[1] The first known ancestor was Thomas von Essen (d. 1615–1627) who was from Lääne län in Estonia.

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.

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