As indicative by her last name, Cedrella Black came from The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. The Black family's history is intertwined with wizarding history itself, with Blacks serving in all manners of wizard affair for most of recorded history. The influence of The Black family, both of its members, and of the institution of The House, are still being felt upon wizards today. It is this singular family that Cedrella Black was born into, and a deep understanding of this family is required to uncover the lady that she was. 

The most famous patriarch of The Black family was Caelum Black. While there were more Blacks before Caelum, Caelum was the first to take an interest in wizarding genealogy and lineage. Caelum established the first edition of Notable Names of Britain, which would later become the comprehensive Archive of Wizard Genealogy. Both volumes sought to name and categorize the wizards of the time, placing special emphasis on Pureblood wizards. Branches of the family considered nonpure were often represented with symbols or short notes, with not a single Muggle name entering any edition. Caelum reflected a time period that placed great emphasis and value on purity and lineage, though his interest in genealogy took these beliefs a step further. Rather than relying on oral tradition, Caelum sought to trace the magical histories of families to understand the nature of magic itself. What forms it exists in, how it passes on, and how it could manifest itself in "creatures that do not know the existence or splendour of that Holy Gift."  

Caelum Black is credited with being the first to posit what is colloquially known as the "Muggle Mugger" theory. In his magnum opus Treatise On The Nature of Magicks Both Known and Unknown To Wizardkind, In Relation To Muggles and Muggle-Borns, Caelum outlined a theory in which Muggleborns are capable of "stealing" magic from their wizard counterparts. In Caelum's work, he shows how many Muggle-Borns have ancient lineage to wizards or witches, but that enough generations passed that the magic did not manifest itself. Caelum posits that this ancient magic lineage gives Muggles the ability to steal magic, which they do when given the opportunity. This theory was disproved in several publicans of magiscientific study, but the philosophy endured among Pureblood elites. 

Caelum gave the definition of "Black" that we now know today. In an effort to conserve magic among his lineage and prevent potential theft, he traveled Britain, gathering distant Black relatives, and claiming that they had a sacred lineage and right to protect this lineage. Caelum gathered quite a following among many Pureblood elitists, who would later become key figures in Pureblood elite society, Grindewald supports, and potential Death Eaters. The Bulstrodes, Burkes, and Yaxleys were notable for their vehement support of Caelum, and they would go on to marry into The Black Family, among many other notable Pureblood names. Notably, Cassiopeia Yaxley married Caelum, giving birth to his four children. 

In addition to placing increased importance on lineage, Caelum also reinstated a strict moral code that had gone into neglect in the prior years. The social reform movement he instigated, often known as "Magical Conservationism," was a radical movement to distinguish Purebloods from less pure members of magic society through strict behaviors. These included only associating with other Purebloods, behaving in certain ways in society and public functions. It particularly frowned upon associating with magical creatures, homosexuality, pure hedonism without intellectualism, and pursuing the arts as a career. The society placed emphasis on conforming to social norms, including prescribed gender roles. The movement was widely accepted as an alternative to the growing chaos and hedonism that characterized the early 19th century, and Caelum rapidly rose in power and influence.

Upon his death, his children were left with an indescribable legacy, multiple estates, a large sum of money, and clear mission laid out in his will. Cassiopeia did not live long after, soon passing after her charismatic husband. Sirius Black the First assumed the head of The House of Black, christening the official title and creating the family tapestry in the image of Caelum. Sirius Black also was the first to use the tapestry as a means of punishment, removing his sister Isla Black for marrying a Muggle. 

Already, The Black name was experiencing turmoil reflective of a larger political atmosphere. The loss of Isla Black was a wound deeply felt by The Black family, who did not foresee this after the great success of Caelum Black. The conservative movement only gained power, and The House was at its height of power at the turn of the century, ushering in an era of magical prosperity for the wealthy and upperclass. With family members and connections in all manners of business and politics, Black control was widespread. Magical creatures suffered greatly under this influence, receiving few rights, and The Black Estates were known for their wide usage of house-elves, who were often treated cruelly. Hatred and paranoia towards Muggles was mounting, with a notable court case launched by Elladora Black in favor of legalizing Muggle-Hunting. While The Wizengamot was widely rumored to be consenting to passing the law, it was ultimately struck down in accordance with The Statute of Secrecy. 

While the original Sirius had no children, his brother Phineas Nigellus married Ursula Flint, carrying on The Black line (in what is referred to as the central line.) Phineas Nigellus had five children, Sirius, Phineas, Cygnus, Belvina, and Arcturus. In having the children, Phineas Nigellus took on the role of patriarch, surpassing Sirius before his death. Phineas Nigellus served as a powerful and influential patriarch, championing anti-Muggle teaching in Hogwarts and being chosen as Headmaster. During his time as Headmaster, he rapidly restructured The Board of Hogwarts to reflect conservative politics, the impacts of which are still felt today, as members of the originally restructured board still have descendants serving. 

What is known as the "central" Black line was carried on in Sirius, Phineas Nigellus' first born. In the society of that time, society was structured patriarchally, with importance being placed on the firstborn son. Thus, Sirius carried on the line, and only his first born son would be considered the legitimate heir to the role of Black Patriarch. Cedrella was born of the fifth son, Arcturus, and thus is not a part of the central line. In the view of that time, only the first child served any real purpose in retaining the value of the family. The remaining sons and daughters served as bargaining chips and diplomats in striking deals with other families, marriages serving as political negotiations to assimilate businesses and governments. In this case, Arcturus served his role well, marrying Lysandra Yaxley, daughter of a Black family supporter and Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. 

Shortly after Cedrella's birth, Phineas was blasted off the tapestry. As she would later write in a letter to her sister Callidora: 

I still remember the day that Uncle Phineas was removed--do you not? I still remember the shaking wand, the cold sneer of determination, the smoke, the silence. It was as if a death had occurred that day, some part of us had been robbed. Phineas's support of Muggle rights was tragedy, was loss. I did not know how to feel, I was a small child, but I remember standing and frowning, like the adults did. I remember reaching for your hand, and I remember you holding mine, and we held each other even through all that sadness. I write to you, sister, asking you this--what would it mean to not be in the tapestry? Would I cease the moment my name did? 

This letter has great significance to informing the social and political climate of The Black family at that time. While it displayed an outward facade of power and perfection, the inner imperfections were grievous. Despite their best efforts, Phineas Black continued on, with the name but not the belief, shocking and scandalizing many with his progressive stance on Muggle rights. Phineas Black was later assassinated before he could produce a side-branch of The Black Family that would undoubtedly inform and reshape history. Yet, he had a marked effect on Cedrella, in that she was born into a state where things could change. She was not born into the rigid, repressive Black family. She was born into the rigid Black family in which one could break free, and escape--if only for a matter of time, if only before death collected them all.