**Never Miss a Blog Post: Subscribe to Icelandic Roots!**

Are you eager to stay informed about all things Icelandic? Look no further than the Icelandic Roots newsletter! Our dedicated team of authors and guest writers brings you insightful and engaging content on various topics related to Icelandic culture, history, travel, famous people, language, genealogy, and upcoming events.

Subscribe Today!

Halldóra Guðmundsdóttir, an Icelandic immigrant who was a midwife and caregiver in Duluth Minnesota.

By Rob Olason On the April 20, 2026, Samtal Hour, participants learned the latest updates to the Icelandic Rootshús project from Sunna Furstenau, the visionary force behind this ambitious venture. Ambitious? Really? Most definitely. First, a little backstory. Icelandic Roots, the organization Furstenau championed for over a decade, began as a non-profit online Icelandic genealogy database on November 12, 2013. Building on the database nurtured for decades by Halfdan Helgaso

By Shaune Jonasson Keeping with the 2026 theme of settlements in North America, we close April with offering you a driving tour to the Icelandic sites in Nova Scotia. The communities settled were short-lived; however, some families did remain. Their descendants have lived there since the 1880s. With a keen interest in the history of the Icelandic communities, a group of dedicated individuals created The Icelandic Memorial Society of Nova Scotia, which was incorporated on July

The goal for many Icelandic emigrants to Canada was to get to Gimli, Manitoba and join those who left before them. The plan was to establish Nýja Ísland , where the immigrants could be close to friends and family, and preserve their culture, traditions, and language. However, the first Icelanders to Canada settled in Ontario. In The Icelanders of Kinmount, Don Gislason referred to it as an “experiment in settlement” because it largely failed. Only a few families chose to s

By Shaune Jonasson This book review presents The Young Icelander – The story of an immigrant in Nova Scotia and Manitoba . A classic in Iceland that has been translated and published in English, offering insight to the challenges of emigration and settling in a foreign land. The emigrants are resilient. Their spirit, motivated by hope and determination, molds their greatest desire of creating a better life for their families. In 1899, Jóhann Magnús Bjarnason wrote the story

by Becky Byerly-Adams Wisconsin was the chosen settlement area for many Icelandic emigrant families in the 1870s. Becky provides background and insights from the areas of Milwaukee and Shawano. These settlements were not without challenges; many relocated while others remained. Their preservation of Icelandic life and culture remains their legacy. We still celebrate them today. Wisconsin Map 1866. Image sourced from Maps of the Past MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN Milwaukee, Wisconsi

By Jason Doctor Public Webinar on Friday, 27 March 2026 : INDIGENOUS AND ICELANDIC INTERACTIONS AT THE EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS Our Icelandic Roots Host, Jason Doctor, welcomes guest Hildur Sigurbergsdóttir, historian and Snorri West alum. We will be discussing the complex story of the encounters between the Icelandic settlers and the existing Indigenous populations as part of an extended celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of New Iceland and Minneota.

A part of the Icelandic Roots Settlement theme of 2026 is exploring the areas where our ancestors arrived and settled in North America. The Washington Island community received its first Icelandic settlers in 1870. Descendants of those settlers are still there today. Have a look around... Washington Island and neighbouring Rock Island to the northeast are where many Scandinavians settled and raised their families upon arrival to North America in the 19 th century. The Icel

For nearly a decade, a small team of dedicated genealogists within Icelandic Roots has meticulously researched an array of sources to paint a more accurate picture of the Icelandic Emigration Story between 1850 and 1914. This research has included documenting who left, when they left (and if they stayed), why they left, and how they made the journey. The Camoens, one of the many ships Icelanders took on their journey to North America. Accessed 2/26/2026 from Icelandic Roots

Icelandic Roots newsletter theme for 2026 is the emigration to North America and the settlements there. Some are still active settlements, while others have since been abandoned. Washington Island is a settlement from 1870 that remains strong today. In the mid-1800s, Icelanders began to emigrate to America. Many hardships in Iceland contributed to its people searching for a better life, for them and their family. Emigration proved to be the answer for some. Stories of settl

By Phyllis Smith Icelandic Roots newsletter theme for 2026 is the emigration and settling of American settlements, including those that went to Brazil in the early years. Most people with ancestors who left Iceland have connections with various communities in the USA and Canada. However, a tiny group of Icelanders headed to Brazil in 1863, followed by another small group in 1873. A Reddit thread poster asked for information in the Brazil subreddit regarding the Icelanders in

Book review of The Icelandic Emigration Journey

By Shaune Jonasson Some ancestral stories of the crossings were captured in family diaries, a real treasure to possess today. Despite any trepidation to leave their homes and families, most believed in a better life ahead. They were resolute. We are here as a testament to their hope. When our Icelandic ancestors left their homeland bound for North America, many unknowns lay ahead of them. The reasons for emigrating are many and we’ve heard or read the accounts of life in Ic

By Phyllis Smith Many of us are immigrants—not personally—but through our ancestors. It is because they left Iceland that we’re here today. By telling their stories, we uncover themes of resilience, determination, strength, and even suffering. Unless we knew our immigrant ancestors personally, we must trace their journeys through records and research. Our family lore can add colour and context, but it may not be enough to answer every question. I never knew my Icelandic i

by Doreen Borgford McFarlane This is an excerpt from a yet unpublished book Leirarskotta by Doreen Borgfjord McFarlane. Author's Note: This book that I wrote tells the story of an Icelandic girl ghost who, according to Icelandic records, lived and followed the Borgfjord family for no less than eight generations. I learned about her quite accidentally around 2015 by reading a lecture on "Icelandic Immigrant Ghosts" that was delivered at the University of Victoria, B.C. in 200

Two busloads of IR volunteers and members have just returned from Iceland as we traveled for twelve unforgettable days of heritage,...

by Anne Brydon Department of Anthropology McGill University, Montreal, Quebec ** Reprinted from Icelandic Canadian v.48 n.2 Winter...

by Anne Brydon Department of Anthropology McGill University, Montreal, Quebec ** Reprinted from Icelandic Canadian v.48 n.2 Winter...

by Anne Brydon Department of Anthropology McGill University, Montreal, Quebec ** Reprinted from Icelandic Canadian v.48 n.2 Winter...

Here are ten suggestions on how to do genealogical research. Even experienced genealogists might find these tips worthwhile. Plus, we've...