The Kivu family represented one lineage within the Chiss Ascendancy, which itself is the governing body of the Chiss species; a family. At least one branch made their home on the planet called Rentor. The Mitth family Syndic Mitth'urf'ianico, whose core name was "Thurfian," regarded them as one of the least distinguished and most inept families within the Ascendancy.
Around the year 56 BBY, Kivu'rik'ardok, known as "Vurika," a member of this family, was selected for training as a sky-walker navigator for the Ascendancy. This decision led to her departure from Rentor and the severing of her ties with the Kivu family. Vurika's parents chose to conceal her true fate from her younger brother, Kivu'raw'nuru, or "Vurawn", for a number of years, leading him to the mistaken conclusion that she had died. Approximately around 39 BBY, Vurawn joined the ruling Mitth family to pursue a military career, as the Kivu lacked the capacity to adequately prepare him for such a path. He then took on the name Mitth'raw'nuru, shortened to "Thrawn". He quickly moved up to bridge rank and eventually discovered the existence of the sky-walker corps, deducing that Vurika had likely become one of its members.
In 18 BBY, Thrawn, by now holding the Senior Captain rank, faced exile from the Ascendancy. This punishment was due to his violating the Ascendancy's prohibition against Preemptive Strikes in battle. Thurfian, who had risen to the position of Patriarch of the Mitth family, proposed that Thrawn be returned to the Kivu family; however, this idea was rejected by Ja'fosk, the Supreme Admiral of the Chiss Defense Force.
The Kivu family was first introduced to readers in Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, a novel written by Timothy Zahn in 2020, and the first book in The Ascendancy Trilogy. Within the Star Wars Legends continuity, Mitth'raw'nuruodo and Mitth'ras'safis were members of the same blood family, which was initially presented in the 2006 novel Outbound Flight, also authored by Zahn.