A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Blak family of Poland.
Reg. 6650 · Polish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
bullValour and generosity
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 taureau de sa., pass. sur une terrasse de sin. C.: une étoile d'or, entre deux cornes de buffle de sa.”
CourlandCourland, c. 1772
Where the Blak Arms Were Recorded
Map of Poland showing where the Blak arms are recorded
The Blak arms were recorded in Courland, c. 1772.
Courland was Baltic coast country held in large estates by a small number of families. They kept their land for generations and served as officers abroad, and both landholding and service brought arms with them.
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
Courland
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Blak 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 Blak 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 Courland.
Origin & History of the Blak Family in Poland
The surname Blak has deep roots in the Baltic region, specifically within the historical territory of Courland. By 1772, records confirm that members of the family were already established in this area, which was then part of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. The name likely originated as a descriptive term in the local dialects, often used to identify individuals by their physical appearance or their association with specific lands. During the eighteenth century, families in Courland were often connected to the complex social structures of the Baltic German nobility or the local peasant classes, depending on their specific landholdings. As the region underwent significant political shifts during the late 1700s, the Blak family would have navigated the transition from a semi-independent duchy into the expanding influence of the Russian Empire. Their presence in these early census and church records suggests they were part of the settled population that helped define the cultural landscape of the Baltic provinces for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
błahy
An adjective meaning trivial, insignificant, or of little importance.
This name
BlakA descriptive nickname for a person considered unimportant, simple, or of humble status.
also spelled
Black
Related arms
Blackvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Latvian State Historical Archives (Latvijas Valsts vēstures arhīvs), Fond 235 (Evangelical Lutheran Church records of Courland)
Dunsdorfs, Edgars, Latvijas vēsture 1710–1800 (1973)
Arbusow, Leonid, Grundriss der Geschichte Liv-, Est- und Kurlands (1918)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
bullValour and generosity
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
bullValour and generosity
