Stefan Arnason’s lineage on his father’s side
This is an edited and translated version of a lineage that Judith Fulford (née Arnason) got from the Íslendingabók (see glossary below). I’ve also combine this with information found in the Book of Settlements, the Sturlunga and Njall Sagas, and information on Geni. Please let me know if you spot any errors or other issues. (Jon)
The idea was to take Stefan Arnason’s direct patrilineal line back as far as it would go –– a line of fathers and sons with the names highlighted in red. I’ve also added dates of key events in Iceland’s history to try to put some of these lives into the context of the times they lived in.
1 Stefan Arnason (1882 – 1956)
Born: August 6, 1882. Died: December 17, 1956. Husband of Gudrun Sigurbjorg Arnason. In 1904 Stefan emigrated to Canada
Father of Olof Gudrun Steeves, Einar Arni Arnason, Herman Arnason, Marvin Skafti Arnason, Katrin Margret Morgan, Valgier Snorri Arnason, Evelyn Ingibjorg Arnason, Mildred Lillian Hooke, Stephan Arnason, Anna Sigridur McLeod, Helen Donovan and Norman Gisli Arnason
2 Árni Jónatansson (1840 – 1921)
Born: May 21, 1840 at Reykjadal. Died: January 19, 1921, Farmer at Þríhyrningi 1885–98 and Auðbrekku 1883–5 & from 1898 on. Husband of Gudrun Jonsdottir Father of Stefan Arnason, Valgier Sigurjon Arnason, Sigurbjorg Arnadottir, Gudrun Arnadottir, Hildur Sigrun Arnadottir, Jonaton Arnason, Anna Steinunn Arnadottir, Svanfridur Arnadottir, Snorri Jonsson Arnason, Hilmar Arnason, Sigrun Arnadottir and Ingolfur Arnason
Note: This is the ancestor the surname Arnason was derived from.
3 Jónatan Eiríksson (1817 – 1879)
Born: August 10, 1817 at Skriðulandi at Aðaldal, Died: May 17, 1879 at Sámstöðum at Öngulstaðahreppi Farmer at Bergsstöðum at Aðaldal. Husband of Guðrún Stefánsdóttir Father of Árni Jónatansson
[1875 – A tremendous eruption happened at Askja in Iceland's central highlands. The immense ash–fall that followed poisoned the land and killed livestock throughout the eastern part of Iceland. This triggered a substantial wave of emigration to North America.]
[1887 – peak of Icelandic émigration to North America. Two thousand people emigrated that year, approximately 3% of Iceland’s population. Displaced by the Mount Askja eruption, Stefan's wife's parents emigrated in 1886.]
4 Eiríkur Oddsson (1783 – 1856)
Born: July 11, 1783 at Þórðarstöðum at Fnjóskadal. Died: February 4, 1856 Farmer at Skriðulandi at Aðaldal. Husband of Ingunn Hrólfsdóttir Father of Jónatan Eiríksson
5 Oddur Oddsson (c. 1750 – ?)
Farmer at Steinkirkju at Fnjóskadal. Husband of Guðný Jónsdóttir Father of Margrét Oddsdóttir and Eiríkur Oddsson
[1703 – Under the direction Árni Magnússon, the first Icelandic census is taken. There were approximately 50,000 people living in Iceland. Note that the 2007 census has approximately 313,000 Icelanders living in Iceland.
1707 – Iceland’s worst smallpox epidemic – called Stóra Bóla (the Big Pox) – kills 1 in 4 Icelanders.
1783 – Mount Laki in SE Iceland erupts. It is the most catastrophic volcanic event in Iceland’s history. During the three– year period that followed (called the Haze or Mist Famine), the sulphur dioxide and smoke that was released killed much of Iceland's vegetation and caused the death of 3/4 of its farm animals and 1/4 of its population (about 12,000 people) By 1786, Iceland’s population is 39,000, the lowest level since the beginnings of settlement.]
6 Oddur "eldri" Björnsson (1693 – ?)
Farmer at Steinkirkju at Fjóskadal. Husband of Björg Nikulásdóttir (1714–1806) Father of Oddur Oddsson
7 Björn Jónsson (1663 – ?)
Farmer at Syðri–Tjörnum, Öngulstaðahreppi 1703. Husband of Þórunn Oddsdóttir, born1661, Lady of the house at Syðri–Tjörnum, Öngulstaðahreppi Father of Oddur Björnsson
8 Jón Guðmundsson (c. 1630 – ?)
Farmer at Syðri–Tjörnum. Husband of Kristín Egilsdóttir Father of Björn Jónsson
[1627 – Four Barbary pirate ships (i.e. from the Algerian and Moroccan coast) conducted several raids on Iceland’s coast. They took 400 Icelanders into captivity, and took them back to North Africa, where they were sold as slaves. To this day, the Icelanders call this incident “The Raid of the Turks.”]
