The Essen family or von Essen is the name of a Baltic German noble family which later became part of the Swedish and Russian nobility.[1]

Essen
noble family
Coat of arms of the Essen family
CountryGermany
Sweden
Russia
Finland
Place of originLääne län, Estonia
FounderThomas von Essen
TitlesBaron von Essen
Count von Essen
TraditionsLutheranism

History

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The first known ancestor was Thomas von Essen (d. 1615–1627) who was from Lääne län in Estonia. His son Alexander von Essen received Swedish nobility, but was not introduced in the Swedish House of Nobility. His descendants, Reinhold Wilhelm von Essen (1669–1732) and Hans Henrik von Essen (1674–1729), were elevated to Baron in 1717 and 1719. Hans Henrik von Essen was later elevated to comital rank.

Another was Magnus Gustav von Essen (1759–1813), a Russian lieutenant general and military governor of Riga. Nikolai von Essen (1860-1915), Admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy, hailed from the Livonian branch of the family, but not Count Peter Essen who was born a commoner.

Notable family members

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References

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Sources

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This article is fully or partially based on material from Nordisk familjebok, 1904–1926.