A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bereza family of Poland.
Reg. 3896 · Polish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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'azur au lion naiss. d'or, mouv. d'une muraille crén. de gu. et tenant de ses pattes un miroir d'arg.”
Polandc. 1772
Where the Bereza Arms Were Recorded
Mazovia
Map of Poland showing where the Bereza arms are recorded
The Bereza arms were recorded in Poland, c. 1772.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Mazovia.
Mazovia held Warsaw, the Polish court and the assemblies where the szlachta met. Poland's nobles were unusually numerous and every one of them bore arms, and Warsaw is where those arms were argued over and recorded.
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
Mazovia
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Bereza 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.
Stanisław August Poniatowski
Sovereign of the period
Stanisław August Poniatowski
1764–1795
Reigning in Poland when the Bereza 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 Poland.
Origin & History of the Bereza Family in Poland
The family name Bereza is deeply rooted in the Slavic linguistic tradition, as it is derived from the word for the birch tree. In many Slavic cultures, the birch was considered a sacred and protective symbol, often associated with the arrival of spring and new beginnings. By 1772, records confirm that members of the Bereza family were established in the Mazovia region of Poland. During this period, Mazovia was a central hub for agriculture and trade, and families living there were often tied to the land and local village life. Because the name is linked to a common tree found throughout the forests of Eastern Europe, it likely began as a descriptive nickname for people who lived near a birch grove or worked in the timber industry. Over generations, this simple identifier became a permanent family name, marking the lineage of those who settled in the fertile plains of the Mazovian heartland.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
brzoza
A deciduous tree with white bark known as the birch.
This name
BerezaA topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a birch tree or forest.
also spelled
Berezah
Berezas
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Brückner, Aleksander, Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego (1927)
Rymut, Kazimierz, Nazwiska Polaków: słownik historyczno-etymologiczny (1999)
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie (AGAD), Księgi metrykalne parafii rzymskokatolickich z terenu Mazowsza (1772)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