9 Guðmundur "seki" Jónsson (c. 1600 – 1636)
Farmer at Grýtu at Eyjarfirði (beheaded) Husband of Katrín Magnúsdóttir, born circa 1601, Lady of the house at Grýtu at Eyjarfirði. Father of Jón Guðmundsson
[1564 – The Stóridómur laws are passed by the Althingi. Iceland had recently adopted Lutheranism, and these laws were enacted to reduce perceived moral licentiousness in the country. It did this by introducing harsher punishments – such as decapitation – for various moral crimes, e.g., incest and having children out of wedlock. Seki Jonsson’s 1636 beheading probably had something to do with these laws.]
10 Jón Halldórsson (c. 1550 – ?)1
Priest at Kaupangi and butler at Skálholti. Husband of Sigríður Jónsdóttir Father of Guðmundur "seki" Jónsson
11 Halldór Benediktsson (c. 1510 – c.1582)
Priest at Helgastaðir at Reykjadalur and at the monastery at Möðruvellir. Husband of Katrín (Born: c. 1530), Lady of the house at Helgustöðum Father of Benedikt 'ríki' Halldórsson , Kristín Halldórsdóttir, and Jón Halldórsson
[1530s – Danish king Christian II, needing money for warfare, offers to sell Iceland to England, but Henry VIII refuses to buy it.
1540 – Lutheran adherent Oddur Gottskálksson translates the New Testament into Icelandic. Printed and published in Denmark, it’s the first book ever printed in the Icelandic language.
1550 – Execution of last Catholic Bishop in Iceland. The Evangelical Lutheran Church is made the only legal church in Iceland. Basically, the Reformation has had a complete victory in Iceland.]
12 Benedikt Grímsson (c. 1485 – ?)
Sheriff and lawyer at Möðruvöllum Father of Halldór Benediktsson
13 Grímur Pálsson (1460 – 1526)
Sheriff and lawyer at Möðruvöllum. Husband of Helga Narfadóttir Father of Benedikt Grímsson, Ingibjörg Grímsdóttir, Þorleifur Grímsson, Sólveig Grímsdóttir, and Páll Grímsson
1 Jón Halldórsson, b. 1550, Priest in Kaupangur .... Einar Bjarnason strongly doubts that Jón in Kaupangur was the son of Reverend Halldór Benediktsson. This bears more research because it means a break in the patrilineal line. 14 Páll Brandsson (c. 1440 – 1494)
Sheriff at Vaðlaþingi Father of Grímur Pálsson, Benedikt Pálsson, and Bjarni Pálsson
15 Brandur Jónsson (c. 1410 – 1494)
Husband of Ónefnd Ónefndsdóttir (born: c. 1415), Lady of the house at Hofi at Höfðaströnd Father of Steinn Brandsson (1435 – 1494) and Páll Brandsson (1440 – 1494)
[1477 – Columbus travels to and visits Iceland on an English ship. He would certainly have heard about Vinland while he was there.
1494 – Second wave of Black Plaque strikes. It was called the svarti dauthi, black death, a translation of the Latin mors nigra. It’s almost as severe as the one in 1402 (see note below) but less is known about it. It looks like Brandur and his two sons might all have died from this epidemic.]
16 Jón "maríuskáld" Pálsson (c. 1390 – 1471)
Husband of Þórunn Finnbogadóttir Father of Brandur Jónsson and Finnbogi "Maríulausi" Jónsson
17 Páll Þorvarðsson (c. 1360 – 1403)
Lived at Eiðum at Múlasýslu Husband of Sesselja Þorsteinsdóttir (1350 – 1403) Father of Ingibjörg Pálsdóttir, Jón Pálsson, Ragnhildur Palsdottir, and Thorstein Pálson
[1397 – With the thrones of Norway, Sweden and Denmark now unified by marriage and with the king of Denmark (the richest of the 3 states) holding the majority of the power, Iceland is taken over by the king of Denmark. The Danes will govern Iceland until 1944, when it again becomes an independent republic.
