A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Engelke family of Poland.
Reg. 1425 · Polish, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
ravenConstancy and divine providence
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'or à un corbeau de sa., tenant en son bec une bague d'or; au 2 d'azur à trois annelets mal-ordonnés d'or, entrelacés. Cq. cour. C.: le corbeau; entre deux prob., d'or et de sa., ch. chacune d'une fasce de l'un à l'autre.”
PolandLithuanie, c. 1772
Where the Engelke Arms Were Recorded
Mazovia
Map of Poland showing where the Engelke arms are recorded
The Engelke arms were recorded in Lithuanie, 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
Town
Lithuanie
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Engelke 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 Engelke 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 Engelke Family in Poland
The name Engelke is a diminutive form of the name Engel, which historically served as a nickname for someone with an angelic or gentle personality. It has deep roots in Germanic regions, where it evolved as a common given name before eventually transitioning into a hereditary surname. By the year 1772, members of the family were well-established in the Mazovia region of present-day Poland. During this era, many families with Germanic names moved into the area due to shifting borders and agricultural expansion policies. These early ancestors likely lived as farmers or tradespeople who integrated into the local community while maintaining their distinct cultural identity. Over time, the name became a permanent marker of their family history as they settled into the landscape of the Vistula River basin.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Angelus
A messenger or divine attendant from the Greek word angelos.
This name
EngelkeA diminutive form indicating a descendant or follower of an angelic being.
also spelled
Engelkee
Related arms
Vieheusersimilar arms
Engelekevariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1971
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych (Central Archives of Historical Records), Księgi metrykalne parafii rzymskokatolickich i ewangelickich z terenu Mazowsza (Parish registers of Roman Catholic and Evangelical 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.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
ravenConstancy and divine providence
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
ravenConstancy and divine providence
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
