A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Berecz family of Poland.
Reg. 3685 · Polish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à un senestrochère, arm. d'azur, la main de carn. tenant une épée, iss. d'une nuée, mouv. du flanc. Cq. cour. C.: le bras, iss. de la couronne. L.: d'or et d'azur.”
SilesiaSilesia, c. 1754
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Map of Poland showing where the Berecz arms are recorded
The Berecz arms were recorded in Silesia, c. 1754.
Silesia was farming country in the east of the German lands, held in large estates by families who stayed put for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so the region fills a good deal of the register.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
Region
Silesia
First recorded
1754
Granting Authority for the Berecz Arms
Ennoblement by the Sejm
Author: Olek Remesz · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Poland in this period.
Augustus III of Poland
Sovereign of the period
Augustus III of Poland
1733–1763
Reigning in Poland when the Berecz arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Poland
Polish noble families shared a single coat of arms across many different surnames, creating large clans rather than individual designs. These symbols were held collectively by all members of the clan regardless of their specific family name. When a new family joined the nobility, they were adopted into an existing clan and began using that group's established shield.
Granting authority
The Sejm, which was the Polish parliament, held the power to grant noble status and the right to bear arms.
How they got arms
Families typically received their coat of arms through a formal act of ennoblement granted by the Sejm for distinguished service.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Crown Metrica, which served as the central archive for state documents starting in the sixteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Silesia.
Origin & History of the Berecz Family in Poland
The surname Berecz is deeply rooted in the historical regions of Central Europe, particularly within the lands of Silesia. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the family was well established in this area, which was a crossroads for diverse cultures and shifting political borders. The name itself is a Hungarian diminutive form of the name Bertalan, which is the local equivalent of Bartholomew. This suggests that the family likely originated from Hungarian-speaking populations before migrating or expanding into the Silesian territories. During the 1754 period, families with this name were often integrated into the local agrarian or artisan communities that defined the social structure of the region. Their presence in Silesian records from this time indicates that they were part of the steady movement of people across the Habsburg and Prussian territories during an era of significant regional growth.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bartłomiej
Aramaic name meaning son of Talmai or son of the furrow.
This name
BereczA patronymic surname derived from the diminutive form of Bartholomew, indicating descent from a person named Bartłomiej.
also spelled
Bereczk
Bereczkos
Berezko
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Kázmér, Miklós. Régi magyar családnevek szótára: XIV–XVII. század. 1993
Knie, Johann Georg. Alphabetisch-statistisch-topographische Uebersicht der Dörfer, Flecken, Städte und andern Orte der Königl. Preuss. Provinz Schlesien. 1845
State Archive in Wrocław (Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu), Akta stanu cywilnego parafii rzymskokatolickiej w Śląsku
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
