Famous People

Arts and Culture

• Agusta Eva Erlendsdottir, actress, singer, her alter ego is Silvia Nott (Silvia Night), model, singer and TV person
• Arnaldur Indridason, writer
• Asmundur Sveinsson, sculptor
• Baltasar Kormakur, film actor and film director
• Bjorgvin Halldorsson, singer
• Bjork Gudmundsdottir, singer and songwriter
• Bragi Olafsson, musician
• David Stefansson, poet
• Eggert Palsson, percussionist, founder of the music group Voces Thules
• Einar Bardarson, songwriter, entrepreneur
• Einar Benediktsson, writer, poet
• Einar Hakonarson, painter
• Einar Hjorleifsson Kvaran editor, novelist, poet, dramatist
• Einar Jonsson, sculptor
• Einar Karason, writer
• Einar Mar Gudmundsson, writer
• Einar Orn Benediktsson, musician
• Eirikur Hauksson, musician
• Emiliana Torrini, singer and songwriter
• Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, film director
• Gardar Thor Cortes, tenor
• Gudmundur G. Hagalin, writer, poet
• Gunnfridur Jonsdottir, sculptor
• Hafdis Huld, singer
• Halldor Kiljan Laxness, writer, poet, Nobel Prize winner
• Hallgrimur Helgason, writer
• Haukur Tomasson, composer
• Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson ,musician, art director, and chief godi of the Icelandic Asatru Association.
• Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, film actor
• Hofi Karlsdottir, (Holmfridur Karlsdottir), Miss World 1985
• Hrafn Gunnlaugsson, film director
• Johannes ur Kotlum, writer, poet
• Jon Kalman Stefansson, writer, poet
• Jon Leifs, composer
• Jon Thoroddsen, writer and/or poet
• Jonas Hallgrimsson, writer, poet
• Kjartan Olafsson, composer, professor
• Kristin Marja Baldursdottir, writer
• Linda Petursdottir, Miss World 1988
• Magnus Magnusson, television presenter, writer
• Magnus Scheving, writer, actor, athlete, creator of LazyTown
• Markus Orn Antonsson, director general of the National Broadcasting Service
• Mugison, composer, musician
• Olafur Johann Olafsson, writer
• Orvar Thoreyjarson Smarason, poet, writer, musician
• Ragnheidur Grondal, musician
• Sjon, poet
• Snorri Hjartarson, poet
• Snorri Sturluson, historian, poet
• Steinunn Sigurdardottir, writer, poet
• Stephan G. Stephansson, Western Icelander, poet
• Thorarinn Eldjarn, writer, poet
• Thorbergur Thordarson, writer, poet
• Thorkell Atlason, composer
• Tomas Gudmundsson, poet
• Unnur Birna Vilhjalmsdottir, Miss World 2005
• Vigdis Grimsdottir, writer
• Viktor Arnar Ingolfsson, writer

Business

• Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, billionaire businessman,father of Thor Bjorgolfsson (above)
• Bjorgolfur Thor Bjorgolfsson, billionaire businessman
• Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson
• Jon Asgeir Johannesson - billionaire and founder of the Bonus supermarket and the Baugur Group
• Magnus Thorsteinsson

History of Iceland

• Ari Thorgilsson, priest and author of Íslendingabok, a historical work
• Eirik the Red, (Eirikr raudi) Named Greenland
• Freydis Eiriksdottir
• Gudmundur Arason
• Gudridr Thorbjarnardottir, explorer
• Ísleifur Gissurarson
• Kolbeinn Tumason
• Leifr Eiriksson (Leifur Eiriksson), discovered America in the year 1000 and named it Vinland (Land of Wine)
• Loftur Saemundsson, priest and chieftain at Oddi
• Snorri Sturluson
• Thora Magnusdottir, born 1100 in Norway, daughter of Magnus III of Norway, a direct descendant of Harald Fairhair the first Norwegian King. Thora Magnusdottir married an Icelander and moved to Iceland.
• Thorfinnr Karlsefni
• Thorvaldr Eriksson
• Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Western Icelander, arctic explorer

Politics

• Albert Gudmundsson, former minister
• Arni Sigfusson, politician
• Asgeir Asgeirsson, former president
• Bjorn Bjarnason, minister of justice and ecclesiastical affairs
• David Oddsson, former prime minister and mayor of Reykjavik
• Geir H. Haarde, current prime minister, former foreign minister
• Halldor Asgrimsson, former prime minister
• Halldor Blondal, former minister
• Hannes Hafstein, first prime minister
• Hannibal Valdimarsson, chairman of two parties and one electoral alliance,
• Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson, former foreign minister, ambassador
• Jon Loftsson, chieftain and politician
• Jon Sigurdsson, independence leader
• Kristjan Eldjarn, former president
• Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, current president
• Steingrimur Hermannsson, former prime minister
• Sveinn Bjornsson, first president
• Thorsteinn Palsson, former prime minister
• Vigdis Finnbogadottir, former president, first elected female head of state

Scholarship and Academia

• Agnar Helgason, PhD, anthropologist
• Ari Thorgilsson, documentarian, chronicler
• Arni Magnusson, documentarian
• Asgeir Helgason, PhD, psychologist, public health scientist
• Gisli Gudjonsson, Professor of Forensic Psychology
• Gisli Palsson, PhD, anthropologist
• Hannes Holmsteinn Gissurarson, PhD, political scientist
• Helgi Valdimarsson, MD, immunologist
• Kari Stefansson, MD, founder of deCODE genetics
• Margret Hermanns Audardottir, PhD, archaeologist
• Niels Finsen, physician, Nobel Prize winner (Icelandic parents)
• Pall Skulason, PhD, philosopher, former Rector of the University of Iceland
• Sigurdur Nordal, PhD, philosopher
• Sigurdur Thorarinsson, PhD, geologist, volcanologist, professor
• Snorri Sturluson, documentarian, writer
• Thor Whitehead, historian
• Thorsteinn Gylfason, philosopher
• Vilhjalmur Arnason, PhD, philosopher

Sports

• Albert Gudmundsson, first professional footballer
• Asgeir Sigurvinsson, former professional footballer
• Bobby Fischer, former world chess champion, granted Icelandic citizenship on 21 March 2005.
• Eidur Smari Gudjohnsen, professional footballer, currently at Barcelona
• Fridrik Olafsson, chess Grandmaster
• Heidar Helguson, professional footballer, currently at Bolton
• Hermann Hreidarsson, professional footballer, currently at Portsmouth
• Ivar Ingimarsson, professional footballer, currently at Reading
• Joey Gudjonsson, Professional football, currently at Burnley FC
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson, four-time winner of World's Strongest Man
• Magnus Ver Magnusson, four-time winner of World's Strongest Man
• Vala Flosadottir, pole vaulter