Løvenskiold (noble family)

Løvenskiold is a Dano-Norwegian noble family of German origin. Members of the family now live primarily in Norway. Originally named Leopoldus, it was one of the first patrician Norwegian families to be ennobled, in 1739, when it was also granted the surname Løvenskiold.

The Løvenskiold family descend from merchant Herman Leopoldus (died 1696), who immigrated from Lübeck to Christiania (now Oslo, Norway). His son, also named Herman Leopoldus (1677–1750), became quite wealthy. Both he and his son, Herman Løvenskiold (1701-1759), were ennobled by letters patent in 1739 . At the same time, they received the surname Løvenskiold (lit. ‘Lion Shield’). His grandson was Chamberlain Herman Leopoldus Løvenskiold (1739-1799). His great-grandson Severin Løvenskiold (1743–1818) was made a baron (Norwegian: baron or friherre). He was the father of Severin Løvenskiold (1777–1856) who served as Prime Minister of Norway.

Members of the family have owned a number of historic home in Denmark and Norway including Løvenborg Castle (Løvenborg Slot) at Merløse in Holbæk, Holden Manor (Holden hovedgård) at Ulefoss in Telemark and Fossum Manor (Fossum hovedgård) at Fossum Ironworks in Skien. Other family estates included Vækerø Manor west of Bærums Verk in Bærum and the Ask estate in Ringerike (Ask storgård i Ringerike).

The name is also given to the family's privately owned company Løvenskiold-Vækerø, headquartered at Ullern. The holding company owns vast tracts of woodland in and around Oslo, Akershus, Oppland, Buskerud and Telemark, as well as the building materials retail chain Maxbo.

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