1402 – bubonic plague arrives carried by a sailor. Over two years, it kills 30 to 60% of population. It looks like Páll and his wife Sesselja might both have died of this.]
18 Þorvarður Pálsson (c. 1300 – 1376)
Husband of Ragnhildur Karlsdóttir Father of Páll Þorvarðarson
19 Páll Oddsson (c. 1290 – 1350)
Father of Þorvarður Pálsson Note: “He is not found on the Íslendingabók, but he is mentioned in Íslenzkum Æviskrám [Iceland Progeny].”
20 Oddur Þorvarðsson (Died 1301)
Knight Father of Gróa Oddsdóttir and Páll Oddsson
21 Þorvarður Þórarinsson (c. 1228 – 1296)
Knight and Lawyer Born c. 1228 at Hof in Vopnafjörður Father of Oddur Þorvarðsson
From the Íslendingabók: “... a mythologist and knight. Lived at Hof in Vopnafjörður, at Grund, later at Keldar and in Arnarbæli. Got a farm at Grund in Eyjafjörður but was flooded from there because of the killing of Þorgils skarð, "moved east to the fjord, and never became a chief in Eyjafjörður" says Grund. He became the king's messenger and was a master.” Sources: Sturl., Grund 101, Bysk., Ann., AusturlIII, Esp.94, DI.I.187
[1262 – Icelandic aristocracy agrees to allow Iceland to be ruled by the king of Norway. This is probably an attempt to introduce stability in response to the lawlessness of the Sturlunga years. ]
22 Þórarinn Jónsson (c. 1202 – 1239)
Born 1202 at Hofi at Vopnafirði. Husband of Helga Helgadóttir Father of Þorvarður Þórarinsson Note: In the Íslendingabók he is referred to as Jón Sigmundarson’s “unintentional son” [It happens]
23 Jón "yngri" Sigmundarson (c. 1170 – 1212)
Born: 1170 at Svinafell, Hjaltastadur, Nordur Mula, Iceland Died: July 14, 1212, at Svinafell, Hjaltastadur, Iceland Husband of Þóra "Eldri" Guðmundsdóttir and Gróa Teitsdóttir Father of Ormur Jónsson and Þórarinn Jónsson
24 Sigmundur Ormsson (1140 – 1198)
Lived at Valþjófsstöðum. Husband of Arnbjörg Oddsdóttir Father of Jón Sigmundarson and Ásdís Sigmundardóttir
25 Ormur "gamli" Jónsson (c. 1115 – 1191)
Born: c. 1115 at Svínafell, Norður–Múlasýsla, Austurland, Iceland Died 1191 at Þverárklaustri (Tributaries Monastery), Husband of Helga Árnadóttir. Father of Sigmundur Ormsson Ormur is mentioned in the Sturlunga Saga [1130 – Ari Thorgilsson writes the first history of Iceland, the Islendingabok, the book of Icelanders.]
26 Jón “Eldri” Sigmundarson (1080 – 1164)
Born: 1080 at Svinafell, Hjaltastadur, Iceland Died: 1164 (age 84) at Svinafell, Hjaltastadur, Iceland Husband of Þórný Gilsdóttir Father of Halldóra Jónsdóttir, Ormur "gamli" Jónsson, and Helga Brandsson
27 Sigmundur Þorgilsson (1045 – 1118)
Born: 1045 at Svinafell, Sandfell, AusturSkaftafell, Iceland Died: 1118 (73) at Rome, Italy Husband of Halldóra Skeggjadóttir Father of Guðrún Sigmundardóttir, Jón “eldri” Sigmundarson, and Ásólfur Sigmundsson
[Here’s the passage where Sigmundur and his son Jón appear in the Sturlunga Saga: “Their son was Bishop Brandur the latter. Kolbeinn Kaldaljós wed Margrét daughter of Sæmundur Jónsson. Their children were Brandur, Páll, and Valgerður. Sigmundur Thorgilsson wed Halldora, daughter of Skeggi Bjarnason. Their son was Jón. He wed Thorny, the daughter of Gils Einarsson.”]
28 Þorgils Þorgeirsson (c. 1000 – after 1046)
Father of Sigmundur Þorgilsson. Þorgils is mentioned in the Sturlunga Saga
[1000 – Christianity formally adopted at the Althing as Iceland’s official religion.]
