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
 * Arnor Sighvatsson, economist

Architects

 * Guðjón Samúelsson
 * Guðmundur Jónsson
 * Halldóra Briem
 * Högna Sigurðardóttir

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, former director of RÚV, a member of the Icelandic parliament
 * Ragnar Bragason, director
 * Stefán Karl Stefánsson, actor
 * Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir, actress and former Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Iceland
 * Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson, actor
 * Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, poet, writer, musician

Music

 * Anna Mjöll, singer-songwriter
 * Arndís Halla (born 1969), opera singer, songwriter and entertainer
 * Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, more commonly known as Silvía Nótt, singer, actress, and TV personality
 * Ásgeir Trausti, singer-songwriter
 * Bára Gísladóttir (born 1989), musician and composer
 * Björgvin Halldórsson, singer
 * Björk Guðmundsdóttir, singer-songwriter more commonly known as Björk
 * Bragi Ólafsson, musician
 * Diddú (Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir), soprano and songwriter
 * Emilíana Torrini, singer-songwriter
 * Einar Örn Benediktsson, musician
 * Eiríkur Hauksson, musician
 * Gabríel Ólafs, composer
 * Garðar Thór Cortes, tenor
 * Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir, singer, violinist
 * Gísli Magnússon, pianist
 * Gunnsteinn Ólafsson, musician, composer
 * Hafdís Bjarnadóttir (born 1977), composer and musician
 * Hafdís Huld, singer
 * Haukur Tómasson, composer
 * Hildur Guðnadóttir, musician and composer, first solo woman to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
 * 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 (born 1958), composer, professor
 * Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir, musician
 * 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
 * Árstíðir
 * Bang Gang
 * Changer
 * Cynic Guru
 * Dikta
 * FM Belfast
 * GusGus
 * Kaleo
 * HAM
 * Hatari
 * Mammút
 * Mezzoforte
 * Mínus
 * Mugison
 * múm
 * Nylon
 * Of Monsters and Men
 * Quarashi
 * Samaris
 * Seabear
 * Sigur Rós
 * Singapore Sling
 * Skálmöld
 * Ske
 * Sólstafir
 * The Sugarcubes
 * Trúbrot
 * Voces Thules

Painters and visual artists

 * Kristleifur Björnsson
 * Einar Hákonarson
 * Erró
 * Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval

Photographers

 * Ragnar Axelsson
 * Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson

Sculptors

 * Ásmundur Sveinsson
 * Bertel Thorvaldsen
 * Einar Jónsson
 * Gunnfríður Jónsdóttir
 * Nína Sæmundsson
 * 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
 * Björn Sveinsson Björnsson, first born son of Sveinn Björnsson, and an Waffen-SS volunteer
 * Egill Skallagrímsson, Viking skald
 * Eiríkur rauði, (e. Eirík the 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
 * Solveig Guðmundsdóttir, heir and landlord
 * Snorri Sturluson
 * Þorfinnur "Karlsefni" Þórðarson
 * Þorleifur Skaftason, priest and Galdrmaster
 * 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

 * Albert Guðmundsson, former minister
 * Árni Sigfússon, politician
 * Ásgeir Ásgeirsson, former president
 * Bergdis Ellertsdóttir, ambassador
 * 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
 * Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson, current president
 * Halldór Ásgrímsson, former prime minister
 * Halldór Blöndal, former minister
 * Hannes Hafstein, first prime minister
 * Hannibal Valdimarsson, chairman of two parties and one electoral alliance
 * Hulda Jakobsdóttir (1911–1998), Iceland's first woman mayor
 * 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
 * Katrín Jakobsdóttir, current Prime minister
 * Katrín Magnússon (1858–1932), early Reykjavik municipal councillor and women's rights activist
 * Kristján Eldjárn, former president
 * Markús Örn Antonsson, former mayor of Reykjavík and former director of RÚV
 * Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, former president
 * Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, former 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, anthropologist
 * Ari Brynjolfsson, physicist
 * Ari Þorgilsson, documentarian, chronicler
 * Ari Trausti Guðmundsson, geologist, explorer, documentarian
 * Árni Magnússon, documentarian
 * Ásgeir Helgason, psychologist, public health scientist
 * Auður Eir Vilhjálmsdóttir, first female priest
 * Eiríkur Magnússon, librarian and lecturer at Cambridge University, co-translator with William Morris
 * Gauti Eggertsson, economist at Brown University
 * Gisli Gudjonsson, professor of forensic psychology
 * Gísli Pálsson, anthropologist
 * Guðbrandur Vigfússon, lexicographer, editor, and lecturer at Oxford University
 * Guðmundur Eiríksson, judge and law professor
 * Hannes Hólmsteinn Gissurarson, political scientist
 * Helgi Valdimarsson, immunologist
 * Jón Steinsson, economist at University of California, Berkeley
 * Hjörtur Þórðarson, inventor
 * Kári Stefánsson, founder of deCODE genetics
 * Leifur Magnusson, Icelandic-American economist, U.S. Representative to the International Labour Organization
 * Magnús Eiríksson, theologian
 * Marga Ingeborg Thome, nursing professor
 * Margrét Hermanns-Auðardóttir, archaeologist
 * Niels Finsen, physician, Nobel Prize winner (Icelandic parents)
 * Ólafía Einarsdóttir, archaeologist
 * Páll Skúlason, philosopher, former Rector of the University of Iceland
 * Reynir Böðvarsson, seismologist
 * Sigurdur Helgason, mathematician
 * Sigurður Nordal, philosopher
 * Sigurður Þórarinsson, geologist, volcanologist, professor
 * Snorri Sturluson, documentarian, writer
 * Stefán Einarsson, linguist and literary historian
 * Vilhjálmur Árnason, philosopher
 * Þór Whitehead, historian
 * Þorsteinn Gylfason, philosopher

