Russian princes

The core of the Russian princely families is formed by the descendants of legendary Varangian chieftain Rurik (+ 879) whose son Igor became the ruler of the first Russian state Kiev-Rus. In the 12th century that state fell apart in several principalities, which became tributary to the Mongols in the 13th century. As of the 15th century one of the principalities – Moscow – started to take over the others and became the new centre of the Russian state.
After the extinction of the princes Odoevsky in 1869 the family Massalsky represents the senior line of the Rurikids. A second group of families descend from Lithuanian Grandduke Gediminas.

DNA research in the period 2006-2008 proved that members of the families Gagarine, Khilkov, Kropotkin, Lobanov-Rostovky, Myshetzky, Poutiatine, Puzyna and Shakhovskoy all shared the same ancestor of Finno-Ugrian origin. Rurik is considered to have come from the area north of Stockholm which in the 4th and 5th century was populated by a Finno-Ugrian people. Members of the family Obolensky and Wolkonsky however had a western Slavic origin. Perhaps the occupation of Kiev in 1069 by King Boleslav II of Poland explains this. The Czetwertynskis are neither Rurikids, their ancestor belongs to the native population of the Belurus-Ukrainian border zone.
Members of the families Czartoryski, Khovansky and Trubetzkoy shared a common ancestor as well, originating in the native Lithuanian population. However the head of the Czartoryski family descends from a Germanic tribe.

The expansion of the Russian Empire east into Siberia and south into the Caucasus led to many regional noble families and even former ruling families to be incorporated into the Russian nobility, making the Russian upper class very diverse from an ethnic point of view.

Rurikids

Principality	Ancestor	Family	Remarks
Tshernigov		Odoevsky	Extinct 1869
		Massalsky	Senior representative of the House of Rurik
		Koltzov-Massalsky	Extinct 1875
		Oginsky	Extinct 1909 (in Poland)
		Puzyna	(in Poland)
		Gortshakov
		Eletsky	Extinct 19th century?
		Zvenigorodsky
		Bolkhovsky	Extinct 19th century?
		Wolkonsky
		Bariatinsky
		Myshetzky
		Obolensky
		Repnin	Extinct 1801, continued as sidebranch of Wolkonsky
		Tyufyakin	Extinct 1845
		Dolgorouky
		Stsherbatov
Halich		Drutskoy	Extinct beginning 20th century?
		Drutskoy-Sokolinsky
		Drutskoy-Lyubetsky (Drucki-Lubecki)	(in Poland)
		Babishev	Extinct beginning 19th century
		Poutiatine (Putyatin)
Smolensk		Wiazemsky
		Kozlovsky	Extinct 1943
		Kropotkin
		Rjevsky	Extinct 1894
		Dashkov	Extinct 1807
Yaroslavl		Trukurov	Extinct 1740
		Shshetinin	Extinct 19th century?
		Zasekin	Extinct 19th century
		Shakhovskoy
		Shekhonsky	Extinct 19th century
		Lvov
		Prozorovsky	Extinct 1869
		Dulov
Rostov		Shshepin-Rostovsky	Extinct 1858
		Kassatkine-Rostovsky	Extinct 1940
		Lobanov-Rostovsky
Belozersk		Belosselsky	Extinct in legitimate line
		Vadbolsky	Extinct 19th century?
		Sheleshpansky	Extinct 19th century
		Ukhtomsky
Starodub		Gagarin
		Romodanovsky	Extinct 1730
		Khilkov
		Gundorov	Extinct 19th century
Turovo-Pinsk		Svyatopolk-Shetvertinsky (Swiatopolk-Czetwertynski)
		Sviatopolk-Mirsky

Gediminids

Principality	Ancestor	Family	Remarks
		Koriatovitch-Kurtsevitch	Extinct in 19th century?
		Galitzine
		Kurakine
		Khovansky
		Trubetzkoy
		Czartoryski	(in Poland)
		Sanguszko	(in Poland)
		Nesvitsky	Extinct 19th century
		Vishnevetsky (Wisniowiecki)	Extinct 1744 (in Poland)
		Voronetsky (Woroniecki)	(in Poland)
		Guedroitz (Giedroyc)

