The House of Leyen (von der Leyen) is an ancient German family of high nobility, the origin of which can be traced to the middle of the 12th century, which had estates at the Moselle River. Originally the family was named by its castle in Gondorf (Cunthereve). Since the 14th century it has called itself von der Leyen. Its members have the hereditary office of sénéchal in the bishopric of Trier. They also have Adendorf near Bonn, Leiningen on the Hunsrück, the Lordship of Arenfels and St. Ingbert.
Since 1653 the family was an Imperial Barony (Reichsfreiherrn) and acquired until 1660 as an addition to its scattered territories the Lordships of Burresheim and Blieskastell, where it built a residence around 1760. In 1697 the family received the county of Hohengeroldseck as a fiefdom from Austria. In 1711 the family's members became imperial counts and in 1806 imperial princes with sovereignty over Hohengeroldseck. In 1819 the principality was mediatized under Baden.
Two members of the family became Archbishop of Trier:
and one Archbishop of Mainz:
The family also includes physician Heiko von der Leyen, and by marriage, politician Ursula von der Leyen.