The family contains many environmental bacteria,[1][2] with some species being potential pathogens.

[3] The family of Flavobacteriaceae was first proposed by Reichenbach in 1989,[1] it was approved by the IJSEM in 1992.

[3] Select species have occurred as pathogens in humans, with more genera, notably Elizabethkingia, being formerly placed in this family.

The family Flavobacteriaceae comprises the following genera:[4] The currently accepted taxonomy is based on the List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature[4] and the phylogeny is based on whole-genome sequences.

[5][a] Flavobacterium Myroides Capnocytophaga Pustulibacterium Imtechella Zhouia Joostella Galbibacter Aureitalea Marinirhabdus Ulvibacter Aequorivita Nonlabens Leeuwenhoekiella Dokdonia Aquimarina Croceibacter Psychroflexus Mesonia Salinimicrobium Gillisia Salegentibacter Gramella Zunongwangia Kordia Aurantibacter Mesoflavibacter Olleya Bizionia Flavirhabdus Winogradskyella Gelidibacter Ichthyenterobacterium Psychroserpens Oceanihabitans Lacinutrix Mangrovimonas Formosa Xanthomarina Hanstruepera "Algorimicrobium" Tamlana Algibacter Gaetbulibacter Siansivirga Confluentibacter Flavivirga Flaviramulus Arenitalea Jejuia Hyunsoonleella Sinomicrobium Aureicoccus Croceivirga Croceitalea Muricauda Robiginitalea Zeaxanthinibacter Muriicola Eudoraea Arenibacter Cellulophaga Maribacter Kriegella Pricia Pseudozobellia Zobellia Wenyingzhuangia Lutibacter Tenacibaculum Polaribacter Ichthyobacteriaceae