The family was named after Nostitz in Saxony, with its history dating back to 1280 in Oberlausitz, today's Germany. They reigned over the Imperial County of Rieneck from 1673 when it was purchased by Count Johann Hartwig of Nostitz-Rieneck [de] (1610–1683) until 1803 when they sold it to the Princes of Colloredo-Mansfeld. Apart from Nostitz-Rieneck several other branches of the family existed: Nostitz-Unwürde, Nostitz-Jänkendorf, Nostitz-Wallwitz, Nostitz-Drzewiecky, Nostitz-Rokitnitz and Nostitz-Ransen which lived and spread through Prussia, Austria, Bohemia, Poland, Lithuania and Russia.
Notable members
Franz Anton von Nostitz-Rieneck [de] (1725–1794), Bohemian nobleman and patron
Johann Nepomuk von Nostitz-Rieneck (1768–1840), nephew of Friedrich Moritz, commanded a cavalry division in the army of the Austrian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars