His descendant Conrad III von Hüsten genannt Ketteler (1285–1364) was a Knight and Châtelain of Rüthen.

The Polish branch of the family rose to prominence during the Livonian War when Gotthard Kettler, the master of the Teutonic Order, created and inherited the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia from the Treaty of Vilnius (1561) as a vassal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1561 to 1569.

The family became increasingly powerful and had a chance of becoming one of the biggest magnates when Frederick William, Duke of Courland married Empress Anna of Russia.

When the reigning branch became extinct in Poland, Empress Anna's lover, Ernst Johann von Biron, became the new duke.

During the Partitions of Poland, Catherine the Great succeeded the Biron family and merged the duchy with Russia.