List of Danes

Listed are persons whose achievements have been important also outside Denmark.

Pure and Applied Mathematics

• Harald Bohr
• A. K. Erlang, engineer, industrial and systems engineer
• Thomas Fincke, (1561-1656), mathematician
• Jørgen Pedersen Gram
• Piet Hein, (1905-1996)
• Georg Mohr, (1548-1620), mathematician
• Niels Erik Nørlund
• Julius Petersen, (1839-1910), mathematician
• Caspar Wessel, (1745-1818), Norwegian-Danish mathematician

Computer Science

• Rasmus Lerdorf, PHP (born in Greenland, lives in USA)
• Peter Naur
• Jakob Nielsen, (1957-), Usability (lives in USA)
• Bjarne Stroustrup, (1950- ), C++ (lives in USA)
• Anders Hejlsberg, Turbo Pascal, Delphi language, C# (lives in USA)

Astronomy

• Heinrich Louis d'Arrest, Prussian astronomer, died in Copenhagen.
• Tycho Brahe, (1546-1601), Danish-born astronomer
• Johan Ludvig Emil Dreyer, (1852-1926), Danish-born astronomer
• Peter Andreas Hansen, (1795-1874)
• Ejnar Hertzsprung, (1873-1967), astronomer
• Ole Rømer, (1644-1710), astronomer
• Bengt Strömgren, (1908-1987)

Physics

• Rasmus Bartholin, (1625-1698)
• Aage Niels Bohr, (1922- )
• Niels Bohr, (1885-1962), physicist
• Hans Christian Ørsted, (1777-1851), physicist

Chemistry

• Johannes Nicolaus Brønsted, (1879-1947)
• Jens Christian Skou, Nobel Prize 1997
• Søren Peder Lauritz Sørensen, (1868-1939), chemist

Geology

• Inge Lehmann, (1888-1993)
• Nicolas Steno, (1638-1686), geologist

Biology, Genetics

• Henrik Carl Peter Dam, (1895-1976)
• Hans Christian Gram, (1853-1928)
• Emil Christian Hansen, (1842-1909)
• Wilhelm Johannsen, (1857-1927), coined the term gene
• Johannes Schmidt

Anatomy, Medicine

• Caspar Bartholin the Elder (1585-1629)
• Caspar Bartholin the Younger (1655-1738)
• Thomas Bartholin
• Niels Ryberg Finsen, (1860-1904)
• Carl Friderichsen
• Jacob B. Winslow, (1669-1760)

Industrial Enterprise

• Ole Kirk Christiansen, (1891-1958), inventor of LEGO
• Søren Hjorth, inventor
• J. C. Jacobsen, (1811-1887)
• Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen, (1878-1964)

Linguistics, Philology, Folklore

• Ada Adler, (1878-1946)
• Otto Jespersen, (1860-1943)
• Johan Nicolai Madvig, (1804-1886)
• Axel Olrik, (1864-1917)
• Holger Pedersen, (1867-1953), linguist
• Rasmus Rask
• Vilhelm Thomsen, (1842-1927)
• Karl Verner, (1846-1896), linguist

Archaeology

• Christian Jürgensen Thomsen, (1788-1865), archaeologist
• Jens Jacob Asmussen Worsaae

History

• Saxo Grammaticus, historian

Architecture, Town-Planning, the Environment

• Arne Jacobsen, (1902-1971), architect
• Bjørn Lomborg
• Steen Eiler Rasmussen, (1898-1990), architect
• Jørn Utzon, (1918- ), architect

Design

• Georg Jensen, (1866-1935), silversmith, designer
• Verner Panton, (1926-1998), designer

Jurisprudence

• Andreas Aagesen, (1826-1879)

Philosophy

• Harald Høffding, (1843-1931)
• Søren Kierkegaard, (1813-1855), philosopher
• Knud Ejler Løgstrup

Literature, Journalism

• Hans Christian Andersen, (1805-1875), Fairy Tales and Stories
• Jens Immanuel Baggesen, (1764-1826)
• Georg Brandes
• Tine Bryld, social worker and writer
• Isak Dinesen, (1885-1962), author
• Tove Ditlevsen, (1918-1976), poet and author
• Piet Hein, (1905-1996)
• Ludvig Holberg, (1684-1754), playwright
• Johannes Vilhelm Jensen, (1873-1950), novelist
• Thit Jensen, (1876-1957) writer and worker for women's suffrage
• Kaj Harald Leininger Munk, (1898-1944), dramatist
• Tor Nørretranders, (1955- ), science popularizer
• Adam Gottlob Oehlenschläger, (1779-1850)
• Jacob Riis, (1849-1914)
• Peter Kjaerulff, novelist

Sculpture and Painting

See also List of Danish painters

• Nikolaj Abraham Abildgaard, (1744-1809), painter
• Else Alfelt, (1910-1974), Painter
• Henry Heerup, (1907-1993), painter
• Asger Jorn, (1914-1973), painter
• Peder Severin Krøyer, (1851-1909), painter
• Bertel Thorvaldsen, (1770-1844), sculptor

Musical Theory and Composition

• Dietrich Buxtehude, (1637-1707), composer
• Jacob Gade
• Niels W. Gade
• Knud Jeppesen, (1892-1974)
• Carl Nielsen, (1865-1931), composer
• Christopher Ernst Friedrich Weyse
• Per Nørgård
• Bent Sørensen

Performing Arts, Theatre, Movies

• Bille August, (1948-), director
• Erik Balling, (1924-)
• Victor Borge, (1909-2000), comedian
• August Bournonville, (1805-1879)
• Erik Bruhn, (1929-1986), ballet dancer
• Carl Theodor Dreyer
• Jean Hersholt, (1886-1956)
• Peter Martins
• Lauritz Melchior, (1890-1973)
• Viggo Mortensen, (1958-), actor, ethnic Danish
• Asta Nielsen, (1883-1972), silent film star, actress
• Aksel Schiøtz, (1906-1975)
• Lars von Trier, (1956-), director
• Lars Ulrich, (1963-), drummer in Metallica
• Thomas Vinterberg, (1969- ), film director
• Susse Wold, actress

Exploration, Cartography

• Vitus Bering, (1680-1741)
• Hans Egede
• Conrad Malta-Brown (1755-1826), Danish-born French geographer.
• Knud Rasmussen

Government, Statesmanship

• Absalon, (c. 1128-1201)
• Fredrik Bajer, (1837-1922), pacifist politician
• Ritt Bjerregaard, former European Union commissioner
• Pia Kjaersgaard
• Peter von Scholten
• Thorvald Stauning

Sports

• Anja Andersen, handball player
• Paul Elvstrøm
• Poul Erik Høyer-Larsen
• Bent Larsen, chess player
• Brian Laudrup, athlete
• Michael Laudrup, athlete
• Camilla Martin
• Bjarne Riis
• Peter Schmeichel, athlete
• Jon Dahl Tomasson, soccer player

Kings and Queens

• Margrethe I, (1375-1421)
• Margrethe II, (1940- ), also a writer, painter, translator and illustrator of books

Other

• Tollund Man

See also: List of people by nationality