The House of Pac or Pacowie (, , ) was one of the most influential noble families in the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...

. Numerous high-ranking officials of the Commonwealth came from their ranks. Their

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

was Gozdawa. The family reached the height of its influence during the second half of the 17th century. Their lands were located mainly in

Hrodna Grodno, or Hrodna, is a city in western Belarus. It is one of the oldest cities in Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, from Minsk, about from the border with Poland, and from the border with Lithuania. Grodno serves as the ad ...

(, ) and

Lida Lida is a city in Grodno Region, western Belarus, located west of Minsk. It serves as the administrative center of Lida District. As of 2025, it has a population of 103,262. Etymology The name ''Lida'' arises from its Lithuanian name ''Ly ...

(). The family's ancestor Kimantas was mentioned in the privilege of 1388 issued by

Grand Duke of Lithuania This is a list of Lithuanian monarchs who ruled Lithuania from its inception until the fall of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1795. The Lithuanian monarch bore the title of Grand duke, Grand Duke, with the exception of Mindaugas, who was crown ...

Vytautas the Great Vytautas the Great (; 27 October 1430) was a ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He was also the prince of Grodno (1370–1382), prince of Lutsk (1387–1389), and the postulated king of the Hussites. In modern Lithuania, Vytautas is revere ...

as ''Kymunt''. The estate of the family in proximity of

Grodno Grodno, or Hrodna, is a city in western Belarus. It is one of the oldest cities in Belarus. The city is located on the Neman, Neman River, from Minsk, about from the Belarus–Poland border, border with Poland, and from the Belarus–Lithua ...

was mentioned in the road description, charted by the

Teutonic Knights The Teutonic Order is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem was formed to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to t ...

, as ''Kymundsdorf''. Kimantas and his son Daukša (Dowkszewicz) were among the signatories of the

Union of Vilnius and Radom The Pact of Vilnius and Radom (, ) was a set of three acts passed in Vilnius, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and confirmed by the Crown Council in Radom, Kingdom of Poland in 1401. The union amended the earlier act of the Union of Krewo (1385) and con ...

of 1401. Daukša's son Pacas Daukšaitis is considered the founder of the family; his descendants took his first name as their family name, beginning with his son

Jerzy Pac Jerzy is the Polish version of the masculine given name George. The most common nickname for Jerzy is Jurek (), which may also be used as an official first name. Occasionally the nickname Jerzyk may be used, which means "swift" in Polish. People ...

(d. 1505/6). Their lands were concentrated in the southern

Lithuania propria Lithuania proper refers to a region that existed within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania where the Lithuanian language was spoken. The primary meaning is identical to the Duchy of Lithuania, a land around which the Grand Duchy of Lithuania evolved. T ...

, around the county of

Jieznas Jieznas () is a small city in the Prienai district municipality, Lithuania. It is located east of Prienai along the northern shores of Lake Jieznas. History Jieznas was first mentioned in written sources in 1492 as property of the Grand Duke o ...

. The family sponsored the construction of several notable examples of

Baroque architecture Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the late 16th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means to ...

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

; the most significant of these, St Peter and St Paul's Church in

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...

and the

Monastery of Pažaislis A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

, were commissioned by family members. In 1753, following a visit to the

Pazzi The Pazzi were a powerful family in the Republic of Florence. Their main trade during the fifteenth century was banking. In the aftermath of the Pazzi conspiracy in 1478, members of the family were banished from Florence and their property was ...

household in

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

Stefan Pac Stefan Pac (; 1587–17 November 1640) was a Polish–Lithuanian nobleman, politician and magnate. He was the private secretary of King Sigismund III of Poland since 1611, Grand Clerk of Lithuania since 1615, Recorder of Lithuania since 1626 ...

advanced the theory that the two families were related. The Pacs later dedicated a church to

Magdalena de Pazzi Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi, OCarm (; born ''Caterina Lucrezia de' Pazzi''; 2 April 1566 – 25 May 1607), was an Italian Carmelite nun and Christian mysticism, mystic. She has been declared a saint by the Catholic Church. Life De' Pazzi was bo ...

. The supposed ancestry was mentioned by 19th century authors, including Balzac. The family's influence was overwhelmed in the late 17th century by that of the

Sapieha The House of Sapieha (; ; ; ) is a Polish-Lithuanian noble and magnate family of Ruthenian origin,Энцыклапедыя ВКЛ. Т.2, арт. "Сапегі" descending from the medieval boyars of Smolensk and Polotsk. Vernadsky, George. ...

Michał Kazimierz Pac Michał Kazimierz Pac (; – 4 April 1682) was a nobleman and prominent military leader of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and of one the most influential members of the magnate Pac family. Educated by Jesuits and Mikołaj Krzysztof "the ...

