He was born in Kristiania as a son of merchant and forest owner Hans Gulbranson and his second wife Helene Andersen.
[2] In June 1862 in Kongsvinger he married Minda Ramm Juell from Sogndal.
Their son Carl Gulbranson became a high-ranking military officer,[3] whilst their daughter Lilla married Minister of Foreign Affairs Johannes Irgens.
[1] He was against parliamentarism and was at times a political ally of King Oscar II.
He participated in creating an alternative draft of the Norwegian Constitution, but it was not accepted by any parliamentary politician.