Most belong to the House of Grimaldi; exceptions, which consist primarily of the principality's administrators under periods of foreign occupation, are noted.
The House of Grimaldi, descended from Otto Canella, a statesman from the Republic of Genoa, and taking their name from his son Grimaldo, were an ancient and prominent Guelphic Genoese family.
The Grimaldis acquired Menton in 1346 and Roquebrune in 1355, enlarging their possessions.
These two towns (some 95% of the country's territory) were eventually ceded to France by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty in 1861.
Afterwards, Honoré II secured recognition of his independent sovereignty from Spain in 1633, and then from France by the Treaty of Péronne in 1641.