Icelandic Canadian
Encyclopedia
Canada
has the largest ethnic Icelandic population outside Iceland
, with about 88,875 people of Icelandic descent as of the Canada 2006 Census
. Many Icelandic Canadians are descendants of people who fled an eruption of the Icelandic volcano Askja
in 1875.
The history between Icelanders
and North America
dates back approximately one thousand years. The very first Europeans to reach North America were in fact Icelandic Norsemen
, who made at least one major effort at settlement in what is today the Canadian province of Newfoundland (L'Anse aux Meadows
) around 1009 AD. Snorri Þorfinnsson
, the son of Þorfinnr Karlsefni and his wife Guðríðr, is the first European known to have been born in the New World
. In 1875, over 200 Icelanders immigrated to Manitoba establishing the New Iceland colony along the west shore of Lake Winnipeg
, this is the first part of a large wave of immigrants that settled on the Canadian parries.
Settlements in Canada which are notably Icelandic by foundation or ethnicity:
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
has the largest ethnic Icelandic population outside Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, with about 88,875 people of Icelandic descent as of the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
. Many Icelandic Canadians are descendants of people who fled an eruption of the Icelandic volcano Askja
Askja
Askja is a stratovolcano situated in a remote part of the central highlands of Iceland. The name Askja refers to a complex of nested calderas within the surrounding Dyngjufjöll mountains, which rise to , askja meaning box or caldera in Icelandic-Location:The region is only accessible for a few...
in 1875.
The history between Icelanders
Icelanders
Icelanders are a Scandinavian ethnic group and a nation, native to Iceland.On 17 June 1944, when an Icelandic republic was founded the Icelanders became independent from the Danish monarchy. The language spoken is Icelandic, a North Germanic language, and Lutheranism is the predominant religion...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
dates back approximately one thousand years. The very first Europeans to reach North America were in fact Icelandic Norsemen
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
, who made at least one major effort at settlement in what is today the Canadian province of Newfoundland (L'Anse aux Meadows
L'Anse aux Meadows
L'Anse aux Meadows is an archaeological site on the northernmost tip of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Discovered in 1960, it is the only known site of a Norse or Viking village in Canada, and in North America outside of Greenland...
) around 1009 AD. Snorri Þorfinnsson
Snorri Þorfinnsson
Snorri Thorfinnsson was the son of the explorer Þorfinnr Karlsefni and Guðríðr Eiríksdóttir...
, the son of Þorfinnr Karlsefni and his wife Guðríðr, is the first European known to have been born in the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
. In 1875, over 200 Icelanders immigrated to Manitoba establishing the New Iceland colony along the west shore of Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
, this is the first part of a large wave of immigrants that settled on the Canadian parries.
Icelandic population in Canada
The provinces with the most reported Icelandic-Canadians in 2006 are:- ManitobaManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
: 30,555 - British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
: 22,115 - AlbertaAlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
: 16,870 - OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
: 11,140 - SaskatchewanSaskatchewanSaskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
: 6,445
Communities
- Markerville, AlbertaMarkerville, AlbertaMarkerville is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Red Deer County. It is located north of Highway 54, approximately southwest of Red Deer.- References :...
- Arborg, ManitobaArborg, ManitobaArborg is a town located in the Rural Municipality of Bifrost in Manitoba's Interlake Region, 103 kilometres north of Winnipeg.The picturesque setting along the Icelandic River was first settled more than 100 years ago...
- Baldur, ManitobaBaldur, ManitobaBaldur is a village in the Canadian province of Manitoba, located in the Rural Municipality of Argyle. Baldur is the largest community of the municipality, which is in southwestern Manitoba between Brandon and Portage la Prairie.-History:...
- Elfros, SaskatchewanElfros, SaskatchewanElfros is a village in Saskatchewan, Canada, within Elfros RM 307. Elfros was first settled by Icelandic immigrants, and 23.95% of the present inhabitants are of Icelandic descent. As of the the population is 110....
- Erickson, ManitobaErickson, ManitobaErickson is a town in the Rural Municipality of Clanwilliam in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is located on Highway 10 on 32-17-18W in south central Manitoba. The main industry of Erickson is agriculture....
