Cultural Production in
Present Day
Iceland
Iceland
Iceland ranks 67th in number of biographies on Pantheon, behind Paraguay, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Memorable people born in present day Iceland include Leif Erikson, Halldór Laxness, and Thorfinn Karlsefni. Memorable people who died in Iceland include Halldór Laxness, Bobby Fischer, and Snorri Sturluson. Iceland has been the birth place of many soccer players, and politicians and the death place of many politicians, and writers.
People
Between 0 and 2003, present day Iceland was the birth place of 227 globally memorable people, including Leif Erikson, Halldór Laxness, and Thorfinn Karlsefni. Additionaly, 55 globally memorable people have passed away in present day Iceland including Halldór Laxness, Bobby Fischer, and Snorri Sturluson.
People Born in Present Day Iceland
Go to all RankingsLeif Erikson
EXPLORER
970 - 1020
HPI: 88.25
Rank: 1
Halldór Laxness
WRITER
1902 - 1998
HPI: 78.54
Rank: 2
Thorfinn Karlsefni
EXPLORER
1000 - 1100
HPI: 76.44
Rank: 3
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
POLITICIAN
1930 - Present
HPI: 76.38
Rank: 4
Snorri Sturluson
WRITER
1179 - 1241
HPI: 76.37
Rank: 5
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
POLITICIAN
1942 - Present
HPI: 72.39
Rank: 6
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
POLITICIAN
1943 - Present
HPI: 71.02
Rank: 7
Ari Thorgilsson
PHILOSOPHER
1067 - 1148
HPI: 70.13
Rank: 8
Halla Margrét Árnadóttir
SINGER
1964 - Present
HPI: 69.34
Rank: 9
Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir
EXPLORER
1000 - 1100
HPI: 69.00
Rank: 10
Björk
MUSICIAN
1965 - Present
HPI: 68.97
Rank: 11
Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
POLITICIAN
1894 - 1972
HPI: 68.11
Rank: 12
Newly Added People Born in Present Day Iceland
Go to all RankingsHalla Tómasdóttir
POLITICIAN
1968 - Present
HPI: 62.17
Rank: 29
Ragnar Jónasson
WRITER
1976 - Present
HPI: 50.30
Rank: 105
Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir
POLITICIAN
1965 - Present
HPI: 48.67
Rank: 117
Sólveig Anspach
FILM DIRECTOR
1960 - 2015
HPI: 47.79
Rank: 123
Kristrún Frostadóttir
ECONOMIST
1988 - Present
HPI: 47.46
Rank: 127
Eyjólfur Sverrisson
SOCCER PLAYER
1968 - Present
HPI: 46.19
Rank: 135
Hólmfríður Karlsdóttir
CELEBRITY
1963 - Present
HPI: 46.00
Rank: 136
Benedikt Erlingsson
ACTOR
1969 - Present
HPI: 44.36
Rank: 144
Linda Pétursdóttir
BUSINESSPERSON
1969 - Present
HPI: 43.42
Rank: 149
Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir
ACTOR
1974 - Present
HPI: 43.19
Rank: 150
Dagur Sigurðsson
HANDBALL PLAYER
1973 - Present
HPI: 42.41
Rank: 157
Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson
SINGER
1969 - Present
HPI: 42.29
Rank: 160
People Deceased in Present Day Iceland
Go to all RankingsHalldór Laxness
WRITER
1902 - 1998
HPI: 78.54
Rank: 1
Bobby Fischer
CHESS PLAYER
1943 - 2008
HPI: 78.36
Rank: 2
Snorri Sturluson
WRITER
1179 - 1241
HPI: 76.37
Rank: 3
Ingólfr Arnarson
EXPLORER
850 - 910
HPI: 73.03
Rank: 4
Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
POLITICIAN
1894 - 1972
HPI: 68.11
Rank: 5
Sveinn Björnsson
POLITICIAN
1881 - 1952
HPI: 67.85
Rank: 6
Egill Skallagrímsson
WRITER
904 - 990
HPI: 66.74
Rank: 7
Halldór Ásgrímsson
POLITICIAN
1947 - 2015
HPI: 66.63
Rank: 8
Bjarni Benediktsson
POLITICIAN
1908 - 1970
HPI: 66.15
Rank: 9
Friðrik Ólafsson
CHESS PLAYER
1935 - 2025
HPI: 65.92
Rank: 10
Gunnar Gunnarsson
WRITER
1889 - 1975
HPI: 65.60
Rank: 11
Jean-Baptiste Charcot
EXPLORER
1867 - 1936
HPI: 62.95
Rank: 12
Occupations
Most individuals born in present day Iceland were soccer players (61), politicians (43), writers (27), singers (19), and handball players (13), while most who died were politicians (25), writers (14), explorers (3), religious figures (3), and chess players (2).
Occupational Trends
Over the past 100 years, soccer players have been the top profession of globally memorable people born in present day Iceland, including Eiður Guðjohnsen, Ásgeir Sigurvinsson, and Arnór Guðjohnsen. Whereas, throughout history, soccer players have been the profession with the most memorable people born in present day Iceland, including Eiður Guðjohnsen, Ásgeir Sigurvinsson, and Arnór Guðjohnsen.
Places
Overlapping Lives
Below is a visual represetation of the lifespans of the top 25 globally memorable people born in present day Iceland since 1700.

































