Coat of arms of the Astafyev family (1799)

The Astafyev family (Astafiev; Russian: Астáфьевы, Остáфьевы) is the name of several Russian noble and boyar families known since the 14th century. According to the Russian Genealogical Book ("Русская Родословная Книга") published by the prince Pyotr Dolgorukov, there are four ancient Asyafyev noble families, originally spelled as "Ostafyevs". The first is derived from the medieval boyar family of Novrogod Republic and the second is believed to be the descendants of the prince of Tmutarakan and Chernigov Mstislav and the prince of the Circassian tribe of the Kassogians. In the Primary Chronicle, ancient Russian chronilce, is written that Mstislav seized Rededia's "wife and children". Afterwards, this Astafyev family was mentioned as one of the branches of the Sorokoumov-Glebov family being related to the Lopukhin family.

The two other Russian noble families using this surename are less famous. The third one is originated from Ivan Tabaievich Ostafyev, who was a gentry in the city of Galich in the beginning of the 17th century and was granted an estate by the Tsar Michael I for his military duty during the Smolensk War (1632-1634). The fourth family is described to be the descendants of the dvoryanin (дворянин) Ivan Ageevich Ostafyev. There is no enough information about them.

More than 16 members of these families had lands in 1699.

Name origins

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The execution of the posadnik Eustathius

XV-XVI centuries

The later evidences of this family cannot be found. However, historians claimes that at least three members of the Ostafyev (Astafyev) family participated in the Oprichnik forces in 1573: Sergei, Malotheus and Vasily Ostafyev. It might be that in the later centuries none of the members of this family has held high positions on the official servises.

These Ostafyevs (Astafyevs) have also appeared in the Noble Families Genealogical Book (Дворянская родословная книга) of the Novgorod Governorate in the beginning of the 19th century.

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A duel between Mstislav of Chernigov and Rededia in 1022 (painting of 1812)

The most notable Ostafyev (Astafyev) family originates from the boyar Michael Sorokoumov-Glebov, who was the descendant of the prince Rededia killed by Mstislav of Chernigov in 1022. Michael is mentioned as a boyar of the Prince of Moscow Ivan I Danilovich Kalita.

After the mestnichestvo was cancelled during the reign of the Feodor III (1676-1682), ancient boyar families had to prove their inherited rights. After ten years the Velvet Book (Бархатная книга) was created. In this book there is a family tree of Astafyevs beginning with the Yemelyan Ostafyev, who was a landlord in Tula in 1575.

XVII century

  • Doropheus Ostafyev,
    • Denis and Fyodor Ostafyevs,
      • Vasily Denisovich Ostafyev,
      • Athanasius Denisovich Ostafyev,
      • Iov Fyodorovich Ostafyev,

XVIII century

  • Pyotr Vasilievich senior (Большой),
  • Pyotr Vasilievich junior (Меньшой),

Landed noble family from Galich

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Coat of arms of the Astafyev family from Galich (1811)

Ostafyevs who are the descendants of Galich's gentry Ivan Tabaievich Ostafyev (1600-1653) has known from the 17th century. Many of them surved military service in different parts of the state. The founder of the family had several sons. One of them Pyata Ivanovich, born in 1624, took part in the Russo-Polish war or the Thirteen years war. He was mentioned to "fight furiously". Another son, Bogdan Ivanovich (1630-1683) was a galichian pomeschchik. His sons Ivan and Moses were fighting against Ottoman forces during the siege of Chigirin in 1676-1677.

Astafyevs in the 19th century

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Coat of Arms describtion

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  1. ^ "Остафий Дворянинец", Википедия (in Russian), 2023-08-27, retrieved 2023-10-07