- Gimli, ManitobaGimli, ManitobaGimli is a a rural municipality located in the Interlake region of south-central Manitoba, Canada, on the western shore of Lake Winnipeg. It is about north of the provincial capital Winnipeg...
- Glenboro, ManitobaGlenboro, ManitobaGlenboro is a village in Manitoba, Canada, located about 80 km southeast of the city of Brandon. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of South Cypress. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 656...
- Lakeview, ManitobaLakeview, ManitobaLakeview is a rural municipality located on the west shore of Lake Manitoba in Manitoba, Canada.The first immigrants to this area were from Iceland. Lakeview was incorporated as a Rural Municipality in 1920. The first Council included: Magnus Peterson, G.W.Langdon, Jas. M. Birnie, John Arksey, Alf...
- Lundar, ManitobaLundar, ManitobaLundar is a community situated in Manitoba, Canada. It is located in the Rural Municipality of Coldwell, in Manitoba's Interlake Region , 99KM north of Winnipeg on Hwy 6. Nearby attractions are Lake Manitoba and the Lundar Provincial Park. Lundar is home to a Canada Goose refuge, beaches. Lundar...
- Morden, ManitobaMorden, ManitobaMorden is a small town with a population of 6571 located in the Pembina Valley region of southern Manitoba, Canada. Morden is less than ten minutes west of neighbouring Winkler, and a relatively short distance to Pembina Valley Provincial Park...
- New IcelandNew IcelandNew Iceland is the name of a region on Lake Winnipeg in the Canadian province Manitoba which was named for settlers from Iceland. It was settled in 1875.- Background :...
- Riverton, ManitobaRiverton, ManitobaRiverton is a village in the province of Manitoba in Canada located approximately 110 kilometres north of Winnipeg. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Bifrost. The CPR's train conductor is reputed to have named the town....
- Reykjavik, ManitobaReykjavik, ManitobaReykjavik, located in the Rural Municipality of Alonsa, Manitoba, Canada, was founded in 1884 by Gunnlaugur "Góði" Úlfsson. He and his companion, Örn "Eagle" Arnaldsson fled their native Iceland after escaping police custody, after having been arrested for murder. They settled with their families...
- Wynyard, SaskatchewanWynyard, Saskatchewan-Climate:-Sites of interest:Frank Cameron Museum provides local historical artifacts as well as tourism information and is located in Wynyard. Wynyard Regional Park is the local camping site and is 2 km or 1 mi from Wynyard. Wynyard is located just to the south of Big Quill Lake which is the...
List of Icelandic-Canadians
- David ArnasonDavid ArnasonDavid Arnason is a Canadian author and poet who lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with his partner Mhari Mackintosh.-Life:...
, writer - Paul BardalPaul BardalPaul Bardal was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as a Liberal-Progressive MLA from 1941 to 1945, and again from 1949 to 1953....
- Walter ByronWalter ByronCompetitor for CanadaWalter Jacob Byron was a Canadian ice hockey player of Icelandic and English decent, who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics....
- Konnie JohannessonKonrad JohannessonKonrad Jonasson "Konnie" Johannesson was a Canadian ice hockey player of icelandic decent, who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Glenboro, Manitoba....
- Tom CochraneTom CochraneTom Cochrane, OC Canadian musician and humanitarian, best known for his hit songs "Life Is a Highway", "Lunatic Fringe", "Human Race" and "I Wish You Well". Cochrane fronted the Canadian rock band Red Rider and has won seven Juno Awards...
, musician - Sturla GunnarssonSturla GunnarssonSturla Gunnarsson is a Canadian film director.Gunnarsson was born in Iceland in 1951. He moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, with his parents when he was seven years old. As he grew up he became interested in filmmaking and went to the University of British Columbia where he completed...
, film director - Christian HalldorsonChristian HalldorsonChristian Halldorson was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as a Liberal-Progressive from 1945 until his death....
- Wally JohannsonWally JohannsonThorkell Wallace Johannson is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1969 to 1973....
