Aminoff family

Aminoff Аминовы/Аминевы
Russian boyar and Swedish-Finnish noble family
Arms of the Aminoff family
Parent family	Ratshichi, Kamensky, Kuritsyn
Current region	Northern Europe (mainly Sweden, Finland and Russia)
Place of origin	Veliky Novgorod^{[citation needed]}
Founded	1400s^{[citation needed]}
Founder	Ratsha Ivan Yuryevich Volkov-Kuritsyn nicknamed Amin
Connected families	Kamensky, Kuritsyn
Estate	Riilahti manor
Cadet branches	List Finnish branch Swedish branch Russian branch

Overview

The family originated with boyars from Veliky Novgorod and hails from the clan of Ratsha, a court servant (tiun) to Prince Vsevolod II of Kiev. Later it split in two branches: the Russian and Nordic. The Russian Aminovs were a lineage of the Kuritsyn boyar family, who, in turn, were offspring of the Novgorodian Kamensky clan. The Russian branch is thought to be extinct.

The Nordic branches and their members resides in Sweden and in Finland, and its genealogy branches are represented in Sweden's and Finland's Houses of Nobility.^{[citation needed]}

Aminoff's is a traditional military family but in 1900s and 2000s they have been involved more in business and industry and as public servants. Aminoff noble family is still active, and it has plenty of family members in Sweden and in Finland.^{[citation needed]}

Remove ads

Russian branch

The Aminov family claimed their descent from the legendary Ratsha, who is also believed to be the progenitor of the Pushkins, Buturlins and other families.^[1] The Aminovs are actual descendants of the Kamensky family through boyar to Grand Duke Vasily I of Moscow Roman Ivanovich Kamensky, who owned the Kamenka of Bezhetsky uyezd, Veliky Novgorod.^[2] Roman Ivanovich was a descendant of Gavrila Alexich, boyar to Prince Alexander Nevsky, through which they are direct descendants of Ratsha. Ratsha's descendant Ivan Yuryevich (Volkov) syn Kurytsyn nicknamed Amin',^[1] the son of Yuri Ggirogyevich Kamensky nicknamed 'Volk' (i.e. wolf) is the actual progenitor of the family. Nikita Ivanovich Aminov took part in the siege of Kazan in 1552, where he was killed in action.^[1] The Russian branch died out in the 18th century.^[1]

Remove ads

Finnish branch

The Finnish branch of the Aminoff family,^[3]^[4] a subbranch of the Swedish branch, was introduced at the Finnish House of Nobility in the 1800s. The Finnish branch is reportedly seen as one of the biggest noble families of Finland,^[5] in terms of the number of members, along with Schauman, Blåfield and Ehrnrooth.^[6] Prominent members of the Finnish branch includes: Ivar Aminoff, Finnish Minister of Defense.

Swedish branch

The Swedish branch of the Aminoff family was introduced at the Swedish House of Nobility in 1650, No. 446. The Swedish branch was established in 1618 when The great-grandson of Nikita Aminov, Fyodor Grigoryevich Aminov (circa 1560 – March 28, 1628), voivode at Ivangorod. In 1611, he surrendered the town to the Swedes and switched to their side. He moved to the Swedish territory with his immediate family.^[1] Soon he was appointed the governor of the Swedish Gdov.^[1] Teodor Gregorievitj Aminoff (Fyodor Grigoryevich Aminov) was then naturalized as a Swedish nobleman.^[7] Fyodor Aminov's mother was Princess Helena Ivanova Golitsin, daughter of Great Novgorod's Governor, Prince Ivan Jurivich Golitsin.^{[citation needed]}

Remove ads

Notable members

Henrik Johan Aminoff (1680–1758), Lieutenant General
Carl Mauritz Aminoff (1728–1798), Lieutenant General, Director of the Swedish Royal Army Pension Fund
Adolf Aminoff (1733–1800), Major General and Commander of Savo Brigade
Johan Fredrik Aminoff (1756–1842), Count, General, Statesman
Johan Gabriel Aminoff (1767–1828), Major General
Gustaf Aminoff (1771–1836), Major General, Governor
Adolf Aminoff (1806–1884), Count, General
Berndt Adolf Carl Gregori (1809–1875), Colonel, Statesman
Wilhelm Sixten Gregorius Aminoff (1838–1909), Chamberlain of Sweden's Queen Mother Josephine
Johan Fredrik Gustaf Aminoff (1844–1899), Lieutenant General, Governor
Adolf Petter Johannes Aminoff (1856–1938), Major General
Ivar Aminoff (1868–1931), Defense Minister of Finland, Politician
Gregor Carl Georg Aminoff (1872–1934), Adjutant of King of Sweden Gustav V
Alexis Aminoff (1897–1977), diplomat and Chamberlain of Duke and Duchess of Västergötland
Carl Göran Aminoff (1916–2001), CEO of Insurance Company Varma and Minister for Foreign Trade of Finland
Marianne Aminoff (1916–1984), a Swedish film actress
Sten Gregor Aminoff (1918–2000), Ambassador of Sweden in New Zealand and Western Samoa