Einar Örn Benediktsson

Place of Birth: Reykjavik, Iceland

Date of Birth: 29 October, 1962

Ethnicity: Icelandic, 1/8 German, 1/8 Greek

Einar Örn Benediktsson is an Icelandic musician and politician. He is known as vocalist and trumpet player for the Icelandic alternative rock band The Sugarcubes. Other members of the band were Sigtryggur Baldursson and Bragi Ólafsson.

Einar is the son of actor and director Benedikt Örn Árnason and Valgerður “Vala” Kristjánsson. His father’s last name is a patronymic while his mother’s last name is a family name. He is married to Sigrún Guðmundsdóttir.

Einar’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to his seventh great-grandfather, Benedikt Grímsson.

Einar’s paternal grandfather was Árni Benediktsson (the son of Benedikt Árnason and Arnþrúður Guðmundsdóttir). Einar’s great-grandfather Benedikt was the son of Árni Bjarnason and Kristín Halldórsdóttir. Arnþrúður was the daughter of Guðmundur Björnsson and Guðrún Halldórsdóttir.

Einar’s paternal grandmother was Jóna Kristjana Jóhannesdóttir (the son of Jóhannes Baldvin Sigurjónsson and Þórdís Þorsteinsdóttir). Jóhannes was the son of Sigurjón Jóhannesson and Snjólaug Guðrún Þorvaldsdóttir. Þórdís was the daughter of Þorsteinn Þorvaldsson and Margrét Stefánsdóttir.

Einar’s maternal grandfather was Einar Kristjánsson (the son of Kristján Helgason and Valgerður Halldóra Guðmundsdóttir). Kristján was the son of Helgi Guðmundsson and Halldóra Snorradóttir. Valgerður was the daughter of Guðmundur Ólafsson and Guðríður Einarsdóttir.

Einar’s maternal grandmother was Martha Papafoti (the daughter of Dimitris Papafotis and Wilhelmine Daut). Martha was a German immigrant, from Cologne. Dimitris was born in Serres, Central Macedonia, Greece, to Georgios Papafotis and Katerina. Wilhelmine was German, from Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate, and was the daughter of Ludwig Daut and Wilhelmine.

Sources: Genealogy of Einar Örn Benediktsson (focusing on his father’s side) – http://www.marvidar.com

Obituary of Einar’s father – http://www.mbl.is

Baptismal record of Einar’s paternal great-grandfather, Benedikt Árnason – https://familysearch.org

Baptismal record of Einar’s paternal great-grandmother, Arnþrúður Guðmundsdóttir – https://familysearch.org

Baptismal record of Einar’s paternal great-grandmother, Þórdís Þorsteinsdóttir – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Einar’s maternal grandfather, Einar Kristjánsson – http://www.ancestry.com

Obituary of Einar’s maternal grandmother, Martha (Papafoti) Kristjánsson – http://www.mbl.is