A feudal family originally from Ton, Trentino, formerly an Italian speaking part of Tyrol, today part of the Trentino province of Italy, the male line traces back to Manfreinus of Tunno in 1187. In 1469 they became hereditary Cup-bearers of the Prince-bishopric of Trento and in 1558 of the Prince-bishopric of Brixen.
All males of the family were granted the title of Baron in 1604, and Counts of the Holy Roman Empire (Reichsgraf) in 1629. The title of Prince (Fürst) was conferred upon the head of the family, along with the style of Durchlaucht (Serene Highness), in the Austrian Empire in 1911. They were hereditary members of the Austrian House of Lords, in right of possession of the entailed lordship of Tetschen since 1879.
In 1621 the family acquired The Chateau at Klášterec nad Ohří, Bohemia, in 1629 Jílové u Děčína (Eulau), expropriated in 1946, in the second half of the 17th century Děčín castle (German: Tetschen), then the family’s main seat until it was sold in 1932. Later they also acquired Choltice castle and Benátky nad Jizerou castle, and several palaces in Prague.
In 1628 the family obtained the noble title that from 1629 was associated with the fief of Hohenstein. From 1642, with the loss of their possessions, the feud remained however part of the surname of the Thun und Hohenstein but the interests of the family were concentrated in Bohemia, leaving in Tyrol another line that continued the house in the native land.