29 Þorgeir Þórðarson (c. 960 – after 1001)
Lived at Skaptafelli Father of Þorgils Þorgeirsson He is mentioned in Njall saga and Sturlunga Saga
[980 – 986 – Eric the Red (Eiríkir Thorvaldsen) visits and then creates a settlement in Greenland. The Greenland colony lasts approximately 500 years, disappearing sometime during the early 1400s Note that the period 980 – 1020 is when the voyages of Eric the Red and Leif Ericsson occurred. These voyages are written up in The Greenlander’s Saga (c. 1200) and the Saga of Eric the Red (c. 1265)]
30 Þórður "freysgoði" Össurarson (c. 920 – 995)
Priest of Frey Father of Þorvarður Þórðarson, kolbeinn þórðarson, and Þorgeir Þórðarson
[930 – First meeting of the Althing, Iceland’s parliament. It was held at Thingvellir (“Parliament Plains”) on the north side of Lake Thingvallavatn. At this time Iceland was fully settled and had a population of about 70,000.]
31 Össur Asbjørnsson Ásbjarnarson (c. 890 – 911)
Lived in Svínafell. Father of Þórður "freysgoði" Össurarson Sources: Book of Settlements , UN genealogies, Njall saga, DI. I, East II
32 Ásbjörn Björnsson (c. 865 – after 890)
Ásbjörn went to Iceland and died at sea. He was the husband of Þorgerður, and the father of Össur Asbjørnsson Ásbjarnarson, Thorgils Asbjørnsson,Gudlaug Asbjørnsson, and Asbjørn Asbjørnsson
[Ásbjörn is mentioned in both Njal’s Saga and the Book of Settlements. Here’s the quote:
“There was a man name Ásbjörn, son of Heyjang–Bjorn, a hersir [chieftain] from Sogn, he [Heyjang-Bjorn] was the son of Helgi, the son of Helgi, the son of Bjorn Buna.
Ásbjörn went to Iceland and died at sea, but Thorgerd his wife, and their sons came out and settled all the countryside of Ingolf’s-head between Fords-river and Joku’s-river, and she dwelt at Sandfell ....”
33 Heyangurs–Björn Helgason (c. 840 – after 876)
Father of Ásbjörn Bjarnarson and Gnupa-Bard Bjørnsson Bjornson Note that he is the half brother of Ingólfr Arnarson, Iceland’s first permanent settler.
[850 – a Norwegian named Naddoddur gets lost while sailing from Norway to the Faroes. His boat ends up in Iceland, which he calls Snowland.
870 – The settlement of Iceland begins (the years 870–930 are called the Age of Settlement). At first there was a trickle of settlement but it became a steady stream between 890–910, during which time all the best farmland was claimed. Note that when Iceland was first settled, 25% of its land was forested. At present only 1% is forested. The deforestation – which happened quite rapidly – was due to soil erosion caused by sheep farming.]
34 Helgi Helgason (c. 810 – after 846)
Born: c. 810 in Aurland, Sogn, Norway Father of Heyangurs-Björn Helgason, Eyvindur Helgason, Ossur Helgesson, and Grim Helgesson
35 Helgi Bjarnarson Bunu (c. 790 – c.831)
Born in Aurland, Sogn, Norway. Father of Bjørn Hersir of Aurland and Helgi Helgason In Norwegian his name is: Helge den røde Bjørnsson (Helge the red Bjørnsson)
[c. 790 – 795 – Irish monks (probably) reach Iceland. It was uninhabited. They sailed in skin boats called currachs and they called Iceland Thule. 825 – Writing in France, the Irish monk Dicuil mentions three Irish hermit monks who had sailed to ‘Thule’ thirty years earlier. The latitude he gave to Thule makes it extremely probable that the place they went to was Iceland.]
36 Björn "Buna" Grimsson2 (c. 765 – 820)
A chieftain who was born in Sogn (the area around Sognefjord, Norway) Husband of Vélaug Vikingadatter Father of Helgi Bjarnarson Bunu, Hrappur Bjarnarson, and Ketill "Flatnefur" Bjarnarson (who was King of both the Isle of Mann and the Hebrides) Note that Buna means “lumpy foot and Flatnefur means “flat–nosed”
He appears in chapter 10 of Book of Settlements
2 According to a Wikipedia entry: Björn buna Grímsson was a Viking warlord and a military commander from Sogn, Norway . He refused to pay taxes to the crown and consequently Harald I of Norway expropriated his possessions. Björn withdrew his support for Harald. After a short time in the Hebrides (where his son was the king), he emigrated to Iceland and settled in Western Iceland. Some claim he was among the first Viking to promote the creation of the Althing. He is a mentioned in the Njál saga and the Laxdale saga.
