People Group Profiles

“All nations will come and worship before you."

- Revelations 15:4

Icelander of North America


People Group Info

Total Population: 129,130

ROP3 Code: 103943
IMB Affinity Group: European Peoples
Affinity Bloc: Eurasian Peoples
People Cluster: Scandinavian
Language: Icelandic - (isl)
Religion: Non-Religious
Country of Origin: Iceland

Photo courtesy of PeopleGroups.info

Majority Located Where

  Winnipeg, MB - 44,210

  Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA - 2,700

  Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN - 1,010

Click here to recommend other locations where this People Group resides.

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Brief Profile

The Icelander people are a Germanic people group who originated from the nation of Iceland, a country that was founded in 1944 when it became independent from the Danish monarchy.

According to the Saga of Eric the Red, Icelandic immigration to North America dates back to Vinland circa 1006. The colony was believed to be short-lived and abandoned by the 1020s.

More recent migration to North America occurred in 1855, when a small group settled in Spanish Fork, Utah. Immigration to the United States and Canada began in earnest in the 1870s, with most migrants initially settling in the Great Lakes area.

Icelanders speak Icelandic, a Germanic language, which resembles Old Norse. The language is spoken by some 5,000 people in the United States and by more than 1,400 people in Canada, notably in the province of Manitoba.

Icelanders traditionally enjoy the outdoors, sports, and music. Many Icelander singers, groups, and forms of music have influenced the culture of the United States. Conversely, the United States has also influenced their lifestyles. Fish was once the main part of an Icelander's diet but has given way to meats such as beef, pork, and poultry.

Gimli, in Manitoba, Canada, is home to the largest population of Icelanders outside of the main island of Iceland.

While being mostly secular and non-religious, Icelanders both have a long history of Lutheranism and claim Lutheranism.

Prayer Points

  • Pray Christians will live among and become friends with Icelanders in order to share how Christ has changed their lives.
  • Pray God will work in the lives of Icelanders to renew the Christian heritage from which they come and experience a living faith in Christ.


Learning Resources

Learn more about "Learning Paths"
Online Courses for embracing, encountering and engaging diaspora people. Work at your own pace. Begin anytime and complete the course according to your schedule. Interactive, Hands-On Application.

Learn more about "Reaching the Nations"
This book delineates five disciplines Christians should develop in order to effectively reach the nations. More specifically, it will guide Christians to develop an engagement strategy in their locale.

World Religions - Beliefs Overview
An overview of major world religions and cults - their beliefs and practices.


Other Resources

Know God in 98 Languages
A CRU resource with 9 different witnessing models (e.g. 4 Spiritual Laws, etc.) in 98 languages.

Prayer Guide for Unreached Peoples
A 30 day guide to pray for unreached people groups.

Prayer Guide using the GOSPELS acronym
A prayer guide that utilizes the acronym GOSPELS to pray for workers among diaspora.

Displaying 1-4 of 4 results.
Country City Metro Area Name State / Prov. Baseline Population
CanadaGimliWinnipegMB26,000
United StatesIssaquahSeattle-Tacoma-BellevueWA2,700
United StatesPlymouthMinneapolis-St. Paul-BloomingtonMN1,010
CanadaWinnipegWinnipegMB18,210