists

• A. K. Erlang, engineer, industrial and systems engineer
• Aage Niels Bohr, (1922- ), physicist and Nobel Prize laureate
• Anders Hejlsberg, Turbo Pascal, Delphi language, C# (lives in USA)
• Bengt Strömgren, (1908-1987)
• Bjarne Stroustrup, (1950- ), C++ (lives in USA)
• Carl Peter Henrik Dam, (1895-1976)
• Caspar Bartholin the Elder (1585-1629)
• Caspar Bartholin the Younger (1655-1738)
• Caspar Wessel, (1745-1818), Norwegian-Danish mathematician
• Christian Jürgensen Thomsen, Archaeologist, inventor of the Three-age system
• Claudius Clavus (Claudius Claussøn Swart), (1388-?)
• Conrad Malte-Brun, (1775-1826)
• David Heinemeier Hansson, Ruby on Rails
• Ejnar Hertzsprung, (1873-1967), astronomer
• Emil Christian Hansen, (1842-1909)
• Georg Mohr, (1548-1620), mathematician
• Hans Christian Gram, (1853-1938), bacteriologist (Gram staining)
• Hans Christian Ørsted, (1777-1851), physicist, discoverer of electromagnetism
• Harald Bohr
• Heinrich Christian Friedrich Schumacher, (1757-1830)
• Heinrich Louis d'Arrest, Prussian astronomer, died in Copenhagen.
• Inge Lehmann, (1888-1993)
• Jacob B. Winslow, (1669-1760)
• Jakob Nielsen, (1957-), Usability (lives in USA)
• Jakob Nielsen, mathematician
• Janus Friis, Skype & KaZaa
• Jens Christian Skou, Nobel Prize 1997
• Jens Martin Knudsen, (1930-2005)
• Johan Ludvig Emil Dreyer, (1852-1926), Danish-born astronomer
• Johannes Andreas Grib Fibiger, physician and Nobel Prize laureate
• Johannes Nicolaus Brønsted, (1879-1947)
• Johannes Schmidt
• Jørgen Pedersen Gram
• Julius Petersen, (1839-1910), mathematician
• Nicolas Steno / Niels Stensen, (1638-1686), geologist
• Niels A. Lassen, neuroimaging pioneer.
• Niels Bohr, (1885-1962), physicist and Nobel Prize laureate
• Niels Kaj Jerne, immunologist and Nobel Prize laureate
• Niels Ryberg Finsen, (1860-1904), physician and Nobel Prize laureate
• Niels Steensen, 1638-1686 anatomist, Roman Catholic bishop and saint
• Ole Rømer, (1644-1710), first to calculate the speed of light.
• Ole Worm, (1588-1654)
• Peter Andreas Hansen, (1795-1874)
• Peter Naur (1928- ), Algol 60 and Backus-Naur form. Turing Award winner.
• Piet Hein, (1905-1996)
• Rasmus Bartholin, (1625-1698)
• Rasmus Lerdorf, PHP (born in Greenland, lives in USA)
• Schack August Steenberg Krogh, physiologist and Nobel Prize laureate
• Søren Peder Lauritz Sørensen, (1868-1939), chemist
• Thomas Bartholin
• Thomas Fincke, (1561-1656), mathematician
• Thorvald Thiele, statistician, discoverer of cumulants
• Tycho Brahe, (1546-1601), provided the observational data for Kepler's laws of planetary motion.
• Wilhelm Johannsen, (1857-1927), coined the term gene
• Willi Dansgaard, (1922-), geophysics

Sports

Badminton

• Camilla Martin, women's single, World champion 1999, All England master 2002.
• Lene Køppen, women's single, World champion 1977, All England master 1979.
• Morten Frost, men's single, All England master 1982, 1984, 1986, and 1987.
• Peter Gade, men's single, All England master 1999.
• Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen, men's single, 1996 Olympic gold.
• Svend Pri, men's single, All England master 1975.

Football (Soccer)

• Allan Nielsen
• Allan Simonsen, 1977 European Footballer of the Year
• Brian Laudrup, forward, Rangers F.C. 1994-1998. Euro 92.
• Christian Poulsen
• Daniel Agger, defender, Brøndby IF 2004-2006. Liverpool F.C. 2006-Present
• Dennis Rommedahl
• Jan Mølby, player and manager
• Jesper Grønkjær
• Jon Dahl Tomasson, forward, A.C. Milan 2003-2005, VfB Stuttgart 2005-, UEFA Cup 2002.
• Kim Milton Nielsen, referee
• Martin Jørgensen
• Martin Laursen
• Michael Laudrup, Juventus 1985-1989, FC Barcelona 1989-1994.
• Miklos Molnar
• Morten Olsen, player and coach
• Peter Schmeichel, goal keeper, Manchester United 1991-1999. Euro 92, CL98/99.
• Preben Elkjær
• Stig Tøfting
• Thomas Gravesen
• Thomas Helveg

Other Sports

• Anja Andersen, female handball player. 1996 Olympic gold. Elected best player of 1998.
• Bent Larsen, 1956 International Grandmaster in chess.
• Bjarne Riis, road bicycle racing
• Brian Nielsen, boxer
• Eskild Ebbesen, gold medalist in rowing
• Frans Nielsen, ice hockey player, first Danish citizen to play in the NHL.
• Jesper Skibby, road bicycle racing
• Kenneth Carlsen, tennis, #43 in men singles in 1993.
• Martin Kampmann, mixed martial artist
• Michael Rasmussen, road bicycle racing, King of the Mountains in the 2005 and 2006 Tour de France.
• Mikkel Kessler, boxer
• Morten Andersen, American football, most points and tied for most field goals ever in the NFL.
• Morten Stig Christensen, handball-player turned TV host.
• Nicolas Kiesa, former Formula One driver.
• Ole Laursen, mixed martial artist
• Paul Elvstrøm, sailing, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960 olympic gold.
• Peter Regin, ice hockey player
• Poul Popiel, retired ice hockey player, first Danish-born to play in the NHL.
• Rune Glifberg, freakin' pimp professional skateboarder
• Tom Kristensen, auto racing

Writers

• Adam Gottlob Oehlenschläger, (1779-1850)
• Dan Turéll
• Georg Brandes
• Hans Christian Andersen, (1805-1875)
• Hans Kirk, (1898-1962), author
• Henrik Pontoppidan, author and Nobel Prize laureate
• Jacob Riis, (1849-1914), photographer,journalist and social activist in USA
• Jens Fink-Jensen
• Jens Immanuel Baggesen, (1764-1826)
• Jens Peter Jacobsen, (1847-1885), novelist, poet and translator
• Johannes Vilhelm Jensen, (1873-1950), novelist and Nobel Prize laureate
• Kaj Harald Leininger Munk, (1898-1944), dramatist
• Karen Blixen (aka. Isak Dinesen), (1885-1962), author
• Karl Gjellerup, author and Nobel Prize laureate
• Ludvig Holberg, (1684-1754), dramatist, historian, essayist and playwright
• Martin Andersen Nexø, writer
• Peter Høeg
• Peter Kjærulff, novelist
• Piet Hein, (1905-1996)
• Thit Jensen, (1876-1957) writer and worker for women's suffrage
• Tor Nørretranders, (1955- ), science popularizer
• Tove Ditlevsen, (1918-1976), poet and author
• Villy Sørensen