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Torfhildur Hólm
The story of Torfhildur Þorsteinsdóttir Hólm (2 February 1845- 14 November 1918) is the third in a three-series article of famous...
Jul 8, 20239 min read


Icelandic Writers Retreat
By Brian Borgford Who’s your daddy? Who’s your grampa? Better still, who’s your great-granddaddy? Icelandic Roots provides an...
Jul 8, 20233 min read


An Extraordinary Medieval Woman
A prominent woman from Iceland driven by doing right for her country, a true sprakkar. Read about this amazing woman, Ólöf “rika”...
Jun 25, 20234 min read


Interesting Icelander for June 2023
This month's interesting Icelander is on Jón Sigurðsson (I174907), a man highly revered for his efforts in leading Iceland to its...
Jun 25, 20232 min read


The Fishing Industry in Iceland
by Halldór Árnason Iceland is a country whose farming and fishing industries have led its economic growth for centuries. Halldór Árnason...
Jun 8, 20235 min read


2023 Scandinavian Festival Features Iceland!
Special Icelandic Events - Please share by Romayne Kilde, Nordic Culture Clubs Scandinavian Festival The Nordic Culture Clubs and the...
May 27, 20231 min read


The Icelandic Emigration Journey - From Turfhouses to Prairie Homesteads
Update: Find the associated book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/05YtoEMP Emigration from Iceland began much later than in other countries....
May 27, 20232 min read


Many IR Teammates Gather in Banff
Twenty-three Icelandic Roots volunteers and five family members are in Banff celebrating the Icelandic National League's Convention...
May 14, 20233 min read


The Failed Brazilian Emigration
By W. D. Valgardson It wasn’t just Icelanders who were enticed to Brazil. Michael Ewanchuk, in his book, Pioneer Profiles, says this “In...
Apr 30, 20235 min read


Interesting Icelanders
A monthly feature profiling an interesting person of Icelandic birth or ancestry found in the Icelandic Roots database. This is the first...
Apr 30, 20232 min read


Snorri Scholarships 2023
Introducing six Snorri scholarship recipients that will be travelling to Iceland this summer for a life-changing cultural experience....
Apr 30, 20233 min read


The Emigration Variations
INTERESTING EMIGRATION VARIATIONS By Dave Jonasson You may have already read articles about mass emigrations from Iceland during the...
Apr 16, 20234 min read


Discovering Your Past
Learning about and sharing our stories with Icelandic Roots By Shaune Jonasson Have you ever wondered what life was like back “when”?...
Apr 16, 20232 min read


Fond Memory of Our First Trip to Iceland
By Valdine (Scrymgeour) Hernes My husband, Sigfred (I640085), and I (I639986) have visited Iceland four times. On our first trip in July...
Mar 19, 20232 min read


The Icelandic Settlement of Spanish Fork, Utah Part II - The Icelandic Association of Utah
by Susan Bearnson Huff Many Icelanders lived near each other in Spanish Fork and gathered often both formally and informally. For the...
Mar 19, 20237 min read


Bréfin frá sólskinsbörnum (The letters from sunshine children)
An interview with scholar Christopher Crocker In June of 1916, the children’s newspaper Sólskin, a supplement to the weekly North...
Mar 5, 20235 min read


The Sólskin Children, a Reykjavík Hobo, and a Poem
By Ruth Cartwright Poem by Nelson S. Gerrard One hundred fifty letters from first, second, and third-generation Icelandic children living...
Mar 5, 20234 min read


Trying to Identify 13,000 Photos of Unknown People
By Rus Magnusson Over the years, Icelandic Roots has collected thousands of wonderful old photos submitted by our members. Over 13,000...
Feb 19, 20236 min read


Prophetic Dreams: A Curse or a Legacy
The Icelandic Roots Book Club for Thursday, March 2, 2023, will feature Prophetic Dreams: a Curse or a Legacy with author Alfreða...
Feb 19, 20233 min read


A Cherished Object
By Sverrir Sigurdsson As a young child, I loved tales of the Vikings: how they traveled abroad to seek fame and fortune, while those who...
Feb 5, 20232 min read
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