37 Grímur Vædder–Grim Åsison (c. 745 – 790)
Born: c. 745 in Sogn. He was married to Hervør. Father of Björn "Buna" Grimsson and Dala–Kollur Veðrar–Grímsson
In the Book of Settlements he is referred to as Verdrar–Grim or just Grim as in the passage below.
38 Asi Ingjalson (c. 725 – 765)
Chieftain of Hallingdal. Birth: c. 725 in Hallingdal , Buskerud, Norway Father of Thore Åsison and Grímur Vædder–Grim Åsison He’s mentioned in the Book of Settlements: “Chapter XVI. There was a man named Koll, the son of Vedrar (Wether) Grim, the son of Asi a hersir; he had the management of the affairs of Aud, and was most honoured by her.”
39 Ingjald Roaldson (c. 700)
Born: c. 700 at Hallingdal , Buskerud, Norway Father of Grim Ingjalssson and Asi Ingjalson, Chieftain of Hallingdal
From the Book of Settlements:
“Chapter V. There was a man named Grim, the son of Ingjald, the son of Hroald, from Haddingdale; he was the brother of Asi, a hersir [chieftain].”
Glossary
Age of Settlements The years 870 to 930 when Iceland was settled by the Norse.
At first it was a trickle but it became a steady stream between 890– 910, during which time all the best farmland was claimed.
Note that when Iceland was first settled, 25% of its land was forested. At present only 1% is forested. The deforestation – which happened quite rapidly – was due to soil erosion caused by sheep farming.
The full story of the deforestation of Iceland and the collapse of the Greenland colony is related and explained in Jared Diamond’s book Collapse. Age of Sturlungs (1220–1262) Period of constant civil war between the leading Icelandic families. Named for Sturlung family, one of the most powerful of these clans.
Althing The Icelandic parliament.
In 930 its first meeting was held at Thingvellir (“Parliament Plains”) on the north side of Lake Thingvallavatn. At this time Iceland was fully settled and had a population of about 90,000.
Book of Settlements Aka Landnámabók
A medieval Icelandic work that describes the settlement (landnám) of Iceland by the Norse in the 9th and 10th centuries CE. hersir A local Viking military chieftain of about 100 men. He owed allegiance to a king.
Ingólfur Arnarson First permanent settler of Iceland. The first Norse explorers came in 860, he settled in 874 at Reykjavik. The latter’s name means “Smokey–bay” so he called it that because are hot springs nearby.
Íslendingabók “Icelandic book”
A genealogy database that takes its name from the first history of Iceland by Ari the Wise. Most of the information in this document is derived from it.
Landnámabók Pronunciation: lantnauma pouk
A medieval Icelandic work that describes the settlement (landnám) of Iceland by the Norse in the 9th and 10th centuries CE. Njáls saga AKA The Story of Burnt Njáll
A thirteenth–century Icelandic saga that describes events between 960 and 1020. The saga tells the story of the blood feuds in the Icelandic Commonwealth, showing how the requirements of honor could lead to minor slights spiralling into destructive and prolonged bloodshed.
According to a Wikipedia entry: Stefan’s ancestor, Björn buna Grímsson, was a Viking warlord and a military commander from Sogn (Norway)
Saga Age The period from 930 – 1030. It was so called because the events that happened during these years became the content of the Icelandic Sagas, which were written in the 13th century.
Skald A professional Icelandic poet
Sogn The area around Sognefjord, Norway
Sturlunga saga (often called Sturlunga)
A collection of Icelandic sagas by various authors that covers the history of Iceland between 1117 and 1264. It was assembled in about 1300.
The saga mostly deals with the story of the Sturlungs, a powerful family clan during the Age of the Sturlungs period of the Icelandic Commonwealth.
Several Arnason ancestors are mentioned in the Sturlunga Saga – e.g. Ormur "gamli" Jónsson (c. 1115 – 1191) and Sigmundur Þorgilsson [Thorgilsson] (Died c. 1118)
Vesturferthir voyage to the West
The name for the peak period of emigration to North America during 1870s and 1880s. From 1870 to 1914 over 14,000 Icelanders emigrated out of a total pop of approximately 78, 000