A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ciolek family of Poland.
Reg. 5582 · Polish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bullValour and generosity
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à un jeune taureau pass. de gu. Cq. cour. C.: le taureau, iss.”
Polandc. 1772
Where the Ciolek Arms Were Recorded
Mazovia
Map of Poland showing where the Ciolek arms are recorded
The Ciolek 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 Ciolek 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 Ciolek 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 Ciolek Family in Poland
The name Ciolek is deeply rooted in the history of the Mazovia region of Poland. By the year 1772, families bearing this name were already well-established within the local social and agricultural landscape of this central province. The name itself is derived from a traditional Polish term for a young bull or calf, which suggests that the earliest ancestors may have been associated with livestock farming or rural land management. During the eighteenth century, families in Mazovia were often tied to the land through small-scale farming or service to local estates. As these families grew, they became a consistent part of the regional population, contributing to the development of village life and the local economy long before the major political shifts of the late eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cioł
A young male bovine or calf.
This name
CiolekA diminutive or affectionate term for a young calf, often used as a nickname.
also spelled
Cioleck
Cyolek
Ciollek
Chiolek
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Krzywicki, Konrad. Mazowsze: opis kraju, mieszkańców, przyrody i zabytków. 1888
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie (Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw), Księgi metrykalne parafii rzymskokatolickich z terenu Mazowsza (Parish registers of Roman Catholic parishes in the Mazovia region)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bullValour and generosity
bullValour and generosity
