Harald Conrad Thaulow was born in the Duchy of Schleswig, at that time a dominion of the Danish crown.

He was the son of Johan Frederik Thaulow (1768–1833) and Caroline Henriette Tugendreich Looft (1777–1852).

Here he became an assistant to Jens Jacob Keyser, professor of physics and chemistry at the new University in Christiania (1836 to 1842).

Among his works was a treatment from 1853, on the influence of isomorphism and isometry on the development of natural sciences, for which he was awarded the Crown Prince's Gold Medal.

[6] His granddaughter was the Norwegian-Danish silent film actor Else Frölich (daughter of Frits Thaulow).