The Great Houses are organizations of prominent families in the Klingon Empire. Representatives of the most powerful of the Great Houses serve on the High Council of the Klingon Empire, the ruling body of the Klingon Empire.
The Houses are generally named after the leader of the House, however it is the decision of the leader of a Great House under which name his House would be known by. Ja'rod, for example, decided not to rename his House from the House of Duras to the House of Ja'rod, as his son Duras, Son of Ja'rod would most likely rename it back to the House of Duras upon assuming leadership of the house. (TLE novel The Art of the Impossible).
Notable Great Houses
The following are some of the most well known Great Houses of the Klingon Empire;