(1624–1682) was a

Grand Hetman of Lithuania Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor Places * Grand, Oklahoma, USA * Grand, Vosges, village and commune in France with Gallo-Roman amphitheatre * Grand County (disambiguation), s ...

and Voivode of Wilno,

Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac (; 1621–1684) was a nobleman and statesman of Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Chancellor (1658–1684) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He was the brother of Michał Kazimierz Pac, the Grand Hetman of Lithuania (1667& ...

(1621–1684),

Grand Chancellor of Lithuania The Grand Chancellor of Lithuania (Lithuanian language, Lithuanian: ''Lietuvos didysis kancleris'') was one of the highest Offices in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, offices in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The office functioned from the mid ...

Mikołaj Stefan Pac Mikołaj Stefan Pac (c. 1626 – 1684) was a Polish nobleman, voivode of Troki since 1651, castellan of Wilno since 1670 and the bishop of Wilno since 1671. Bibliography ''Pacowie: materyjały historyczno-genealogiczne / ułożone i wydane prz ...

(?-1684),

voivode of Trakai Trakai Voivodeship, Trakai Palatinate, or Troki Voivodeship (, , ), was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1413 until 1795. History Trakai Voivodeship together with Vilnius Voivodeship was ...

and

bishop of Vilnius Bishops of Vilnius diocese from 1388 and archdiocese (archdiocese of Vilnius) from 1925:" ...

, and Kazmierz Pac (?-1695),

bishop of Samogitia A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

. During their adulthood, in late 17th century, they exerted major influence on the politics of the Grand Duchy. After their childless deaths, the Pac family was weakened, and much of their influence passed to others, primarily the Sapiehas. The last notable member of the Pac family was

Ludwik Michał Pac Count Ludwik Michał Pac (; ; 5 March or 19 May 1780 – 9 December 1835) was a France-born commander in the ''Grande Armée'', the Army of the Duchy of Warsaw and the Uprising of 1831. Depending on the source, he is called Lithuanian or Polis ...

(1778–1835), who fought in the

November Uprising The November Uprising (1830–31) (), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in Russian Partition, the heartland of Partitions of Poland, partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. ...

. After its failure, with his estates confiscated by the Russians, he emigrated to France.

Notable family members

(d. c. 1505), voivode of Kijów (

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

namiestnik A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the Anglo-Norman ''roy'' (Old Frenc ...

, the first bearer of the family name *

Mikołaj Pac Mikołaj is the Polish cognate of given name Nicholas, used both as a given name and a surname. It may refer to people: In Polish (or Polish-Lithuanian) nobility: * Mikołaj Kamieniecki, Polish nobleman and the first Grand Hetman of the Crown * M ...

(c. 1527-1585) – bishop of Kijów, castelan of Smoleńsk * Dominik Pac (d. 1579), member of the Sejm,

castelan A castellan, or constable, was the governor of a castle in Middle Ages, medieval Europe. Its surrounding territory was referred to as the castellany. The word stems from . A castellan was almost always male, but could occasionally be female, ...

Smoleńsk Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...

Stanisław Pac Stanislav and variants may refer to: People *Stanislav (given name), a Slavic given name with many spelling variations (Stanislaus, Stanislas, Stanisław, etc.) Places * Stanislav, Kherson Oblast, a coastal village in Ukraine * Stanislaus County, ...

(d. 1588),

podstoli Deputy pantler ( Lithuanian: pastalininkis, Polish: podstoli) was a court office in Poland and Lithuania. They were the deputy of a pantler, and was responsible for the King's and Grand Duke's pantry. From the 14th century, this was an honorary c ...

, voivode Witebsk *

(1570-1624), Bishop of Żmudź * Piotr Pac (c. 1570-1642),

podskarbi Podskarbi in the Kingdom of Poland and later in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was Minister (government), minister responsible for the treasury. Since 1569 also a senatorial office. The title although meaning treasurer can be deconstructed a ...

, voivode of Troki *

(d.1545-/6), łowczy, podkomorzy, voivode of

Podlasie Podlachia, also known by its Polish name Podlasie (; ; ), is a historical region in north-eastern Poland. Its largest city is Białystok, whereas the historical capital is Drohiczyn. Similarly to several other historical regions of Poland, e.g ...

* Jan Pac (d. 1610) –

cześnik A cup-bearer was historically an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty was to pour and serve the drinks at the royal table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues (such as poisoning), a person had to be regarded as thor ...

, ciwun of

Wilno Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...

voivode Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...

of Mińsk *

(c.1587-1640),

Grand Treasurer Podskarbi in the Kingdom of Poland and later in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was minister responsible for the treasury. Since 1569 also a senatorial office. The title although meaning treasurer can be deconstructed as "''underingtreasury' ...

and

Deputy Chancellor of Lithuania The Chancellor of Poland ( - , from ), officially, the Grand Chancellor of the Crown between 1385 and 1795, was one of the highest Offices in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officials in the historic Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. This o ...

Samuel Pac Samuel is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the biblical judges to the Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy), United Kingdom of Israel under Saul, and again in the monarchy's transition ...

