The Coregoninae subfamily consists of three nominal genera:[4] Two fossil genera (Beckius David, 1946 and Parastenodus David, 1946) are also known, both only from isolated scales from the Late Eocene or early Oligocene Kreyenhagen Shale of the San Joaquin Valley, California.

[9][10] In their ecosystems, whitefish tend to be some of the largest fish and occupy niches as benthic predators.

Many freshwater whitefish species have also made up an important component of the traditional diets of many indigenous people who have historically inhabited its range.

[16] In recent years, following several legal battles which restored the ability of native peoples to exercise their right to hunt and gather,[21] whitefish has become a major resource for those communities.

Native Alaskan communities also gather whitefish, specifically the inconnu (or sheefish), as a subsistence food.