A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gens family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 5783 · Polish, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
duckResourcefulness on land and water
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à une oie d'arg., sur une terrasse de sin. Cq. cour. C.: cinq pl. d'aut - Ou: De gu. à un canard nageant dans une eau, le tout au nat. Cq. cour. C.: trois pl. d'aut.”
Polandc. 1772
Where the Gens Arms Were Recorded
Mazovia
Map of Poland showing where the Gens arms are recorded
The Gens 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 Gens 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 Gens 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 Gens Family in Poland
The history of the Gens family in Poland is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of the Mazovia region. By the year 1772, records confirm that members of the family were already established within this central Polish territory. During the late eighteenth century, Mazovia was a place of significant political transition, as the region experienced the pressures of the First Partition of Poland. Families living in this area often navigated a society defined by agricultural life and the shifting borders of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The name itself likely reflects the linguistic influences common to the region, where local dialects and the movement of people across central Europe shaped how surnames were recorded in parish registers and tax documents. As the family settled into the Mazovian countryside, they became part of the local social fabric that endured through the turbulent decades leading into the nineteenth century.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
bordureA difference between branches of one family
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Or, three fleurs-de-lis sa. on a canton of the last three martlets ar. a border of the first”
EnglandAntwerp, c. 1568
Where the Gens Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Gens arms are recorded
The Gens arms were recorded in Antwerp, c. 1568.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
Elizabeth I of England
Sovereign of the period
Elizabeth I of England
1558–1603
Reigning in Poland when the Gens arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Gens Family in England
The family name Gens established a presence in the historic city of York by the year 1568. During this period, York served as a vital northern hub for trade and administration, placing the family at the center of a bustling urban environment. Records from the late sixteenth century often reflect the social shifts of the Elizabethan era, where families were frequently tied to specific parishes or local guilds. As residents of York, early members of the Gens family likely participated in the daily life of a city defined by its medieval walls and its importance to the wool and cloth industries. While the name remains rare in English historical documents, its appearance in the sixteenth century suggests that the family was part of the growing middle class that helped sustain the city’s economy during a time of significant national transition.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gens
Latin term for a clan, lineage, or group of families.
This name
GensRefers to an individual belonging to a specific ancestral clan or kinship group.
also spelled
Gens-de
Gens-von
Gense
Genz
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych (AGAD), Księgi metrykalne parafii rzymskokatolickich z terenu Mazowsza
Archiwum Państwowe w Warszawie, Akta stanu cywilnego parafii wyznań różnych
Gieysztor, Aleksander, Dzieje Mazowsza, 1994
Kajkowski, Krzysztof, Osadnictwo na Mazowszu w XVIII wieku, 2010
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mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
duckResourcefulness on land and water
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
duckResourcefulness on land and water
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
bordureA difference between branches of one family
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
