Nils Fredrik Rønnbeck

Nils Fredrik Røn(n)beck (, March 22, 1820 – January 4, 1891) was a Swedish-Norwegian polar skipper and ice pilot. He discovered Franz Josef Land in 1865.

Life Rønnbeck was born Nils Johansson Söderlund in Storön in Kalix, in Norrbotten County, Sweden, the third child of Johan Olofsson Söderlund and Anna Lisa Olofsdotter. In 1830 the family moved from Storön to Kamlunge, also located in Kalix, and adopted the farm name Rönnbäck as the family's surname. At age 17, Rønnbeck made his way to Haparanda and then traveled via Karesuando, Kautokeino, and Alta to Hammerfest in 1838

Rønnbeck died on January 4, 1891, when he slipped on a rock in the harbor in Hammerfest and drowned. At the time of his death, he was almost 71 years old, but for unknown reasons his year of birth was listed as 1814 (with 1824 crossed out) in the church funeral records. This is despite the fact that both of his marriages were held in the same church, where his birth date of March 22, 1820, is recorded.

Legacy The Rønnbeck Islands are named after Rønnbeck.