- Doug BaldwinDoug BaldwinDouglas Colin Roy Baldwin was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman that enjoyed a 20-year hockey career which included NHL stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks...
- Donald K. JohnsonDonald K. JohnsonDonald K. Johnson, OC is a Canadian philanthropist who was born and raised in Lundar, Manitoba. He currently resides in Toronto, Ontario.Johnson received a BScEE from the University of Manitoba in 1957 and an MBA from the Ivey Business School in 1963...
- Haldor HaldersonHaldor HaldersonHarold "Slim" Halderson was a Canadian ice hockey player who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Winnipeg.Slim was the right wing for the Winnipeg Falcons, the Canadian team which won the gold medal...
Ice hockey player - Byron Johnson, former Premier of British Columbia
- Janis JohnsonJanis JohnsonJanis Gudrun Johnson is a Canadian Senator representing Manitoba.Born in Winnipeg, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1968 from the University of Manitoba. A public affairs consultant and writer, Johnson was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in 1990...
, politician - Guy MaddinGuy MaddinGuy Maddin, OM is a Canadian screenwriter, director, cinematographer and film editor of both features and short films from Winnipeg, Manitoba...
, film director - Philip PeturssonPhilip PeturssonPhilip Markus Petursson was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1966 to 1977, and briefly served as a cabinet minister in the government of Edward Schreyer.Petursson was educated at the University of Manitoba, the University...
- Frank FredricksonFrank FredricksonSigurður Franklin Fredrickson was a Canadian ice hockey centre who was significant to both the amateur and professional sport as it evolved in North America in the early 20th century...
- Magnus GoodmanMagnus GoodmanMagnus "Mike" Goodman was a Canadian swimmer, speed skater, and ice hockey player who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to icelandic Immigrants ....
- John K. SamsonJohn K. SamsonJohn Kristjan Samson is a musician from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is a singer-songwriter and currently the frontman of the Canadian folk punk band The Weakerthans...
, musician - Baldur StefanssonBaldur StefanssonBaldur Rosmund Stefansson, OC, OM was a Canadian agricultural scientist and as one of the originators of canola, becameknown as the "Father of Canola"....
- Vilhjalmur StefanssonVilhjalmur StefanssonVilhjalmur Stefansson was a Canadian Arctic explorer and ethnologist.-Early life:Stefansson, born William Stephenson, was born at Gimli, Manitoba, Canada, in 1879. His parents had emigrated from Iceland to Manitoba two years earlier...
- Stephan G. StephanssonStephan G. StephanssonStephan G. Stephansson was a Western Icelander, poet, and farmer. His original name was Stefán Guðmundur Guðmundsson....
, poet - William StephensonWilliam StephensonSir William Samuel Stephenson, CC, MC, DFC was a Canadian soldier, airman, businessman, inventor, spymaster, and the senior representative of British intelligence for the entire western hemisphere during World War II. He is best known by his wartime intelligence codename Intrepid...
, secret agent - Steinn O. ThompsonSteinn O. ThompsonSteinn Olafur Thompson was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as a Liberal-Progressive from 1945 to 1958....
- Paul ThorlaksonPaul ThorlaksonPaul Henrik Thorbjorn Thorlakson, CC was a Canadian physician and Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg....
- Torfhildur ÞorsteinsdóttirTorfhildur ÞorsteinsdóttirTorfhildur Þorsteinsdóttir was an Icelandic author, who lived for many years in Canada. She is regarded as perhaps the first Icelander to make a living as an author. She published her first short story in Framfari—the first Icelandic newspaper published in North America—in 1879...
- Gunnar ThorvaldsonGunnar ThorvaldsonGunnar Solmunder Thorvaldson, KC was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1941 to 1949, and in the Canadian Senate from 1958 until his death...
- Bjarni Tryggvason
- W. D. ValgardsonW. D. ValgardsonWilliam Dempsey Valgardson is a Canadian novelist, short story writer, and poet. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in Gimli, Manitoba, he completed his BA at United College, BEd at the University of Manitoba, and his MFA at the University of Iowa...
, writer