List of Icelanders

This is a list of famous 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

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

Authors

• Arnaldur Indriðason, writer
• Davíð Stefánsson, poet
• Einar Kárason, writer
• Einar Már Guðmundsson, writer
• Einar Benediktsson, writer, poet
• Einar Hjörleifsson Kvaran editor, novelist, poet, dramatist
• Guðmundur G. Hagalín, writer, poet
• Halldór Kiljan Laxness, writer, poet, Nobel Prize winner
• Hallgrímur Helgason, writer
• Jón Kalman Stefánsson, writer, poet
• Jón Thoroddsen, writer and/or poet
• Jónas Hallgrímsson, writer, poet
• Jóhannes úr Kötlum, writer, poet
• Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir, writer
• Magnús Magnússon, television presenter, writer
• Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson, writer
• Sjón, poet
• 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

• Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, best known as Silvía Nótt (Silvia Night), actress, singer, model, TV personality.
• Anita Briem, actress
• Baltasar Kormákur, film actor and film director
• Bjarni Gautur, filmmaker
• Friðrik Þór Friðriksson, film director
• Hilmir Snær Guðnason, film actor
• Hrafn Gunnlaugsson, film director
• Karl Júlíusson, film production designer/costume designer
• Magnús Magnússon, 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 director of RÚV
• Ólafur Hannesson, Icelandic television personality
• Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, radio announcer, actor
• Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, poet, writer, musician
• Ragnar Bragason, director
• Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir, actress and head of Reykjavík City Theater

Music

• Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, more commonly known as Silvía Nótt, singer, actress, and TV personalty
• Anna Mjöll singer and songwriter
• 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
• 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 Leifs, composer
• Jón Þór Birgisson, singer, guitarist
• Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir, pop singer (Yohanna)
• Kjartan Ólafsson, composer, professor
• Mugison, composer, musician
• Ólafur Arnalds, composer, musician
• Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, poet, writer, musician
• Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson (Paul Oscar), pop singer, songwriter and disc jockey
• Ragnheiður Gröndal, musician
• Sigurður Bragason, bariton singer and composer

Musical bands and groups

• Amiina
• Ampop
• Bang Gang
• Changer
• Cynic Guru
• Dikta
• FM Belfast
• GusGus
• HAM
• Mezzoforte
• Mínus
• Mugison
• múm
• Nylon
• Of Monsters and Men
• Ólafur Arnalds
• Quarashi
• Seabear
• Sigur Rós
• Singapore Sling
• Ske
• Sólstafir
• The Sugarcubes
• Trúbrot
• Voces Thules

Painters

• Einar Hákonarson
• Erró
• Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval

Photographers

• Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson

Sculptors

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

Miss World

• Hofi Karlsdottir, (Hólmfríður 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
• Eirík the Red, (Eiríkr rauði) Named Greenland
• Freydís Eiríksdóttir
• Guðmundur Arason
• Guðríðr Þorbjarnardóttir, explorer
• Ingólfur Arnarson
• Ísleifur Gissurarson
• Kolbeinn Tumason
• Leifr Eiríksson (Leifur Eiríksson), discovered America in the year 1000 and named it Vínland (Land of Wine)
• Loftur Sæmundsson, priest and chieftain at Oddi
• Snorri Sturluson
• Þorfinnr Karlsefni
• Þorvaldr Eríksson
• Vilhjalmur Stefansson, 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. Þora Magnusdottir 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, minister
• 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, current 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 director of RÚV
• Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, current president
• 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 Þorgilsson, documentarian, chronicler
• Árni Magnússon, documentarian
• Ásgeir Helgason, PhD, psychologist, public health scientist
• Eiríkr 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 Bödvarsson, PhD, seismologist
• Sigurdur Helgason, mathematician
• Sigurður Nordal, PhD, philosopher
• Sigurður Þórarinsson, PhD, geologist, volcanologist, professor
• Snorri Sturluson, documentarian, writer
• 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.
• Arnór Guðjohnsen, former professional footballer
• Aron Gunnarsson, professional footballer, currently at Cardiff City FC
• Ásgeir Sigurvinsson, former professional footballer
• 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
• Teitur Thordarson, former professional footballer
• Heiðar Helguson, professional footballer, currently at Q.P.R.
• Hermann Hreiðarsson, professional footballer, currently at Portsmouth
• Ívar Ingimarsson, professional footballer, currently at Ipswich Town F.C.
• Jóhannes Karl Guðjónsson, Professional footballer, currently at Knattspyrnufélag ÍA
• Gylfi Sigurðsson, Professional footballer, currently at Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
• Eggert Jónsson, Professional footballer, currently at Wolverhampton Wanderers

Chess champions

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

Handball

• Arnór Atlason, handball player who playes 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, current 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

• Kristján Einar Kristjánsson, racing driver, currently racing in British formula 3
• Gunnar Nelson, MMA fighter
• Halldór Helgason, Snowboarder
• Magnús Scheving, writer, actor, athlete, creator of LazyTown
• Vala Flosadóttir, pole vaulter