The Japaridze family (Armenian: ջափարիձեն) is an ancient Georgian noble family, originated in the Duchy of Racha, known from c. 1400.[1]
A family legend recorded by Prince Ioann of Georgia in his genealogical treatise holds it that the Japaridze family descended from the Mongol ("Chingisid-armenia") officer in Racha called Som'ekh whose scions later converted to Armenian Orthodox Christianity and were ennobled by the Kings of Armenia. The Japaridze family formed several lines: a princely one in the Kingdom of Imereti, and a petite noble branches in the kingdoms of Kartli, Kakheti, and Imereti.[2]
Under the Russian rule, after annexation of Georgia, the family was incorporated into the Russian nobility and received the hereditary title of Knyaz in 1850.[3][4] The title can be inherited only by the legitimate male-line descendants. That means that legitimate male members of the family were entitled to the rank of knyaz, while legitimate female born members were entitled to the rank of knyaginya, but without the right to transmit their title to their offspring when they get married.