A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gohr family of Poland.
Reg. 4879 · Polish, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 trois huchets de gu., vir. et eng. d'or. C.: un huchet de l'écu, devant trois pl. d'aut. de sin. L. d'arg. et de gu. [V. van Goor, aux P. de Gueldre et d'Utrecht.]”
CourlandCourland, c. 1772
Where the Gohr Arms Were Recorded
Map of Poland showing where the Gohr arms are recorded
The Gohr arms were recorded in Courland, c. 1772.
Courland was Baltic coast country held in large estates by a small number of families. They kept their land for generations and served as officers abroad, and both landholding and service brought arms with them.
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
Courland
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Gohr 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 Gohr 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 Courland.
Origin & History of the Gohr Family in Poland
The family name Gohr has deep roots in the Baltic region, with historical records confirming that members of the family were established in the Duchy of Courland by 1772. This area, located in modern-day Latvia, was a unique crossroads of German and Baltic cultures during the eighteenth century. Families like the Gohrs often lived in these territories as part of the local administrative or landholding classes. Because Courland was a place where many different languages and cultures met, the name likely evolved from regional dialects or old Germanic roots used to describe people living near specific geographic features. By the late 1700s, the family was already well-integrated into the social fabric of the region, participating in the local economy and community life that defined this historic Baltic province.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Góra
A Polish term referring to a mountain, hill, or elevated terrain.
This name
GohrA topographic surname denoting someone who lived on or near a hill or mountain.
also spelled
Gor
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Latvian State Historical Archives (Latvijas Valsts vēstures arhīvs), Fond 235 (Evangelical Lutheran Church records of Courland)
Arbusow, Leonid, Grundriss der Geschichte Liv-, Est- und Kurlands, 1918
Seraphim, Ernst, Geschichte Livlands, Estlands und Kurlands, 1894
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