Elevated to princely rank by the Russian Emperor

Title	Created	First holder	Remarks
Menshikov	ca. 1725	Alexander Danilovitch Menshikov (1673-1729)	Extinct 1893
Potemkin-Tavritshevsky	1783	Grigori Alexandrovitch Potemkin (1739-1791)	Extinct 1791
Zubov	2-6-1796	Platon Alexandrovitch Count Zubov (1767-1822)	Extinct 1822
Bezborodko	1797	Alexander Andreievitch Bezborodko (1747-1799)	Extinct 1799
Romodanovsky-Ladyzhensky	8-4-1798	Nikolai Ivanovitch Ladyzhensky (…-1803)	Extinct 1803
Lopoukhine	19-1-1799	Pyotr Vassilievitch Lopoukhine (1753-1827)	Extinct 1873
Italiisky	8-8-1799	Alexander Vassilievitch Count Suvorov-Rymniksky (1729-1800)	Extinct 1893
Smolensky	29-7-1812	Mikhail Ilarionovitch Golenishtshev-Kutusov (1745-1813)	Extinct 1813
Saltykov	1814	Nikolai Ivanovitch Count Saltykov (1736-1816)	Extinct 1941
Razumovsky	18-10-1814	Andrei Kirillovitch Count Razumovsky (1752-1836)	Extinct 1836
Barclay de Tolly	30-8/11-9-1815	Mikhail Barclay de Tolly (1761-1818)	Extinct 1871
Zaionshek	1818	Iossif Zaionshek (1752-1826)	Extinct 1826
Lieven	22-8-1826	Charlotte v. Gaugreben (1743-1828)
Varshavsky	1831	Ivan Feodorovitch Count Paskievitch-Erivansky (1782-1856)	Extinct 1903
Kotschubey	6-12-1831	Victor Pavlovitch Kotschubey (1768-1834)	Extinct 1953
Osten gen. Sacken	8/20-11-1832	Fabian v. der Osten gen. Sacken (1752-1837)	Extinct 1837
Sayn-Wittgenstein	16/28-6-1834	Peter Fürst zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (1769-1873)
Vassiltshikov	1-1-1839	Ilarion Vassilievitch Count Vassiltshikov (1776-1847)
Tshernyshev	1841	Alexander Ivanovitch Count Tshernyshev (1786-1856)	Extinct 1918/19
Vorontzov I	6-8-1845	Mikhail Semenovitch Count Vorontzov (1782-1856)	Extinct 1856
Chingiz	25-6-1847	Sahib Guirey Khan	Extinct 19th century
Orlov	28-11-1856	Alexei Feodorovitch Count Orlov (1786-1861)	Extinct 1961
Barclay de Tolly-Weymarn	17/29-5-1872	Alexander v. Weymarn (1824-1905)	Extinct 1964
Lopoukhine-Demidov	21-1-1876	Nikolai Petrovitch Demidov (1836-1910)
Vorontzov II	7-7-1882 12-2-1886	Paul Andreievitch Count Shuvalov (1846-1885) Mikhail Andreievitch Count Shuvalov (1850-1903)	Extinct 1903
Youssoupov	1891	Felix Felixovitch Count Soumarokov-Elston (1856-1928)	Extinct 1967
Menshikov-Koreisha	1895/1910	Ivan Nikolaievitch Koreisha (1865-1919?)	Extinct 1919?
Łyszczyńsky-Troekurov	18-5-1916	Vladimir Anselmovitch Łyszczyńsky (1861-1935)

Former (semi) sovereign families incorporated in the Russian nobility with princely rank

Origin	Family	Remarks
Royal House of Georgia	Grouzinsky
Royal House of Imereti	Imeretinsky	Extinct 1978
Princes of Mukhrani	Bagration-Mukhransky
Princes of Mingrelia	Dadian-Mingrelsky	Extinct 1919
Princes of Abkhazia	Chervachidzé (Shervashidze)
Princes of Guria	Gurieli
Khans of Erivan	Erivansky
Khans of Nakhitshevan	Nakhitshevansky
Khans of Maku	Makinsky
Khans of Siberia	Sibirsky	Extinct 1879?
Czarevichs of Kasimov	Kasimovsky	Extinct 1715
Khans of the Crimea	Guirey

