A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gies family of Poland.
Reg. 4995 · Polish, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Parti: au 1 de gu. à un demi-vol cont. d'arg.; au 2 de gu, à une demi-croix pattée d'arg., mouv. du parti. Cq. cour. C.: trois pl. d'aut. d'arg.”
Polandc. 1772
Where the Gies Arms Were Recorded
Mazovia
Map of Poland showing where the Gies arms are recorded
The Gies 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 Gies 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 Gies 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 Gies Family in Poland
The surname Gies is rooted in the linguistic traditions of Central Europe, where it likely originated as a shortened form of Germanic given names like Giselbert or Giselher. By the year 1772, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the region of Mazovia. During this period, Mazovia was a vibrant area undergoing significant political and social shifts, particularly following the First Partition of Poland. Families with the name Gies were often integrated into the local agricultural or artisan communities, contributing to the development of the rural landscape. As these families moved and settled across the Vistula River basin, they helped preserve a distinct cultural identity that linked their ancestral Germanic naming roots to the evolving history of the Polish territories.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gis
Old High German word for a pledge, hostage, or bright promise.
This name
GiesA patronymic or descriptive surname derived from a shortened form of Germanic names containing the element gis.
also spelled
Gieisz
Gieys
Gieyszl
Geez
Gies
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
Kutsch, Karl-Heinz. Die Siedlungsgeschichte der deutschen Bevölkerung in Polen. 1985
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych (Central Archives of Historical Records), 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.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
cross symbolChristian faith and service
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
