The Demidov family (Russian: Деми́довы), also known as Demidoff or Dimidov, is a prominent Russian noble family that rose to immense wealth and influence during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Demidovs became a wealthy industrial family alongside the

Stroganov family The Stroganov family (Russian: Стро́гановы, Стро́гоновы; French: Stroganoff) emerged as a preeminent Russian noble family renowned for their roles as merchants, industrialists, landowners, and statesmen. By the reign of Iva ...

. Their legacy is closely tied to the industrialisation of Russia, significant contributions to the arts and sciences. The Prince Lopukhin-Demidov lineage resides in

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

History

The family's progenitor, Demid Antufiev, was a blacksmith from Tula in the 17th century. His son,

Nikita Demidov Nikita Demidov (full name Nikita Demidovich Antufiev), (5 April 1656 Tula – 28 November 1725 Tula) was a Russian industrialist who founded the Demidov industrial dynasty. Peter I of Russia charged the enterprising blacksmith Nikita with casti ...

(1656–1725), achieved fame and fortune through the manufacture of weapons and the establishment of iron foundries. His skill and entrepreneurial spirit attracted the attention of

Peter the Great Peter I (, ; – ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...

, who ennobled Nikita in 1720 and granted him extensive land and mining rights, marking the family's formal entry into the

Russian nobility The Russian nobility or ''dvoryanstvo'' () arose in the Middle Ages. In 1914, it consisted of approximately 1,900,000 members, out of a total population of 138,200,000. Up until the February Revolution of 1917, the Russian noble estates staffed ...

. Under Nikita and his son

Akinfiy Demidov Akinfiy Nikitich Demidov () (1678 Tula - 5 August 1745 Yatskoye Ustye, Menzelinsky Uyezd, Orenburg Governorate) was a Russian industrialist of the Demidov family. Life He was the eldest son of Nikita Demidov and increased the family fortune ...

(1678–1745), the family expanded their holdings to include gold, silver, and copper mines, particularly in the Ural Mountains. By the end of the 18th century, the Demidovs controlled vast estates and enterprises, producing about 40% of Russia’s cast iron output. Their industrial empire played a crucial role in Russia’s military and economic development. The Demidovs introduced advanced metallurgical techniques, such as blast furnaces and hydro-powered machinery, enhancing productivity. They also pioneered vertical integration, controlling mines, forests, and transportation networks to streamline production. Their factories supplied materials for international projects.

Philanthropy and Patronage

The Demidovs became renowned patrons of the arts and sciences. Pavel Grigoryevich Demidov (1738–1821) supported Russian scientific education, founding the Demidov Lyceum in Yaroslavl and sponsoring academic prizes. Nikolay Nikitich Demidov (1773–1828) and his sons, Pavel Nikolaievich Demidov (1798–1840) and Anatoly Nikolaievich Demidov (1812–1870), continued this legacy, funding schools, hospitals, and scientific endeavors both in Russia and abroad. The

Demidov Prize The Demidov Prize () is a national scientific prize in Russia awarded annually to the members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Originally awarded from 1832 to 1866 in the Russian Empire, it was revived by the government of Russia's Sverdlovsk ...

, established in 1831, became one of the most prestigious awards for scientific achievement in Russia. Pavel Nikolaievich Demidov died in 1840 leaving a substantial heritage to his spouse Aurora Demidova (nee Stjernvall, later Karamzin) who became a famous benefactor and philanthropist in the

Grand Duchy of Finland The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed from 1809 to 1917 as an Autonomous region, autonomous state within the Russian Empire. Originating in the 16th century as a titular grand duchy held by the Monarc ...

. Later, she married colonel Andrei Karamzin, the son of historian

Nikolay Karamzin Nikolay Mikhailovich Karamzin () was a Russian historian, writer, poet and critic. He is best remembered for his fundamental ''History of the Russian State'', a 12-volume national history. Early life Karamzin was born in the small village of ...

, who fell in the

Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...

. Many places are named after Aurora Karamzin in Finland because she supported schools, the first Deaconess Institution in Finland, orphanages, and other purposes in Finland. Through Aurora Karamzin the legacy of Demidovs lives in Finnish history and heritage.

International Connections

The Demidovs forged significant ties with European aristocracy. Anatoly Demidov acquired the Italian title Prince of San Donato and married Princess

Mathilde Bonaparte Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte, Princesse Française, Princess of San Donato (27 May 1820 – 2 January 1904), was a French princess and salonnière. She was a daughter of Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte and his second wife, Catha ...

, daughter of

Jérôme Bonaparte Jérôme Bonaparte (born Girolamo Buonaparte; 15 November 1784 – 24 June 1860) was the youngest brother of Napoleon, Napoleon I and reigned as Jerome Napoleon I (formally Hieronymus Napoleon in German), Kingdom of Westphalia, King of Westphal ...

, further elevating the family's international stature. The family owned estates such as the Villa San Donato in

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, and their descendants were connected to the

House of Bonaparte The House of Bonaparte (originally ''Buonaparte'') is a former imperial and royal European dynasty of French and Italian origin. It was founded in 1804 by Napoleon I, the son of Corsican nobleman Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Buonaparte (née ...

and the Karađorđević dynasty.

Demidov Collection

The Demidov Collection was a renowned private assemblage of art and cultural artifacts amassed by the Demidov family, notably Nikolay Nikitich Demidov (1773–1828) and Anatoly Nikolaievich Demidov (1812–1870). Housed primarily at Villa San Donato near Florence, it included Old Master paintings (e.g., works by

Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat. He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens' highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of clas ...

and

Vermeer Johannes Vermeer ( , ; see below; also known as Jan Vermeer; October 1632 – 15 December 1675) was a Dutch painter who specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle-class life. He is considered one of the greatest painters of the Dutch ...

), sculptures, malachite vases, and rare artifacts like the Polish coronation sword ''Szczerbiec''. Anatoly commissioned

Karl Briullov Karl Pavlovich Bryullov ( Bryullo; ; – ) was a Russian painter and draughtsman during the Romantic period, remembered among the greatest visual artists in the history of Russian art. Biography Karl Bryullov was born on 12 (23) December 179 ...

’s '' The Last Day of Pompeii'' (1833), a landmark of Russian art. The collection was dispersed through auctions in Paris (1863, 1870) and Florence (1880), with key pieces now held by institutions such as the

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current di ...

, London, the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

, and the

Hermitage Museum The State Hermitage Museum ( rus, Государственный Эрмитаж, r=Gosudarstvennyj Ermitaž, p=ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)ɨj ɪrmʲɪˈtaʂ, links=no) is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and holds the large ...

. The Demidovs’ patronage bridged Russian and European cultural spheres, leaving a lasting legacy in art history.

Later History and Legacy

The Demidov family's industrial empire and wealth, which had made them Russia's second-richest family after the

Romanovs The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russia. Nic ...

, faced severe repercussions during and after the

1917 Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of political and social change in Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and adopt a socialist form of government following two successive revolutions and a civil war. It ...

. Their vast industrial holdings, including iron foundries and Ural Mountain mines that once produced 40% of Russia's cast iron, were nationalised by the Bolsheviks. The family lost their estates, factories, and heirlooms as the new Soviet government seized private property. The second and last Prince Lopukhin, Pavel Petrovich Lopukhin (1788–1873), son of Pyotr Lopukhin, was granted the right in 1873 to pass his title and name to his great-nephew, General Nikolai Petrovich Demidov (1836–1910), who became the 1st Prince Lopukhin-Demidov. A representative of another branch of this industrialist clan, Nikolai was succeeded by his son, Colonel Aleksander Nikolayevich Demidov (1870–1937), the 2nd Prince Lopukhin-Demidov. After the

Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...

, Aleksander relocated to

, purchasing Anttolanhovi Manor in Anttola near

Mikkeli Mikkeli (; ; ; ) is a List of cities and towns in Finland, city in, and the regional capital of, South Savo, Finland, located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population is approximately , while the Mikkeli sub-region of Southern Savonia has a populat ...

in 1917, where he resided briefly until exhausting his inheritance. His wife, Princess Natalia Dmitrievna Naryshkina (1886–1957), died in Mikkeli in 1957. Their son, Nikolai Alexandrovich Demidov, 3rd Prince Lopukhin-Demidov (1904–1995), resided in New Hampshire, USA. His brother, Aleksander Aleksandrovich Demidoff (1905–1982), was born and lived in Finland. Aleksander’s son, Yrjö Onni Johannes Demidov, 4th Prince Lopukhin-Demidov (1936–2018), fathered Nikolai Alexander Paul Demidov, the 5th Prince Lopukhin-Demidov (born 1976). A lineage descending from Aleksander Nikolayevich Demidov (1870–1937), the 2nd Prince Lopukhin-Demidov, changed its surname to Tammipuu (which means "oak tree" in Finnish). The Demidov family residing in Finland has not been introduced to the House of Nobility because the

Finnish nobility The Finnish nobility (; ) was historically a privileged Social class, class in Finland, deriving from its period as part of Sweden and the Russian Empire. Noble families and their descendants are still a part of Finnish republican society, but ex ...

ceased introducing new families after the collapse of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

(under which Finland existed as a Grand Duchy until 1917). This closure was compounded by the failed establishment of the Kingdom of Finland in 1918, when

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

’s defeat in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

prevented Prince Friedrich Karl of Hesse from assuming the throne. Finland subsequently became a republic in 1919. The International Demidov Foundation was established in Russia in 1992. The foundation is dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of the Demidov family, including their cultural, industrial, and philanthropic heritage. It supports the study and popularisation of the Demidov heritage and participates in the preservation and restoration of historical monuments associated with the family.

