Aminoff


Aminoff is a Swedish-Finnish noble family of Russian origin.
The family originated with boyars from Veliky Novgorod and hails from the clan of :ru:Ратша|Ratsha, a court servant 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 :ru:Каменские|Kamensky clan. The Russian branch is thought to be extinct.
The Nordic branch family members live in Sweden and in Finland, and its genealogy branches are represented in Sweden's and Finland's Houses of Nobility. Aminoffs were introduced to Swedish House of Nobility in 1650 with the number of 446, and to Finnish House of Nobility in 1836 with the number of 36.

History

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. 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. Roman Ivanovich was a descendant of :ru:Гаврила_Алексич|Gavrila Alexich, boyar to Prince Alexander Nevsky, through which they are direct descendants of Ratsha. Ratsha's descendant Ivan Yuryevich syn Kurytsyn nicknamed Amin', the son of Yuri Ggirogyevich Kamensky nicknamed 'Volk' 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. The Russian branch died out in the 18th century.

Von Aminoff

The great-grandson of Nikita Aminov, Fyodor Grigoryevich Aminov, was the 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. Soon he was appointed the governor of the Swedish Gdov. In 1618 he was ennobled under the Swedish Crown.
Feodor Aminev's mother was Princess Helena Ivanova Golitsin, daughter of Great Novgorod's Governor, Prince Ivan Jurivich Golitsin.
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.


Notable members

  • Henrik Johan Aminoff, Lieutenant General
  • Carl Mauritz Aminoff, Lieutenant General, Director of the Swedish Royal Army Pension Fund
  • Adolf Aminoff, Major General and Commander of Savo Brigade
  • Johan Fredrik Aminoff, Count, General, Statesman
  • Johan Gabriel Aminoff, Major General
  • Gustaf Aminoff, Major General, Governor
  • Adolf Aminoff, Count, General
  • Berndt Adolf Carl Gregori, Colonel, Statesman
  • Wilhelm Sixten Gregorius Aminoff, Chamberlain of Sweden's Queen Mother Josephine
  • Johan Fredrik Gustaf Aminoff, Lieutenant General, Governor
  • Adolf Petter Johannes Aminoff, Major General
  • Ivar Aminoff, Defence Minister of Finland, Politician
  • Gregor Carl Georg Aminoff, Adjutant of King of Sweden Gustav V
  • Alexis Aminoff, diplomat and Chamberlain of Duke and Duchess of Västergötland
  • Carl Göran Aminoff, CEO of Insurance Company Varma and Minister for Foreign Trade of Finland
  • Marianne Aminoff, a Swedish film actress
  • Sten Gregor Aminoff, Ambassador of Sweden in New Zealand and Western Samoa
  • Gregori Aminoff Prize