Malmfred was born to Grand Prince Mstislav I of Kiev and Princess Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden, paternal granddaughter of Gytha of Wessex and maternal granddaughter of King Inge the Elder of Sweden.
Malmfred was the offspring of Grand Prince Mstislav I of Kiev and Princess Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden, being the daughter of a prominent noblewoman with ties to both Kiev and Sweden. Her ancestry included notable figures from both countries, including Gytha of Wessex and King Inge the Elder of Sweden.