David Johnson

By age ten, David was deep into exploring his own family roots. Most lines were already well-documented and went back many generations, but David poured through those records and pushed the boundaries, back then through microfilm research. While attending Brigham Young University in the early 1980s, he took genealogy classes that furthered his passion and expertise in the field. These courses introduced him to new research tools and techniques, and the importance of organizing and indexing the massive amounts of data that surface so it is usable, accurate, and efficient to work with.

While his focus was mainly on his British roots, about eight years ago David decided to dive into learning more about his Icelandic line. He is proud to be one-eighth Icelandic and is now immersed in Icelandic language, culture, and genealogy. David has been active in the Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle, is a member of the Icelandic Association of Utah, and has traveled to Iceland twice, once as a participant of the Snorri Plus Program. David was co-chair of the 2013 Icelandic National League of North America Convention held in Seattle.

David specializes in researching the 400 or so Icelanders who emigrated to or through Utah between 1855 and 1914, since that is where his own family story is found. Having lived most his life in the Pacific Northwest, he's also becoming more knowledgeable about Icelandic settlers in that area. He now works as a volunteer genealogist from his new home in the Midwest US.

David’s professional career was in the child support enforcement field, tracking down elusive parents and their assets to make sure they are financially taking care of their children in accordance with the courts. These skills help David find clues through creative means, solving elusive genealogy quests.