A Brief History of Icelandic Emigration

The old Icelandic Sagas tell the tale of men and women who sailed to the continent of North America in the beginning of the eleventh century in an attempt to settle new lands. One of these expeditions was led by Þorfinnur Karlsefni and his wife Gudridur Þorbjarnardóttir. Their son was the first European to be born in America and his name was Snorri. The Icelandic colony only lasted for a few years in the areas now known as the Maritimes of Canada, and the New England States in the USA. When the colony collapsed, Snorri and his parents sailed back to Iceland where they settled in Skagafjörður, in Northern Iceland.
Statue in Iceland of Gudridur and her young son Snorri
Statue of Gudridur and her son Snorri, located in Skagafjörður, Iceland. (Photo courtesy of Icelandic Roots).
The next Icelandic attempt to settle in the North America was more successful. During the 19th century several waves of emigrants left Iceland. The first wave went to Utah during the 1850s. Larger scale organized emigration started in the 1870s, mainly to Canada, North Dakota and Minnesota. Almost a quarter of the entire population of Iceland emigrated between 1870 and 1914. ​
Image of an exhibit at Hofsós
Emigration Exhibit, Vesturfarasetrið, Hofsós, Iceland
​It is part of human nature to seek where you come from and many people of Icelandic origin would like to know more about the country of their ancestors. This is why the Nordic Association of Iceland, in cooperation with the Icelandic National League of Iceland, created the Snorri Program in 1999. To learn more about the history of the program, browse the “20 Years of Snorri” magazine online here
There are now three established programs: The Snorri Program, Snorri West, and Snorri Plus. Everyone who has participated in these programs has left Iceland with good memories about the land of their ancestors. Some of them have returned with other family members and some have decided to live in Iceland to study Icelandic. 

To learn more about the emigration history and the Icelandic settlements in North America, visit the Icelandic Roots websitewww.icelandicroots.com.