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Jun 22
9 min

Interesting Icelander for June: Geirmund "Heljarskinns" Hjörsson

by Alfreda Duffy Landnámabók (The Book of Settlements) describes Geirmund as “the noblest of all settlers.” According to my Google search...

Mar 22
3 min

Roots Tips Recap - March 2024

by Shaune Jonasson The most recent Roots Tips was an informative session with Dave Jónasson, IT specialist and the creator of a new...

Feb 3
3 min

Roots Tips...What You Didn't Know You Didn't Know

by Shaune Jonasson Are you stumbling with working through the Icelandic Roots database? Having difficulty with searching for an ancestor?...

Jan 20
8 min

Infant Mortality in Iceland

By Susan Huff As I studied my Icelandic family history, I noticed families where many of the children died in infancy. I made some...

Nov 24, 2023
2 min

Introducing Peanut Butter and Pandemonium

This new book written by Anita Daher, Peanut Butter and Pandemonium, a second book following Peanut Butter and Chaos, we read about Sam's...

Nov 11, 2023
3 min

Do You Care About Your Icelandic Heritage?

Yes. Of course, you care about your Icelandic heritage. That is why you are reading this! Ten years ago, on November 12, 2013, Icelandic...

Oct 29, 2023
5 min

1887 Icelandic Emigrants

by Willie Engelson As Willie is researching an 1887 travel journal that tells of his great grandparents and their journey to Washington...

Oct 15, 2023
4 min

October's Interesting Icelander:

Agnes Magnúsdóttir 27 October 1795 – 12 January 1830 October’s interesting Icelander is a gruesome tale of love, greed, jealousy,...

Oct 15, 2023
3 min

Three Western Icelandic Organizations Join Hands For an Online Event

IR Webinar hosted by INLNA and INLUS The Icelandic Roots Database is the subject of a joint Icelandic National League of North America...

Sep 1, 2023
6 min

A Sharp and Veery Steep Learning Curve - Surviving the Early Years of Icelandic Roots

By Rob Olason While it seemed to Sunna Furstenau that launching Icelandic Roots took a great effort and years to achieve, her real task...

Sep 1, 2023
5 min

Reflections at Brimnes, Emigration Center Stories, Bill Holm’s Legacy, and Icelandic Adventures

By Jack Plumley The following is a story about my adventures returning to Iceland for the Snorri Internship. This is shared in addition...

Aug 6, 2023
4 min

787,642 People Later...

By Rob Olason Icelandic Roots Celebrates its tenth anniversary on November 12, 2023. The organization received its non-profit...

Jul 23, 2023
3 min

July's Interesting Icelander

The Interesting Icelander series is profiling a most important man in the establishment of New Iceland. Meet Ólafur Ólafsson, the man who...

Jul 23, 2023
1 min

Reminiscences of an Immigrant Girl

By Dagbjört Vopnfjord Editor's Note: This article gives a first-hand account of the early pioneer days in Manitoba, Canada. The author,...

Jul 23, 2023
2 min

Torment and Triumph in the Nineteen Twenties

The story of Laura Goodman Salverson (IR# I22876736) as performed by Karen Gummo By Beth Finnson This was by far my favorite session at...

Jul 8, 2023
8 min

Sarah's Story - Crazed by the Klondike

A new to Icelandic Roots member delved into the IR database and was surprised at the breadth of knowledge contained therein. What she...

Jun 25, 2023
2 min

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...

May 27, 2023
5 min

Finding Military Service Records

By Christal Speer with additional information from Susan Huff and Rus Magnusson Each day, many Icelandic Roots volunteers are busy...

May 27, 2023
1 min

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, 2023
2 min

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....