In 1839, the Russian Order of Saint Stanislaus received new statutes, including granting status of nobility on its recipients in all three classes.

As a result of the Russian Revolution 1917, activities were suspended by the Soviet Union, although it has since been awarded by the head of the Imperial House of Romanov as a dynastic order.

In 1839 Nicholas I issued a new statute for the order, according to which it was divided into three degrees, and was awarded to "any subject of the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Poland" for military and civilian distinction, or for private services such as charity and philanthropy.

In 1844, it was decreed that when the order was granted to non-Christians, the cypher of St. Stanislaus was replaced by a black double-headed Imperial Russian eagle.

It was awarded to almost all military and government employees as well as civilians who served the empire with a blameless record, and who has status in the Russian table of ranks.

[1] As a result, the Order of Saint Stanislaus is considered to have been awarded continually by the legitimist pretender to the Russian throne since 1917.

[4] On the star and crosses of all classes, non-Christian recipients will have, instead of the cypher of Saint Stanislaus, a black and gold Imperial Russian double-headed Eagle.

On the rear side of the cross, all gold, with the verso a centered white round enameled shield, which depicts the same monogram "SS".

Silver star, the eight rays centering a white round shield circled with wide green stripes with two gold rims, the external rim wider; on the green enameled band between, gold laurel branches connected in the middle of each by two flowers; center roundel, in white enamel with red letters the cypher of Saint Stanislaus: "SS"; and around the hoop in a white box with gold letters, the motto of the order: Praemiando incitat ("rewarding encourages") divided at the top with a golden flower.

While several of these may be praise-worthy philanthropic organisations, one even boasting "royal patronage" by morganatic descendants of the Russian Imperial House,[5] none of them are recognised as legitimate orders of chivalry.