[2] Among its members were warlords, landlords, knyazes (princes), knights, diplomats, Prime Ministers, admirals, stewards, State Counsellors and statesmen.

The family is among the first Russian aristocratic dynasties and its members bear the honorific predicate His Serene Highness.

According to legend, the family descends from Lithuanian prince Jurgis (George), son of Patrikas and grandson of Narimantas and thus a great-grandson of Gediminas (d. 1341), Grand Duke of Lithuania.

[c] After the extinction of the Korecki family in the 17th century, the Golitsyns claimed dynastic seniority in the House of Gediminas.

[5][better source needed] His son Yuri Mikhailovich Bulgakov continued with the family line Golytsin and his great-grandson Prince Vasily Golitsyn was claimant to the Russian throne during the Time of Troubles and went as an ambassador to Poland to offer the Russian crown to Prince Władysław; he died in prison.