Galtung was a Norwegian noble family dating from the ennoblement of Lauritz Galtung in 1648. However, when he was ennobled, it was expressed that it existed an older noblement. A connection between these two families in the male-line has however not been found, though it has been suggested genealogic connections in female-line between them.

The old family, Galte

The first family called Galte, belongs to what is called the uradel in the middle ages. The Galte family died out in male-line about 1413. They had their main seat at Torsnes in Hardanger.

The present family, Galtung

The other family can be traced in male-line back to 1519. The present family belonged to an influential familycircuit in the Hardanger-area, amongst others on the farms Aga and Torsnes, and had many well-known navalofficers and admirals.

Historian H. J. Huitfeldt-Kaas said, in 1885, that in the period 1670-1870 the family started marriyng commoners, and thus, they lost their nobility. The whole family lived around 1800 on the old familyfarm of Torsnes, which they also do at the present. By the end of the 18th century, many of the family's members did however end up in the cities' higher classes as lawyers, doctors and such.

Living descendants today, includes sociologist Johan Galtung.

Literature

• Galtung, Johan Ellertsen: Galtungslekten i fortid og nutid, Oslo 1997.
• Huitfeldt-Kaas, H.J.: De nulevende Adelsslægter i Norge, Christiania 1885.