EXPLORER
Erik the Red
950 - 1003
Erik the Red
Erik Thorvaldsson (c. 950 – c. 1003), known as Erik the Red, was a Norse explorer, described in medieval and Icelandic saga sources as having founded the first European settlement in Greenland. Erik most likely earned the epithet "the Red" due to the color of his hair and beard. According to Icelandic sagas, Erik was born in the Jæren district of Rogaland, Norway, as the son of Thorvald Asvaldsson; to which Thorvald would later be banished from Norway, and would sail west to Iceland with Erik and his family. Read more on Wikipedia
Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Erik the Red has received more than 3,586,937 page views. His biography is available in 63 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 60 in 2019). Erik the Red is the 23rd most popular explorer (down from 18th in 2019), the 13th most popular biography from Norway (down from 12th in 2019) and the 3rd most popular Norwegian Explorer.
Erik the Red is most famous for being the father of Leif Erikson, the first European to set foot in North America.
Memorability Metrics
3.6M
Page Views (PV)
74.14
Historical Popularity Index (HPI)
63
Languages Editions (L)
8.86
Effective Languages (L*)
3.71
Coefficient of Variation (CV)
Among EXPLORERS
Among explorers, Erik the Red ranks 23 out of 498. Before him are Xuanzang, Fridtjof Nansen, Juan Sebastián Elcano, Jacques Cartier, David Livingstone, and Jacques Cousteau. After him are Vitus Bering, Leif Erikson, Willem Barentsz, Thor Heyerdahl, Vasco Núñez de Balboa, and Martin Behaim.
Most Popular Explorers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsXuanzang
602 - 664
HPI: 75.70
Rank: 17
Fridtjof Nansen
1861 - 1930
HPI: 75.68
Rank: 18
Juan Sebastián Elcano
1476 - 1526
HPI: 75.02
Rank: 19
Jacques Cartier
1491 - 1557
HPI: 74.64
Rank: 20
David Livingstone
1813 - 1873
HPI: 74.54
Rank: 21
Jacques Cousteau
1910 - 1997
HPI: 74.47
Rank: 22
Erik the Red
950 - 1003
HPI: 74.14
Rank: 23
Vitus Bering
1681 - 1741
HPI: 73.87
Rank: 24
Leif Erikson
970 - 1020
HPI: 73.56
Rank: 25
Willem Barentsz
1550 - 1597
HPI: 73.28
Rank: 26
Thor Heyerdahl
1914 - 2002
HPI: 71.63
Rank: 27
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
1475 - 1519
HPI: 70.02
Rank: 28
Martin Behaim
1459 - 1507
HPI: 69.34
Rank: 29
Contemporaries
Among people born in 950, Erik the Red ranks 1. After him are Pope John XVII, Adelaide of Aquitaine, Ibn Yunus, Maslama al-Majriti, Arslan Isra'il, Boleslaus III, Duke of Bohemia, Leo the Deacon, Mariam al-Asturlabi, Abhinavagupta, Bernard I, Duke of Saxony, and Olof Björnsson. Among people deceased in 1003, Erik the Red ranks 1. After him are Pope Sylvester II, Pope John XVII, Gregory of Narek, Athanasius the Athonite, Rozala of Italy, At-Ta'i, Herman II, Duke of Swabia, Vladivoj, Duke of Bohemia, and Beatrice of France.
