Paul Oscar

Birth Name: Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson

Place of Birth: Reykjavik, Iceland

Date of Birth: 16 March, 1970

Ethnicity: Icelandic, 1/4 Danish

Paul Oscar is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, and disc jockey. His father, Hjálmtýr Edward Hjálmtýsson, was a bank clerk and comedian. His mother, Margrét Matthíasdóttir, is a writer.

Paul Oscar’s older sister is opera singer Diddú. He is a second cousin of executive producer Ragnheiður Melsteð, and a second cousin, once removed, of Ragnheiður’s daughter, singer Sylvia Scheving. His first cousin, twice removed, is singer Ari Ólafsson.

Paul Oscar’s patrilieal ancestry can be traced back to his fifth great-grandfather, Snjólfur Finnsson.

Paul Oscar’s paternal grandfather was Hjálmtýr Sigurðsson (the son of Sigurður Sigmundsson and Gyðríður Hjaltadóttir). Sigurður was the son of Sigmundur Sigurðsson and Ingibjörg Sigurðsdóttir. Gyðríður was the daughter of Hjalti Hjaltason and Guðfinna Árnadóttir.

Paul Oscar’s paternal grandmother was Lucinde Fransiska Vilhelmine Hansen (the daughter of Ludvig Hansen and Marie Cathrine Bernhoft). Ludvig was a Danish emigrant, possibly from Copenhagen. Marie Cathrine was the daughter of Danish emigrants, Wilhelm Georg Theodor Bernhoft, of Copenhagen, and Johanne Louise Bertelsen, of Helsingør.

Paul Oscar’s maternal grandfather was Matthías Október Sveinbjörnsson (the son of Sveinbjörn Erlendsson and Margrét Þorsteinsdóttir). Sveinbjörn was the son of Erlendur Sveinbjörnsson and Álfheiður Jónsdóttir. Margrét was the daughter of Þorsteinn Vigfússon and Margrét Eiríksdóttir.

Paul Oscar’s maternal grandmother was Sigrún Bjarnadóttir Melsteð (the daughter of Bjarni Jónsson Melsteð and Þórunn Guðmundsdóttir). Bjarni was the son of Jóh Pálsson Melsteð and Steinunn Bjarnadóttir Thorarensen. Þórunn was the daughter of Guðmundur Sigurðsson and Ingibjörg Helgadóttir.

Sources: Genealogy of Paul Oscar (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com

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

Paul Oscar’s paternal grandfather, Hjálmtýr Sigurðsson, on the 1880 Icelandic census – http://manntal.is

Baptismal record of Paul Oscar’s paternal great-grandfather, Sigurður Sigmundsson – https://familysearch.org

Baptismal record of Paul Oscar’s paternal great-grandmother, Gyðríður Hjaltadóttir – https://familysearch.org

Baptismal record of Paul Oscar’s maternal great-grandfather, Sveinbjörn Erlendsson – https://familysearch.org

Paul Oscar’s maternal grandmother, Sigrún Bjarnadóttir Melsteð, on the 1910 Icelandic census – http://manntal.is