Other families incorporated in the Russian nobility with princely rank

Origin	Family	Remarks
Romanian	Cantacuzino
	Dabija	Extinct
	Kantemir	Extinct 1820
	Mavrocordato
	Moruzi
Tatar with Russian princely Rank	Mestshersky
	Youssoupov	Extinct 1891
	Urusov
Tatar with Tatar princely rank	Akchurin	Extinct 19th century
	Bayushev	Extinct 19th century
	Begildeev
	Bibarsov	Extinct 19th century
	Dashkin	Extinct 18th century
	Devlet-Kildeev
	Diveev	Extinct 17th century
	Engalytchev
	Enikeev
	Engildeev	Extinct 17th century
	Gedianov	Extinct 17th century
	Isheev
	Keykuatov	Extinct 20th century?
	Kildishev	Extinct 20th century
	Kudashev
	Kugushev
	Kulunchakov	Extinct 1938
	Kutkin	Extinct 19th century?
	Kutyev
	Maksutov
	Mamatkazin-Sakaev	Extinct
	Mamatov
	Mamin	Extinct 18th century
	Mamleev	Extinct 19th century?
	Mansyrev
	Mustafin
	Stokasimov	Extinct 20th century?
	Tenishev	Extinct 1959
	Tshegodaev
	Shakhaev	Extinct 1893
	Shirinsky-Shikhmatov	Extinct 1999
	Yaushev	Extinct 19th century
Kabarda	Tsherkassky
Kalmuk	Dondukov	Extinct 1781, continuation in Dondukov-Korsakov (extinct 1902) and Dondukov-Izyedinov (extinct 1967)
Ostyak	Satygin-Kondiysky	Extinct 19th century
Tunguz	Gantimurov
Indian	Porius-Vizapursky (Bijapur)	Extinct 19th century
Georgian	Abamelek(-Lazarev)
	Abashidze
	Abkhazov (Abkhazi)
	Agiashvili
	Amatuni
	Amilakhvari
	Amirejibov
	Andronikov (Andronikashvili)
	Apakidze
	Argoutinsky-Dolgorouky (Argutashvili)
	Asikhmovanov	Extinct 1843?
	Babadyshev (Babadishi)
	Bebutov (Bebutashvili)
	Begtabegov (Begtabegishvili)
	Chavchavadze
	Cherkezov (Ckerkezishvili)
	Chijavadze
	Chkeidze
	Chkotua	Extinct, title transferred to Chkonia
	Cholokaev (Cholokashvili)
	Diasamidze
	Djaparidze
	Djordadze (Georgadze)
	Eristov
	Gugunava
	Guramov (Guramishvili)
	Gurgenidze
	Javakhov (Javakhishvili)
	Karalov (Karalashvili)
	Kavkasidzev (Kavkasidze)
	Kherkeulidze
	Khidirbegov (Khidirbegishvili)
	Khodzaminasov (Khojaminasishvili)
	Kobulashvili
	Lionidze
	Lortkipanidze
	Machabeli
	Machutadze
	Magalov (Magalashvili)
	Makaev (Makasvili)
	Maksimenishvili
	Manvelov (Manvelishvili)
	Melikov (Melikishvili)
	Mikeladze
	Mkheidze
	Nakashidze
	Nizharadze
	(Djambakour-)Orbeliani
	Palavandov (Palavandishvili)
	Pkheidze
	Ratiev (Ratishvili)
	Robitov (Robitashvili)
	Rusiev (Rusishvili)
	Saginov (Sagisnashvili)
	Shalikov (Shalikashvili)
	Sidamon(-Eristov)
	Sologashvili
	Sumbatov (Sumbatashvili)
	Taktakov (Taktakishvili)
	Tarkhan-Mouravi (Tarknishvili)
	Tavgiridze
	Tsereteli
	Tsulikidze
	Tumanov (Tumanishvili)
	Turkestanov (Turkistanishvili)
	Tusiev (Tusishvili)
	Vachnadze
	Vakhvachov (Vakhvachishvili)
	Vizirov (Vezirishvili)
	Yashvil (Yashvili)
	Zhevakhov (Javakhishvili)

Sources
Families of the Nobility of the Russian Empire, volumes I, II, III and IV
Studies in Christian Caucasian History, Cyril Toumanoff 1967)
Rurikid Dynasty DNA Project