Roman Patrician Families

Every member of a particular Roman Patrician Family or Gens was identified by bearing the same Nomen or nomen gentilicium of that family.
So, Titus Sulpicius Catulus would be a member of the Sulpicia family

Romulus (753-716 BCE) initially created the first 100 Senators, creating 100 Patrician families. Later he added another 100 Senators.
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus (616-579 BCE) added another 100 Senators, making a total of 300 Senators.

Promotion to the Roman Senate did not mean automatic membership of the Patrician class.
At the end of the 2nd century BCE, Gracchus, Sulla (138-78 BCE) and Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE) consecutively brought the number of Senators up to 900.
Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE) then reduced the number of Senators to 600. This number then remained fairly constant until the end of the Roman Empire.
However, the exact number of Patrician families remains unknown. Being a Patrician did not give automatic access to becoming a Senator.

Gens (Plural Gentes) meant a family, clan or tribe bearing the same name (Nomen) and descended from the same ancestor.
The following is a list of some of the Patrician Families of Ancient Rome:
- Aebutia
- Aemilia
- Aquillia
- Atilia