Notable Members

(1656–1725): founder of the family fortune, ennobled by Peter the Great *

(1678–1745): expanded the family’s mining empire *

Prokofi Akinfiyevich Demidov Prokofi Akinfiyevich Demidov (1710–1786) was a Russian industrialist and philanthropist; he was also Russia's first millionaire. The eldest son of Akinfiy Demidov, Prokofi inherited the enormous Demidov family fortune on his father's death in 1 ...

(1710–1786): industrialist, philanthropist * Pavel Grigoryevich Demidov (1738–1821): philanthropist, active state councillor, botanist, and a patron of Russian education * Nikolay Nikitich Demidov (1773–1828): ober-chamberlain, industrialist, benefactor, and patron of the arts * Pavel Nikolaievich Demidov (1798–1840): governor of Kursk, active state councillor, master of the hunt, philanthropist, founder of the Demidov Prize * Aurora Demidova (1808-1902): philanthropist * Anatoly Nikolaievich Demidov (1812–1870): 1st Prince of San Donato, art collector, and patron * Pavel Pavlovich Demidov (1839–1885): 2nd Prince of San Donato, jurist, philanthropist, and author * Elim Pavlovich Demidov (1868-1943): 3rd Prince of San Donato, ambassador, master of the hunt, chamberlain, active state councillor * Nikolai Petrovich Demidov-Lopukhin (1836-1910): 1st Prince Lopukhin-Demidov, lieutenant general * Aleksander Nikolayevich Demidov (1870–1937): 2nd Prince Lopukhin-Demidov, colonel * Hasan Arfa: his mother was the daughter of a British diplomat and a Russian woman who was a member of the Dedimov family

Hereditary commanders of the Knights Hospitaller

In 1798, Nikolay Nikitich Demidov was appointed Family Commander of the Russian Grand Priory of the Order of Saint John by Tsar Paul I. Those favored by Emperor Paul and his son Alexander were granted beneficed Commanderies, while others were encouraged to use their wealth to establish their own Commanderies; these were known as Family or Ancestral Commanderies In 1811, a Ukase was enacted which brought this institution to an end. However, by personal grant of the Emperor, the title of " Hereditary Commander" was held by some descendants who qualified. In 1928, a group of descendants of the original Family Commanders formed an Association. By 1958, the group was chaired by Grand Duke Vladimir (claimant to the Russian Throne). This group regulated the claims of the descendants. On 14 April 1958, under his signature of Grand Duke Vladimir decided in favour of Paul Demidoff; "''de faire droit à Votre requête et de confirmer Votre titre de Commandeur Héréditaire de l'Union des Descendants des Commandeurs Héréditaires et Chevaliers du Grand Prieuré Russe de l'Ordre de St. Jean de Jérusalem en tant que descendant direct de Demidoff Nicolas fils de Nicétas qui, par grâce de Mon trisaïeul, S.M. l'Empereur Paul I-r Grand Maître de l'Ordre de St. Jean de Jérusalem avait été élevé le 2I Juillet 1799''" - in translation; "''to grant Your request and to confirm Your title of Hereditary Commander of the Union of the Descendants of the Hereditary Commanders and Knights of the Russian Grand Priory about St John of Jerusalem as a direct descendant of Demidoff Nicholas son of Nicétas which, by grace of My great-great-grandfather, H.M. the Emperor Paul I Grand Master of the Order of St John of Jerusalem had been elevated 21 July 1799''". Alexandre Tissot Demidoff (of Berkshire, England) chairs an association dedicated to continuing the humanitarian tradition of the Russian Grand Priory, of which Alexander Demidoff (of Paris, and son of Paul Demidoff mentioned above) is a member.

Publications

* Anatole Demidoff,
Travels in Southern Russia, and the Crimea; through Hungary, Wallachia, & Modavia, during the Year 1837
', London, J. Mitchell, 1853,

References

External links

History and portraits of the DemidovsHistory of the Demidov Family (from the website of Demidov University)
{{Authority control Russian noble families