The Barzani tribe (Kurdish: Hozî Barzanî) is one of the most prominent Kurdish tribes in Kurdistan.
The origin of the word Barzani is connected by scholars to the ancient Hurrian god Barzani. The sheikhs of Barzan are descendants of Imadia princes. Their grandfather, Massoud, moved to the village of Nafneka, near Barzan, where he settled and married. His son Sa’id stayed on. His grandson, Taj al-Din, a talented religious scholar, attracted a great number of followers, eventually founded is own tekkeyeh of Barzan. His son, Sheikh Abdul Rahman, inherited the sheikhdom, and passed it on to his son Sheikh Abdullah, who was known for his asceticism and piety. Sheikh Abdullah sent his son Sheikh Abdul Salam to the Nahriya Seminary to be taught by the eminent Sheikh Taha Nahri. After the death of his father, Sheikh Abdul Salam ran the Barzan Tekkeyeh and the number of his followers grew immensely. He founded a seminary in Barzan, which became famous throughout the region. After him, his son Mohammad administered the Barzan Tekkeyeh. The Tekkeyeh became an asylum for the oppressed and the aggrieved of the tribes adjacent to Barzan. He died in 1903. He was survived by five sons: Shiekh Abdul Salam, Sheikh Ahmed (Khudan), Mohammed Siddique and Mustafa Barzani.
Sheikh Ahmed Barzani is considered to be the architect of contemporary Barzan; he further expanded Barzan region by bringing together many different Kurdish tribes under his command. His teachings of love, patriotism, tolerance, respect, equality, sharing of wealth, acquiring knowledge, social reform and environmental protection were unprecedented during his time. Barzan was at its heyday during his time.
In 1983, 8,000 members of the Kurdish Barzani tribe were captured by Saddam Hussein's forces and later executed and buried in mass graves in southern Iraq. About 500 bodies were exhumed from Samawa, and re-buried in Barzan.