(c. 1590-1627),

rotmistrz Rittmaster () is usually a commissioned officer military rank used in a few armies, usually equivalent to Captain. Historically it has been used in Germany, Austria-Hungary, Scandinavia, and some other countries. A is typically in charge of a s ...

Husaria The Polish hussars (; ), alternatively known as the winged hussars, were an elite heavy cavalry formation active in Poland and in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1503 to 1702. Their epithet is derived from large rear wings, which were ...

chorąży A standard-bearer ( Polish: ''Chorąży'' ; Russian and ; , chorunžis; ) is a military rank in Poland, Ukraine and some neighboring countries. A ''chorąży'' was once a knight who bore an ensign, the emblem of an armed troops, a voivodship, a l ...

* Paweł Pac (d. 1595), castelan of Witebsk and Wilno, voivode of Mścisław * Jan Samuel Pac (c. 1616-1654),

, member of the Sejm * Jan Kazimierz Pac (d. 1653), writer, member of the Sejm * Bonifacy Teofil Pac (d. 1678), Oboźny of Lithuania * Jan Kazimierz Pac (d. 1696/7), Chorąży of Lithuania *

(1621–1684),

(c. 1623-1684), voivode of Troki, castelan, bishop of Wilno *

(1624–1682),

* Kazimierz Pac (d. 1695), Bishop of Żmudź *

Konstanty Władysław Pac Konstanty is a Polish-language given name and a surname, a variant of Constantine. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Konstanty Adam Czartoryski (1777–1866), Polish prince, Brigadier General * Konstanty Andrzej Kulka (born 1947 ...

(d. 1686),

pułkownik (; ) is a military rank used mostly in Slavic peoples, Slavic-speaking countries which corresponds to a colonel in English-speaking states, ''coronel'' in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking states and ''oberst'' in several German-speaking and Scan ...

* Piotr Michał Pac (d. 1696), starost of Żmudź * Feliks Pac (c. 1615 – c. 1700), member of the Sejm, Podkomorzy of Lithuania * Jan Krzysztof Pac (d. 1702), podkomorzy, member of the Sejm *

Kazimierz Michał Pac Kazimierz Michał Pac (died 1719) was a Polish nobleman, Great Notary of Lithuania, Knight of Malta, Court Marshal of Lithuania from 1708 until 1709. References * ''Polski Słownik Biograficzny'', t. XXIV, s. 707. External links Pacowie ...

(d. 1719),

Great Notary of Lithuania Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" * Artel Great (bo ...

* Krzysztof Konstanty Pac (d. 1725), Great Notary of Lithuania, castelan of

Połock Polotsk () or Polatsk () is a town in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It is situated on the Dvina River and serves as the administrative center of Polotsk District. Polotsk is served by Polotsk Airport and Borovitsy air base. As of 2025, it has a pop ...

Michał Jan Pac Michał Jan Pac (1730–1787) was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman, Lithuanian Marshal of the Bar Confederation from 1769 until 1772, and Chamberlain of King Augustus III of Poland. He lived in exile in France after the defeat of the Confederation. ...

(1730-1787), starost, Marshal of the

Bar Confederation The Bar Confederation (; 1768–1772) was an association of Polish nobles (''szlachta'') formed at the fortress of Bar, Ukraine, Bar in Podolia (now Ukraine), in 1768 to defend the internal and external independence of the Polish–Lithuanian C ...

Józef Piotr Pac Józef is a Polish variant of the masculine given name Joseph. Art * Józef Chełmoński (1849-1914), Polish painter * Józef Gosławski (1908-1963), Polish sculptor Clergy * Józef Glemp (1929-2013), Polish cardinal * Józef Kowalski (1 ...

(c. 1736-1797), general, member of the Sejm * Michał Pac (1754-1800) – starost of Kowieńsk, member of the Sejm *

(1780-1835), general, voivode *

Józef Franciszek Pac Józef is a Polish variant of the masculine given name Joseph. Art * Józef Chełmoński (1849-1914), Polish painter * Józef Gosławski (1908-1963), Polish sculptor Clergy * Józef Glemp (1929-2013), Polish cardinal * Józef Kowalski (19 ...

(d. 1764), castelan of Żmudź *

(d. 1724),

starost Starosta or starost (Cyrillic: ''старост/а'', Latin: ''capitaneus'', ) is a community elder in some Slavic lands. The Slavic root of "starost" translates as "senior". Since the Middle Ages, it has designated an official in a leadersh ...

, castelan of Połock * Ignacy Pac (d. 1765),

* Antoni Michał Pac (d. 1774), writer, member of the

Sejm The Sejm (), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (), is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of the Third Polish Republic since the Polish People' ...

(1778–1835), general of the Napoleon's

Grande Armée The (; ) was the primary field army of the French Imperial Army (1804–1815), French Imperial Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Commanded by Napoleon, from 1804 to 1808 it won a series of military victories that allowed the First French Empi ...

Notable family members

References

See also