[2] Trapeliaceae was originally circumscribed by French lichenologist Maurice Choisy in 1929.

[3] Because of similarities in ascus structure, the family was originally classified in the Agyriineae, a suborder of the Lecanorales.

Preliminary molecular phylogenetic studies showed that Agyriineae was not related to the Lecanorales, and the order Agyriales was resurrected to contain the family.

[5] This placement contradicted the results of some previous phylogenetic analyses that showed the Trapeliaceae as neither sister nor contained within the Baeomycetales.

[9] In a later review of the use of this method for biological classification, Robert Lücking considered this merge justified.