Others Born in 950
Go to all RankingsErik the Red
EXPLORER
950 - 1003
HPI: 74.14
Rank: 1
Pope John XVII
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
950 - 1003
HPI: 69.37
Rank: 2
Adelaide of Aquitaine
COMPANION
950 - 1004
HPI: 62.10
Rank: 3
Ibn Yunus
MATHEMATICIAN
950 - 1009
HPI: 60.75
Rank: 4
Maslama al-Majriti
ASTRONOMER
950 - 1007
HPI: 59.10
Rank: 5
Arslan Isra'il
MILITARY PERSONNEL
950 - 1032
HPI: 58.18
Rank: 6
Boleslaus III, Duke of Bohemia
POLITICIAN
950 - 1037
HPI: 58.11
Rank: 7
Leo the Deacon
HISTORIAN
950 - 992
HPI: 58.02
Rank: 8
Mariam al-Asturlabi
ASTRONOMER
950 - Present
HPI: 57.99
Rank: 9
Abhinavagupta
PHILOSOPHER
950 - 1020
HPI: 57.87
Rank: 10
Bernard I, Duke of Saxony
POLITICIAN
950 - 1011
HPI: 57.16
Rank: 11
Olof Björnsson
POLITICIAN
950 - 975
HPI: 56.35
Rank: 12
Others Deceased in 1003
Go to all RankingsErik the Red
EXPLORER
950 - 1003
HPI: 74.14
Rank: 1
Pope Sylvester II
MATHEMATICIAN
938 - 1003
HPI: 71.66
Rank: 2
Pope John XVII
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
950 - 1003
HPI: 69.37
Rank: 3
Gregory of Narek
WRITER
951 - 1003
HPI: 63.58
Rank: 4
Athanasius the Athonite
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
920 - 1003
HPI: 61.63
Rank: 5
Rozala of Italy
POLITICIAN
1000 - 1003
HPI: 59.12
Rank: 6
At-Ta'i
POLITICIAN
932 - 1003
HPI: 57.80
Rank: 7
Herman II, Duke of Swabia
POLITICIAN
1000 - 1003
HPI: 56.01
Rank: 8
Vladivoj, Duke of Bohemia
POLITICIAN
981 - 1003
HPI: 54.57
Rank: 9
Beatrice of France
POLITICIAN
938 - 1003
HPI: 51.63
Rank: 10
In Norway
Among people born in Norway, Erik the Red ranks 13 out of 1,039. Before him are Anni-Frid Lyngstad (1945), Knut Hamsun (1859), Niels Henrik Abel (1802), Fridtjof Nansen (1861), Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832), and Harald Fairhair (850). After him are Queen Sonja of Norway (1937), Thor Heyerdahl (1914), Gro Harlem Brundtland (1939), Jon Fosse (1959), Rollo (846), and Olaf II of Denmark (1370).
Others born in Norway
Go to all RankingsAnni-Frid Lyngstad
SINGER
1945 - Present
HPI: 77.96
Rank: 7
Knut Hamsun
WRITER
1859 - 1952
HPI: 77.94
Rank: 8
Niels Henrik Abel
MATHEMATICIAN
1802 - 1829
HPI: 77.87
Rank: 9
Fridtjof Nansen
EXPLORER
1861 - 1930
HPI: 75.68
Rank: 10
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
WRITER
1832 - 1910
HPI: 75.62
Rank: 11
Harald Fairhair
POLITICIAN
850 - 933
HPI: 74.21
Rank: 12
Erik the Red
EXPLORER
950 - 1003
HPI: 74.14
Rank: 13
Queen Sonja of Norway
COMPANION
1937 - Present
HPI: 72.09
Rank: 14
Thor Heyerdahl
EXPLORER
1914 - 2002
HPI: 71.63
Rank: 15
Gro Harlem Brundtland
POLITICIAN
1939 - Present
HPI: 70.96
Rank: 16
Jon Fosse
WRITER
1959 - Present
HPI: 70.35
Rank: 17
Rollo
NOBLEMAN
846 - 930
HPI: 70.30
Rank: 18
Olaf II of Denmark
POLITICIAN
1370 - 1387
HPI: 69.62
Rank: 19
Among EXPLORERS In Norway
Among explorers born in Norway, Erik the Red ranks 3. Before him are Roald Amundsen (1872), and Fridtjof Nansen (1861). After him are Thor Heyerdahl (1914), Ingólfr Arnarson (850), Otto Sverdrup (1854), Naddodd (900), Thekla Resvoll (1871), Carsten Borchgrevink (1864), Ohthere of Hålogaland (900), Carl Anton Larsen (1860), and Hjalmar Johansen (1867).
Roald Amundsen
1872 - 1928
HPI: 82.24
Rank: 1
Fridtjof Nansen
1861 - 1930
HPI: 75.68
Rank: 2
Erik the Red
950 - 1003
HPI: 74.14
Rank: 3
Thor Heyerdahl
1914 - 2002
HPI: 71.63
Rank: 4
Ingólfr Arnarson
850 - 910
HPI: 67.95
Rank: 5
Otto Sverdrup
1854 - 1930
HPI: 58.05
Rank: 6
Naddodd
900 - Present
HPI: 55.28
Rank: 7
Thekla Resvoll
1871 - 1948
HPI: 55.27
Rank: 8
Carsten Borchgrevink
1864 - 1934
HPI: 54.72
Rank: 9
Ohthere of Hålogaland
900 - 901
HPI: 54.24
Rank: 10
Carl Anton Larsen
1860 - 1924
HPI: 53.49
Rank: 11
Hjalmar Johansen
1867 - 1913
HPI: 53.46
Rank: 12