Famous People from Denmark

95 notable historical figures from Denmark, including leaders, artists, scientists, and other influential people.

Hans Christian Andersen

1805 – 1875

Danish writer and poet (1805–1875)

Born April 2

Søren Kierkegaard

1813 – 1855

Danish theologian, philosopher, poet and social critic (1813–1855)

Born May 5

Tycho Brahe

1546 – 1601

Danish astronomer and alchemist, 1546–1601

Born December 24

Margrethe II of Denmark

1940 – Present

Queen of Denmark from 1972 to 2024 (born 1940)

Born April 16

Hans Christian Ørsted

1777 – 1851

Danish physicist and chemist (1777-1851)

Born August 14

Karl Adolph Gjellerup

1857 – 1919

Danish writer (1857–1919)

Born June 2

Henrik Pontoppidan

1857 – 1943

Danish writer, Nobel Laureate

Born July 24

Camille Pissarro

1830 – 1903

Danish-French painter (1830-1903)

Born July 10

Anders Fogh Rasmussen

1953 – Present

former Prime Minister of Denmark and former Secretary General of NATO

Born January 26

Vitus Bering

1681 – 1741

Danish-born Russian explorer (1681-1741)

Born August 5

Mette Frederiksen

1977 – Present

Prime Minister of Denmark since 2019

Born November 19

Aage Bohr

1922 – 2009

Danish physicist (1922–2009)

Born June 19

Lars von Trier

1956 – Present

Danish film director and screenwriter (born 1956)

Born April 30

Cnut the Great

994 – 1035

11th-century King of Denmark, Norway, and England

Born January 1

Frederik X of Denmark

1968 – Present

King of Denmark since 2024

Born May 26

Constantine II of Greece

1940 – 2023

King of Greece from 1964 to 1973

Born June 2

Caroline Wozniacki

1990 – Present

Danish tennis player

Born July 11

Michael Laudrup

1964 – Present

Danish association football player and coach

Born June 15

Haakon VII of Norway

1872 – 1957

King of Norway from 1905 to 1957 (1872–1957)

Born August 3

Ben Roy Mottelson

1926 – 2022

Danish nuclear physicist (1926–2022)

Born July 9

Helle Thorning-Schmidt

1966 – Present

Danish retired politician, former Prime Minister of Denmark

Born December 14

Niels Ryberg Finsen

1860 – 1904

Faroese physician and scientist of Icelandic descent

Born December 15

Christian Eriksen

1992 – Present

Danish association football player

Born February 14

Bjarne Stroustrup

1950 – Present

Danish computer scientist, creator of C++ (born 1950)

Born December 30

Lars Løkke Rasmussen

1964 – Present

25th Prime Minister of Denmark

Born May 15

Olav V of Norway

1903 – 1991

king of Norway (1903-1991)

Born July 2

Peter Schmeichel

1963 – Present

Danish association football player

Born November 18

Christian IX of Denmark

1818 – 1906

King of Denmark from 1863 to 1906

Born April 8

Christian X of Denmark

1870 – 1947

King of Denmark (1912–1947) and Iceland (1918–1944)

Born September 26

Frederik IX of Denmark

1899 – 1972

King of Denmark from 1947 to 1972

Born March 11

Christian IV of Denmark

1577 – 1648

king of Denmark and Norway (1577–1648)

Born April 22

Fredrik Bajer

1837 – 1922

Danish politician (1837-1922)

Born April 21

Nicklas Bendtner

1988 – Present

Danish association football player

Born January 16

Kasper Schmeichel

1986 – Present

Danish association football player

Born November 5

Alexandra of Denmark

1844 – 1925

Queen consort of the United Kingdom from 1901 to 1910 (1844–1925)

Born December 1

Dietrich Buxtehude

1637 – 1707

Danish-German organist and composer (1637–1707)

Born January 1

Henrik Dam

1895 – 1976

Danish biochemist and physiologist (1895-1976)

Born February 21

Carl Theodor Dreyer

1889 – 1968

Danish film director (1889–1968)

Born February 3

Sweyn I of Denmark

963 – 1014

King of Denmark, England, and Norway

Born April 22

Ludvig Holberg

1684 – 1754

Danish-Norwegian writer, philosopher and historian (1684–1754)

Born December 3

Christian I of Denmark

1426 – 1481

Scandinavian monarch under the Kalmar Union (1426-1481)

Born February 1

Jens Christian Skou

1918 – 2018

Danish chemist (1918-2018)

Born October 8

Inge Lehmann

1888 – 1993

Danish seismologist who discovered the Earth's inner core (1888-1993)

Born May 13

Frederik VIII of Denmark

1843 – 1912

King of Denmark from 1906 to 1912

Born June 3

Daniel Agger

1984 – Present

Danish association football player (born 1984)

Born December 12

Simon Kjær

1989 – Present

Danish footballer (born 1989)

Born March 26

Frederick V of Denmark

1723 – 1766

king of Denmark and Norway

Born March 31

Andreas Christensen

1996 – Present

Danish association football player

Born April 10

Harthacanute

1018 – 1042

King of England from 1040 to 1042, King of Denmark from 1035 à 1042

Born January 1

Christian VIII of Denmark

1786 – 1848

King of Norway 1814, King of Denmark 1839-1848

Born September 18

Frederick VII of Denmark

1808 – 1863

King of Denmark from 1848 to 1863

Born October 6

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

1970 – Present

Danish actor

Born July 27

Frederick VI of Denmark

1768 – 1839

King of Denmark and Norway (1768–1839)

Born January 28

Jørn Utzon

1918 – 2008

Danish architect (1918–2008)

Born April 9

Georg Brandes

1842 – 1927

Danish literature critic and scholar (1842–1927)

Born February 4

Otto Jespersen

1860 – 1943

Danish linguist (1860–1943)

Born July 16

Nicolas Steno

1638 – 1686

Pioneer in anatomy and geology, bishop (1638–1686)

Born January 11

Kevin Magnussen

1992 – Present

Danish racing driver (born 1992)

Born October 5

Ejnar Hertzsprung

1873 – 1967

Danish astronomer and chemist

Born October 8

Lili Elbe

1882 – 1931

Danish painter and transgender woman (1882–1931)

Born December 28

Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark

1934 – 2018

Prince consort of Denmark from 1972 to 2018

Born June 11

John, King of Denmark

1455 – 1513

king of Denmark, Norway and Sweden

Born February 11

Anne of Denmark

1574 – 1619

Queen consort of James VI of Scots, I of England (1574-1619)

Born December 22

Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig

1783 – 1872

Danish Lutheran pastor, theologian, hymn-writer and educator (1783-1872)

Born September 8

Aaron Nimzovich

1886 – 1935

Latvian-born Danish chess player and theoretician (1886-1935)

Born November 7

Jon Dahl Tomasson

1976 – Present

Danish footballer and manager (born 1976)

Born August 29

Michael Krohn-Dehli

1983 – Present

Danish association football player

Born June 6

Brigitte Nielsen

1963 – Present

Danish actress, model and singer

Born July 15

Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark

1882 – 1944

Greek prince; father of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1882-1944)

Born February 2

Eric of Pomerania

1381 – 1459

King of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Kalmar Union

Born January 1

Rasmus Lerdorf

1968 – Present

Danish programmer and creator of PHP

Born November 22

Bent Larsen

1935 – 2010

Danish chess grandmaster and author (1935–2010)

Born March 4

Anders Lindegaard

1984 – Present

Danish footballer (born 1984)

Born April 13

Christian Poulsen

1980 – Present

Danish association football player

Born February 28