Walderdorff

The House of Walderdorff is the name of an old and distinguished German noble family, whose members occupied many important ecclesiastical positions within the Holy Roman Empire.

Walderdorff
Noble dynasty
Founded	Being first mentioned as member of the Uradel 1198, Rhineland 826 years ago
Titles	Imperial Knight of Walderdorff Count of Walderdorff
Connected families	Hilton family
Traditions	Catholicism
Estate(s)	Molsberg Castle

Since the 17th century the family has been residing on Molsberg Castle in the then Duchy of Nassau. Later several members settled and became wealthy residing in Hesse as well as in the Kingdom of Bavaria and Kingdom of Prussia.

In the 20th century one branch originally from Wiesbaden settled in the United States of which Tessa Gräfin von Walderdorf is an offspring. She would marry Barron Hilton II of the Hilton family.

History

First mentioned in 1198, the Walderdorff family belongs to the Uradel of the Rhineland and has strong historic ties to the Catholic Church. Members of the family originally held the rank of Imperial Knight, and were later elevated to baronial rank on 1 September 1663 and to comital rank on 12 August 1754 by Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. Since 1657 the family's seat has been Molsberg Castle in Westerwaldkreis.

Notable family members

• Wilderich von Walderdorff (1617–1680), Prince-Bishop of Vienna
• Johann IX Philipp von Walderdorff (1701–1768), Archbishop-Elector of Trier and Prince-Bishop of Worms
• Wilderich of Walderdorf (1739–1810), Prince-Bishop of Speyer
• Rudolf Graf Walderdorff (d. 1866), Austrian malacologist and entomologist
• Tessa Gräfin von Walderdorff (b. 1994), American socialite