A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gursky family of Austria.
Reg. 7864 · Austrian, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
horseshoeGood fortune and protection from harm
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)
“De gu. à un fer-à-cheval d'arg., les bouts en bas, sommé d'une croisette d'or. Cq. cour. C.: un lévrier iss. d'arg., coll. et bouclé de gu.”
GaliciaGalicia, c. 1772
Where the Gursky Arms Were Recorded
Map of Austria showing where the Gursky arms are recorded
The Gursky arms were recorded in Galicia, c. 1772.
Galicia was eastern country of large estates and small farming villages, held by families who had been there for a very long time. Land was what entitled a family to arms, and land there rarely changed hands.
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
Galicia
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Gursky Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Austria when the Gursky arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Galicia.
Origin & History of the Gursky Family in Austria
The Gursky family name finds its historical roots in the region of Galicia, a territory that was once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. By 1772, when the region was incorporated into the Austrian crown lands during the First Partition of Poland, members of the Gursky family were already established as residents of this diverse area. The name itself is likely derived from the Slavic word "gora," which means mountain or hill, suggesting that the earliest ancestors may have lived near elevated terrain or in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. As the family grew, they became part of the complex social fabric of Galicia, which was home to a mix of Polish, Ukrainian, and Jewish populations. This geographic placement meant that the Gursky family lived through centuries of shifting borders and cultural exchanges that defined the history of Central Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gora
A Slavic term referring to a mountain or a hill.
This name
GurskyA topographic name for someone who lived near or on a mountain.
also spelled
Gursky
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Magocsi, Paul R., Galicia: A Historical Survey and Bibliographic Guide, 1983
Pogonowski, Iwo Cyprian, Poland: A Historical Atlas, 1987
Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine in Lviv, Fond 146: Galizische Statthalterei
State Archive in Przemyśl, Akta miasta Przemyśla
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
horseshoeGood fortune and protection from harm
cross symbolChristian faith and service
horseshoeGood fortune and protection from harm
