Ancestors

The Ancestors are the progenitors of the vampire race who evolved from humans over ten thousand years ago during a climate change, which resulted in the post-apocalyptic timeline that Vampire Knight currently takes place in. The Ancestors and their full-blooded offspring were later to be known as Pureblood vampires. The Ancestors also known amongst themselves as founders, due to being the very first vampires in existence.

The mixed blood of the Pureblood ancestors, and that of lower class vampires or humans, is the cause of the Aristocrat vampires vampires ranked below the Purebloods.

Powers & Abilities
The Ancestors like Purebloods are the strongest type of vampires who are blessed with incredible powers. Ancestors blood contains immense of abilities. Although they were born from human parents, they have no human blood in their lineage. Ancestors are essentially immortal and can heal from almost any kind of damage. Anti-vampire Weapons are the only weapons that can kill Ancestors and Purebloods by a wound to the head or heart. When Ancestors and Purebloods are killed their bodies will disperse into small sparkles before shattering into glass.

Like their descendants, the Purebloods, the Ancestors had the ability to turn humans into vampires. If a lower class vampire (level B, C, and D) continually drinks their blood it will make their abilities more powerful and increase their lifespan. While their blood and flesh is toxic for humans to consume, the rare few who survive end up gaining accelerated healing capabilities and the ability sense vampires. These select few later become known as Vampire Hunter. The Ancestors and Purebloods other powers include:
 * Ancestors have immense senses, strength, speed, agility, reflexes, stamina, durability, and can destroy lower class vampires with ease.
 * By drinking the blood of other vampires and other Purebloods they can absorb their powers.
 * Can impose their will on multiple lower class vampire.
 * While they possess the ability to turn Pureblood vampires into humans, it is at the cost of own their life.
 * Telekinesis and erasing memories.
 * Can possess the bodies of other vampires and use their powers while in their body.
 * Ancestors and Purebloods can put themselves into slumber for how long they would want to sleep (Isaya went into slumber for 50 years, while the Hanadagi family went into slumber for 100 years). They age slightly during that period of time.
 * When awaken from slumber by another Pureblood, that Pureblood becomes their master and they are unable to kill them.
 * Like all vampires memories and feelings can be seen and felt through blood drinking.
 * Can transform themselves or part of themselves into animals (Kaname and Toma's bats and Yuki's butterflies).
 * Can create familiars of any form that they choose and can change the shape of their familiar (Sara Shirabuki can create spiders to spy on others and Kaname's wolf).
 * After turning a human into a vampire and letting that turned human drink their blood, they become their master.
 * Their blood can cure human illnesses and grant them small amounts of strength.
 * Ancestors and Purebloods can use their hearts to create Anti-vampire Weapons by putting their hearts into a metal furnace.
 * Can wield and manipulate anti-vampire weapons.

List of Ancestor Vampires

 * Kaname
 * The Hooded Woman

Trivia

 * The Ancestor were born from humans.
 * Ancestors powers are passed down through Purebloods and Purebloods to Aristocrats.
 * Ruka Souen states that vampires pregnancy can last 2 to 5 years.
 * Like all vampires, ancestors have a thirst that can be quenched by the blood of their love one.
 * Ancestors, like Purebloods, stop aging in their mid-twenties. When putting themselves into slumber it alternates their aging process, as Ai Kuran put herself into slumber for 1,000 years and still looks young.