A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Freiman family of Poland.
Reg. 9382 · Polish, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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 deux bannières adossées d'azur, ch. chacune d'un croiss. d'arg., celui à dextre tourné et celui à sen. cont., les bannières attachées à des lances de tournoi d'or, arm. d'arg., passées en saut., le tout acc. de deux flèches d'arg., empennées d'azur, posées en pals, 1 en chef et 1 en p. C.: une flèche de l'écu, entre quatre bannières adossées, pareilles à celles de l'écu.”
LivoniaLivonia, c. 1666
Where the Freiman Arms Were Recorded
Map of Poland showing where the Freiman arms are recorded
The Freiman arms were recorded in Livonia, c. 1666.
Livonia was Baltic country held by a small number of landed families who kept their estates for centuries. Land there passed down whole rather than being divided, and long unbroken tenure is what fills a register.
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
Livonia
First recorded
1666
Granting Authority for the Freiman 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.
John II Casimir Vasa
Sovereign of the period
John II Casimir Vasa
1648–1668
Reigning in Poland when the Freiman 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 Livonia.
Origin & History of the Freiman Family in Poland
The surname Freiman is rooted in the Germanic linguistic tradition, where it historically functioned as a descriptor for a "free man" or a person who held a status independent of feudal obligations. By the year 1666, records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Livonia, a historical territory that spans parts of modern-day Estonia and Latvia. During this period, Livonia was a complex frontier shaped by shifting control between the Swedish Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Tsardom of Russia. Families like the Freimans often navigated these changing political landscapes by serving in local administrative or military roles, which helped them maintain their status as free citizens within the Baltic social hierarchy. Over time, the name became a fixed identifier for families who valued their autonomy and professional standing within the diverse cultural environment of the Baltic provinces.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Frei
Germanic term meaning free or independent.
This name
FreimanAn occupational or status-based name denoting a free man or a person of independent status.
also spelled
Freiman
Freymane
Frayman
Freyman
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Kasekamp, Andres. A History of the Baltic States. 2010
Plakans, Andrejs. The Latvians: A Short History. 1995
National Archives of Estonia (Eesti Rahvusarhiiv), Livonian Land Records (Liivimaa maaregistrid)
Latvian State Historical Archives (Latvijas Valsts vēstures arhīvs), Livonian Nobility and Citizen Records (Vidzemes bruņniecības un pilsoņu reģistri)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
