Kapnist family
The Kapnist family is the Russian noble family of the Russian Empire. Its founder's ancestor was a Greek merchant from Zakynthos. The family belongs to a historic Greek noble family with origins on the island of Zakynthos, dating back to the 15th century. A branch of the family gained the title of Count and became part of the Venetian nobility. This branch remained in Greece and rose to prominence in the country's political affairs.