Game of Thrones saw the rise and fall of many historically noble houses, though a couple actually went extinct along the way. Based on the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin, HBO’s series primarily followed three main Houses long ago: The Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryens. The titular battle sees the many noble families of Westeros fight for their lives, betray their allies, befriend their enemies, and weigh their loyalties as they fight for power and the Iron Throne.
The series’ families are split up among regions, with a few key houses serving as liege lords for the lesser houses in their respective kingdoms. The hierarchy of houses and who holds which castles constantly change during wartime in Westeros as many houses rise up or die out. Plenty of historical houses that once held high titles like the Reynes, Casterlys, and Blackfyres were extinguished long before Game of Thrones’ timeline, with new family names taking over their ranks and castles.
Picking up 17 years after Robert’s Rebellion that changed the lineage for the Iron Throne, Game of Thrones starts a new battle across the entire Seven Kingdoms once the Hand of the King, the king himself, and Ned Stark are murdered. The next eight seasons document the allegiances forged, those who newly assume power, and the once noble houses that went extinct in the war.
House Tyrell
The Tyrells of Highgarden ruled over the Reach as a Great House of Westeros for hundreds of years. Their house sigil is a golden rose, which influences their words “Growing Strong.” During Game of Thrones’ timeline, House Tyrell is ruled by Mace, the son of Olenna and Luthor Tyrell. The significant Tyrell players in Game of Thrones are Mace, the lord regent of the Reach and Master of Coin for the Iron Throne’s small council; Margaery, Mace’s daughter who marries into the heir-apparent three times to Renly Baratheon, Joffrey Baratheon, then Tommen Baratheon during which she twice becomes the Queen of Westeros; Loras, Margaery’s brother who is a highly acclaimed knight who was named a member of the Kingsguard; and Olenna, the eldest Tyrell masterminds Joffrey's murder.
After centuries of holding Highgarden’s seat, the Tyrell line is extinguished in Game of Thrones' 6th season when Cersei blows up the Great Sept with Margaery, Loras, and Mace inside. Olenna survives until the next season before being poisoned by Jaime, though as the eldest member she was the last of the Tyrells. Mace only had a daughter who took the name of other houses once married and a son who was gay and took a vow of fathering no children in his introduction to the Kingsguard, so there really wasn’t much future for the Tyrells anyway once Loras officially renounced his claim to Highgarden. Once the Tyrells had officially all died out, Ser Bronn of the Blackwater took over their seat.
House Mormont
One of the noble houses who owe their allegiance to the Starks of Winterfell, House Mormont is a small, mighty family whose sigil is a bear. The northern house from Bear Island’s words state “Here We Stand,” revealing their pride and resilience with all the unfortunate shame that has come upon their house. The true heir to Bear Island would have been Jeor Mormont, who renounced his claim and titles after his son Jorah put shame upon his house for trading slaves, an activity that had him exiled from Westeros altogether. After Jeor forsook his claim, he became Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and the head of House Mormont went to his sister Maege. Bear Island was led by Maege until she died in the War of Five Kings, after which the title was passed on to her young daughter, Lyanna, the fiercest young Lady in Westeros.
Lyanna was the last heir to Bear Island, so had she survived past Game of Thrones her house still likely would have died out by not having children or taking a new name. Up until season 8, Lyanna and her older cousin Jorah were the only surviving Mormonts, though both died in the Battle of Winterfell by wights. Once the two perished, so did House Mormont and its claim to Bear Island.
House Clegane
House Clegane wasn’t a historically noble house in Westeros, only having come to titles two generations before Sandor and Gregor. The brothers’ grandfather was the kennel master of Casterly Rock whose dogs fought off the lioness attacking Lord Tytos Lannister. The incident led Tytos to grant the Cleganes a formal seat and titles while making their sigil three dogs on a yellow field. Sanor and Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane was the two sole heirs of House Clegane, both becoming knights who served House Lannister in King’s Landing.
The Mountain was technically killed in season 4 after a duel with Oberyn Martell, but Cersei’s apothecary brought him back in a zombified status. In the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones, Sandor and Gregor finally battle one-on-one as the Red Keep falls to pieces, dying together as Sandor launches the both of them off of the castle. With the brothers’ deaths, House Clegane was officially extinguished.
House Bolton
One of the most brutal families in Westeros, House Bolton was a Great House located at the Dreadfort, who paid fealty to the Warden of the North, House Stark. Their sigil was a flayed man and words “Our Blades Are Sharp” after their gruesome torture tactic on their enemies. During the majority of Game of Thrones, House Bolton is led by the cunning and apathetic Roose Bolton, who betrays the Starks and has Robb and Catelyn murdered at the Red Wedding. Roose legitimizes his bastard son Ramsay Snow, who becomes the heir apparent until Roose has a natural-born son with his new wife. He marries Ramsay to Sansa, hoping to take hold of Winterfell for good.
After Sansa and Theon escape, Ramsay murders his father who had essentially put down Ramsay’s claim after the birth of his brother. Ramsay then also murders Lady Walda and his infant brother, leaving himself as the only Bolton with claims to the Dreadfort. After the Battle of the Bastards, Jon and Sansa reclaim Winterfell before she exacts her revenge on Ramsay himself. She ties him to a chair in his kennels, where she watches as his “loyal” dogs rip him to pieces, thus ending the family line of House Bolton.
House Karstark
The War of the Five Kings left many of the old houses without mature heirs, which meant many of the new lords and ladies would be children. This was the case for House Karstark, whose only heir was Alys after her father Harald was killed in the Battle of the Bastards and her brothers and uncles murdered for treason against Robb Stark. Alys finally bent the knee to House Stark and Jon Snow as their King in the North in season 7, though she was sadly murdered in the Battle of Winterfell, leaving no further heirs for House Karstark.
House Umber
Another northern family whose fealty was paid to Winterfell, the Umbers joined Robb Stark’s army in the War of Five Kings before committing treason by siding with the Boltons against the wildlings and Jon Snow. The first few Game of Thrones seasons saw Greatjon then Smalljon Umber as the Lord of the Last Hearth. Smalljon captured Osha, Rickon, and Shaggydog, officially betraying the Starks before the Battle of the Bastards. Smalljon is killed by Tormund in Battle of the Bastards, leaving his young son Ned as the Lord of the Last Hearth. Ned swears fealty to Jon and the Starks in the north, keeping his titles as the last male heir to House Umber. Ned is then murdered by wights who use his body parts to send a message to Winterfell about the impending Game of Thrones battle, ending the line of House Umber.