German describes the people around a person as circles.
der Familienkreis, der Freundeskreis, der Bekanntenkreis, der Kollegenkreis — the family circle, the circle of friends, the circle of acquaintances, the circle of colleagues
im engsten Kreis — in the closest circle, among people you trust
der Kreis der Eingeweihten — the circle of the initiated, the few who know
aus gut unterrichteten Kreisen — from well-informed circles, the phrase journalists use for a source they will not name
Kreise ziehen — to draw circles. An affair draws circles when it spreads to more and more people.