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Naddodd

Norwegian explorer

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About Naddodd

Naddodd was a Norwegian explorer, known for Iceland.

Naddodd ( or ; ; ; fl. c. 9th century) was a Norse Viking who is credited with the discovery of Iceland.

Biography Naddodd was born in Agder in what is today southern Norway. He was one of the earliest settlers on the Faroe Islands after GrĂ­mur Kamban became the first to settle there around 825.

Landnåmabók, a medieval Icelandic manuscript, describes in considerable detail the settlement of Iceland (Icelandic: landnåm) by the Norse in the 9th and 10th centuries. According to the Landnåmabók, Iceland was discovered by Naddodd, who was sailing from Norway to the Faroe Islands, but got lost and drifted to the east coast of Iceland. Naddodd came upon the shore of a land with a bay and mountains near what is today the Icelandic town of Reyðarfjörður.

Although he climbed a mountain to look for smoke rising from fireplaces, he saw no sign of human activity. Naddodd decided to continue his journey to the Faroe Islands, but as he returned to his boat, it started to snow, so he named the land Snowland (Snéland). The island was later known as Iceland (Ísland) following the settlement of Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson.

According to LandnĂĄmabĂłk, Naddodd's wife, Jorunn, was a daughter of Olvir the Child-Sparer. Their sons Brondolf and Mar came to Iceland early in the Age of Settlement and established settlements there.

Naddodd was the probable father of Ann NaddodsdĂłttir from Shetland. Naddodd was distantly related to Erik the Red and his son, Leif Erikson.

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Important facts

Born
Kingdom of Agder
Died
Faroe Islands
Occupation
Known for
Iceland
Also known as
Naddoddur

Family & relationships

Child
Ann NaddodsdĂłttir

Frequently asked questions

Who was Naddodd?

Norwegian explorer

When was Naddodd born?

Naddodd was born in Kingdom of Agder.

When did Naddodd die?

Naddodd died in Faroe Islands.

What was Naddodd's occupation?

Naddodd was an explorer.

What was Naddodd known for?

Naddodd was known for Iceland.

What nationality was Naddodd?

Naddodd was Norwegian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Naddodd

· Wikidata: Q559109

· DBpedia: Naddodd

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Naddodd. https://biography.guide/naddodd/

MLA: "Naddodd." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/naddodd/.

Chicago: "Naddodd." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/naddodd/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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