A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Elk family of Poland.
Reg. 5927 · Polish, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'arg. à un élan pass. de gu.; au 2 d'azur à trois boules d'or, rangées en bande, entre deux bandes ondées d'arg. Cq. cour. C.: un élan iss. de gu.”
Polandc. 1772
Where the Elk Arms Were Recorded
Mazovia
Map of Poland showing where the Elk arms are recorded
The Elk 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 Elk 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 Elk 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 Elk Family in Poland
The family name Elk traces its roots to the historical region of Mazovia in central Poland. By 1772, records confirm that members of the family were established residents within this area. The name itself likely originated as a descriptive term or a nickname derived from the local environment, as the elk was a common animal in the dense forests of the Polish plains. During the late eighteenth century, Mazovia was a center of agricultural and social change, and families living there were often tied to the land or local trade networks. As the family grew, they became part of the regional fabric, adapting to the shifting political boundaries and social structures that defined life in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during that era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ełk
A town in northeastern Poland derived from the Old Prussian word aln.
This name
ElkA locational surname referring to a person who originated from the town of Ełk.
also spelled
Elke
Elck
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Gloger, Zygmunt. Geografia historyczna ziem dawnej Polski (1900)
Kuklo, Cezary. Demografia Rzeczypospolitej przedrozbiorowej (2009)
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych (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.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
