A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Breza family of Poland.
Reg. 9486 · Polish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Tiercé en pairle renversé: d'azur, de gu. et d'arg. Cq. cour. C.: six pl. d'aut.: d'azur, d'arg., de gu., d'arg., d'azur et d'arg. L.: à dextre d'arg. et de gu., à sen. d'arg. et d'azur [V. Briesen.]”
PolandPosnanie, c. 1772
Where the Breza Arms Were Recorded
Posnanie
Map of Poland showing where the Breza arms are recorded
The Breza arms were recorded in Posnanie, c. 1772.
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
Posnanie
Town
Posnanie
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Breza 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 Breza 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 Breza Family in Poland
The family name Breza has deep roots in the region of Posnanie, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1772. The name itself is thought to be derived from the Slavic word for birch tree, which suggests that the family may have originally taken their name from the natural landscape or a specific location where birch forests were common. During the eighteenth century, families in this part of Poland often held land and played active roles in the local community life of the region. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of Posnanie, contributing to the agricultural and administrative development of the area. Their presence in historical records from this time indicates that they were well-integrated into the local society and maintained a consistent presence in the region for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
brzoza
A deciduous tree with white bark known as the birch.
This name
BrezaA topographic or habitational name referring to someone who lived near a birch tree or forest.
also spelled
Brezaa
Brezae
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Boniecki, Adam, Herbarz polski: wiadomości historyczno-genealogiczne o rodach szlacheckich, 1900
Niesiecki, Kasper, Herbarz Polski, 1839
Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu, Akta miasta Poznania, 1772
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