Galtung (noble family)

A female-line bridging them was long proposed until that too was debunked in 1950, by professor Lars Hamre's discovery of the Torsnes' family lineage in Copenhagen archives.

It is believed that the descendants living today represent the oldest surviving noble family in Norway, commonly known as clan Mel, Melsætten.

[3] The old Galte farm estates of Mel and Hatteberg were the core of the later Danish-Norwegian Barony of Rosendal.

By the end of the 18th century, many of the family's members could be found in the cities, populating professional classes as lawyers, doctors and such.

Living descendants today include sociologist Johan Galtung, recognised for his contributions to peace research and practice of conflict-solving, the so-called transcend-method.