Football (Soccer)

 * Rúrik Gíslason, professional footballer, currently at SV Sandhausen
 * Albert Guðmundsson, first Icelandic professional footballer, played for Valur, Rangers, A.C. Milan, Arsenal and FC Nancy.
 * Arnór Guðjohnsen, former professional footballer, father of Eiður Guðjohnsen
 * Aron Gunnarsson, professional footballer, currently at Cardiff City FC
 * Ásgeir Sigurvinsson, former professional footballer
 * Birkir Bjarnason, professional footballer, currently at Aston Villa F.C.
 * Eggert Jónsson, professional footballer, currently at Wolverhampton Wanderers
 * Eiður Smári Guðjohnsen, professional footballer, top scorer for Icelandic national team
 * Emil Hallfreðsson, professional footballer, currently at Udinese Calcio
 * 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 Everton F.C.
 * Heiðar Helguson, professional footballer, currently at Cardiff City FC
 * Heimir Hallgrímsson, manager of the Iceland national football team, also a football player and dentist
 * Hermann Hreiðarsson, professional footballer, currently at ÍBV
 * Ívar Ingimarsson, former professional footballer
 * Jóhannes Karl Guðjónsson, professional footballer, currently at Knattspyrnufélag ÍA
 * Teitur Thordarson, former professional footballer

Chess

 * 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.
 * Aron Pálmarsson, handball player who plays for FC Barcelona Handbol
 * Guðjón Valur Sigurðsson, handball player who plays for Paris Saint-Germain Handball 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, Raw Deadlift world record holder
 * Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, 2018 World's Strongest Man 3 x Arnold Strongman Classic Champion and Deadlift world record holder
 * Jón Páll Sigmarsson, 4 x World's Strongest Man
 * Magnús Magnússon
 * Magnús Ver Magnússon, 4 x World's Strongest Man
 * Stefán Sölvi Pétursson, World's Strongest Man Finalist

Others

 * Anníe Þórisdóttir, back-to-back CrossFit Games winner (2011, 2012)
 * Einar Ragnarsson Kvaran, engineer, teacher, genealogist and writer
 * Fiann Paul, fastest ocean rower, most record breaking explorer, most Guinness World Records decorated athlete
 * Guðrún Erlendsdóttir (1936–2013), first woman to become a judge of the Supreme Court of Iceland
 * Gunnar Nelson, MMA fighter
 * Halldór Helgason, snowboarder
 * Katrín Davíðsdóttir, back-to-back CrossFit Games winner (2015, 2016)
 * Kristján Einar Kristjánsson, racing driver, currently racing in British formula 3
 * Sara Sigmundsdóttir, CrossFit Games athlete
 * Sigurlína Ingvarsdóttir (born 1978), video games producer
 * Þórunn Jónassen (1850–1922), first chair of Thorvaldsensfélagið and early Reykjavik city councillor
 * Vala Flosadóttir, pole vaulter
 * Vilhelmína Lever (1802–1879), shopkeeper who voted in municipal elections in 1863 and 1866 before women such as her were officially given voting rights