Biography.guide
Home › People › Mathematician › Niels Erik Nørlund
Portrait of Niels Erik Nørlund

Niels Erik Nørlund

1885 – 1981

Danish mathematician and astronomer

Mathematician Astronomer University teacher
Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Niels Erik Nørlund

Lived 1885 – 1981 (aged 95). Niels Erik Nørlund was a Danish and Swedish mathematician, astronomer and university teacher.

Niels Erik Nørlund (26 October 1885, in Slagelse – 4 July 1981, in Copenhagen) was a Danish mathematician.

His book Vorlesungen über Differenzenrechnung (1924, reprinted 1954) was the first book on complex function solutions of difference equations. His doctoral students include Georg Rasch.

The Norlund Alps and Norlund Land in Greenland were named after him.

He was also the brother of Margrethe Nørlund Bohr and brother-in-law of Nobel Prize winning physicist Niels Bohr.

Selected works

with René Lagrange as editor:

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
26 October 1885, Slagelse
Birth century
19th century
Died
4 July 1981, Hørsholm
Occupation
Mathematician, astronomer, university teacher
Nationality
Kingdom of Denmark, Sweden
Education
University of Copenhagen, Sorø Academy
Positions held
Rector
Employers
Lund University, University of Copenhagen, Den danske Gradmaaling, Geodætisk Institut
Awards
Foreign Member of the Royal Society; Doctor honoris causa from the University of Dijon; Medal of Merit in Gold; Decoration of the Cross of Honour of the Dannebrog; Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog; Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog; Knight Grand Officer of the Order of the Dannebrog; Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog; Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav‎

People in Niels Erik Nørlund's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Portrait of Niels Bohr
Niels Bohr
1885 – 1962
University teacher
 Portrait of Georg Rasch
Georg Rasch
1901 – 1980
Statistician

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Niels Erik Nørlund's

Portrait of Gabriel Lippmann
Gabriel Lippmann
1845 – 1921
Physicist
 Portrait of Herbert Giles
Herbert Giles
1845 – 1935
Sinologist
 Portrait of William Christie
William Christie
1845 – 1922
Astronomer
 Portrait of Ira Remsen
Ira Remsen
1846 – 1927
Chemist
 Portrait of Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
1847 – 1922
Physicist
 Portrait of Ettore Marchiafava
Ettore Marchiafava
1847 – 1935
Physician

Frequently asked questions

Who was Niels Erik Nørlund?

Danish mathematician and astronomer (1885-1981)

When was Niels Erik Nørlund born?

Niels Erik Nørlund was born on 26 October 1885 in Slagelse.

When did Niels Erik Nørlund die?

Niels Erik Nørlund died on 4 July 1981 in Hørsholm.

What was Niels Erik Nørlund's occupation?

Niels Erik Nørlund was a mathematician, astronomer and university teacher.

What nationality was Niels Erik Nørlund?

Niels Erik Nørlund was Danish and Swedish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Niels Erik Nørlund

· Wikidata: Q1383725

· DBpedia: Niels Erik Nørlund

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Niels Erik Nørlund. https://biography.guide/niels-erik-norlund/

MLA: "Niels Erik Nørlund." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/niels-erik-norlund/.

Chicago: "Niels Erik Nørlund." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/niels-erik-norlund/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:25 UTC