A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Chromy family of Austria.
Reg. 1792 · Austrian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
serpentWisdom, healing and prudence
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 d'azur à une grue d'arg., avec sa vigilance d'or, posée sur un tertre de trois coupeaux du sec.; au 2 d'arg. à un bâton au nat., posé en pal, accolé d'un serpent de sin., ledit bâton sommé d'une couronne de feuillage de sin., ornée à l'entour de huit grelots d'or. Cq. cour. C.: la grue avec sa vigilance. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
GaliciaGalicia, c. 1772
Where the Chromy Arms Were Recorded
Map of Austria showing where the Chromy arms are recorded
The Chromy arms were recorded in Galicia, c. 1772.
Galicia was eastern country of large estates and small farming villages, held by families who had been there for a very long time. Land was what entitled a family to arms, and land there rarely changed hands.
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
Galicia
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Chromy Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Austria when the Chromy arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Galicia.
Origin & History of the Chromy Family in Austria
The surname Chromy finds its roots in the Slavic linguistic tradition, where it is derived from the word *chromy*, meaning lame or limping. In the context of early naming customs, this was likely a descriptive nickname given to an ancestor who walked with a noticeable gait or suffered from a physical injury. By 1772, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the region of Galicia. At that time, Galicia had recently become a crown land of the Austrian Empire following the First Partition of Poland. Living in this diverse borderland, the Chromy family would have navigated a complex society shaped by shifting imperial borders, agricultural labor, and the unique cultural blend of Polish and Ruthenian influences. As members of a rural or working-class population, they were part of the backbone of Galician society, contributing to the development of the region through generations of local residency and community life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
chromý
A Slavic adjective meaning lame, crippled, or having a limp.
This name
ChromyA descriptive nickname originally applied to someone who walked with a limp or had a physical disability.
also spelled
Chrome
Kromy
Kromi
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
Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine in Lviv (Tsentralʹnyy derzhavnyy istorychnyy arkhiv Ukrayiny u m. Lʹvovi), Fond 24 (Galician Gubernatorial Administration)
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
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
serpentWisdom, healing and prudence
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
serpentWisdom, healing and prudence
