The Creutz family is attested in sources from the late 15th century. They had their seat at the
manor of Malmgård in
Pernå, eastern
Uusimaa, Finland. Naval commander Mårten Mattsson, lord of Sarvlaks, received a confirmation of
privileges of nobility from King
John III of Sweden on 2 August 1569. When the
Swedish House of Nobility was established 1625-26, the family was registered under number 92 of untitled nobility and with the name
Creutz. The name imitated the Germanic trend of having actual surnames; in this case denoting a
cross.
Lorentz Creutz the elder, governor of the
Åbo and
Borgå county, later member of the
Privy Council of Sweden,
admiral of the
Swedish navy,
lawspeaker of Northern Finland, was created
friherre Creutz (baron) in 1654 by Queen
Christina of Sweden on the day of her abdication. His family was registered under number 48 among baronial class. His wife was baroness Elsa
Duwall, heiress of
Abborfors. Baron
Johan Creutz, the Marshal of the nobility (
lantmarskalk), member of the Privy Council, president of the Court of Appeals of
Åbo, was created count Creutz on 31 December 1719 by queen
Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden and in 1720 his family was registered under number 68 among the
comital class. His cousin, Baron Ernst Johan Creutz, was created Count but he did not register it into the Swedish House of Knights and Nobility, and upon his childless death, that comital creation became extinct. When
Finland in 1809 became an autonomous
Grand Duchy, those members of the Creutz family who resided in Finland and swore fealty to the Grand Duke
Emperor Alexander I, were confirmed in their noble privileges and titles as to the
grand ducal estates of Finland. Accordingly, when the
Finnish House of Nobility was established 1818, the comital family of Creutz was registered there under number 1 among the comital class. ==Notable members==