A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hoerner family of Poland.
Reg. 6057 · Polish, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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'azur à deux fasces haussées d'or; à un cor-de-chasse de gu., lié, eng. et vir. d'or, suspendu par son lien à la fasce inférieure. Cq. cour. C.: un vol, d'azur et de gu. L. d'azur et de gu.”
CourlandCourland, c. 1368
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Map of Poland showing where the Hoerner arms are recorded
The Hoerner arms were recorded in Courland, c. 1368.
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
1368
Granting Authority for the Hoerner 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.
Casimir III the Great
Sovereign of the period
Casimir III the Great
1333–1370
Reigning in Poland when the Hoerner 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 Hoerner Family in Poland
The Hoerner family name has deep roots that trace back to the Baltic region, with historical records confirming their presence in Courland as early as 1368. During this period, the name was likely linked to the geographic landscape or the specific occupations held by early ancestors living in what is now modern-day Latvia. As the family established themselves in this area, they became part of the complex social and political fabric of the Baltic lands, which were then heavily influenced by German settlers and the Teutonic Order. Over the following centuries, the family name spread across Northern and Central Europe as members moved for trade, military service, or land management. Because the name evolved alongside the German language, it reflects the linguistic shifts of the Middle Ages, eventually becoming a distinct identifier for a lineage that maintained a consistent presence in regional administrative and social records for hundreds of years.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Horn
A protruding part of an animal or a geographical peak.
This name
HoernerAn occupational name for a maker of horn items or a dweller near a mountain peak.
also spelled
Horner
Related arms
Hornervariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bunge, Friedrich Georg von. Liv-, Est- und Kurländisches Urkundenbuch. 1853
Latvian State Historical Archives (Latvijas Valsts vēstures arhīvs), Collection of Documents of the Livonian Order (Livonijas ordeņa dokumentu kolekcija)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
