Map of Poland showing where the Karau arms are recorded
The Karau 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 Karau 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 Karau 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 Karau Family in Poland
The family name Karau has deep roots in the historical region of Mazovia, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1772. During the late eighteenth century, Mazovia was a central part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, a time characterized by significant social and political shifts. Families in this region often lived in rural communities or small towns, where their surnames were frequently shaped by local dialects and the specific geography of their surroundings. The name Karau likely developed as a descriptive identifier or a regional marker for those residing in the Vistula river basin. As the family moved through the generations, they remained connected to the agricultural and cultural traditions of the Polish plains, contributing to the local history of the area during a period of great national transition.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
kara
A Turkic or Slavic term referring to black or dark color.
This name
KarauLikely a descriptive nickname for a person with dark hair or a dark complexion.
also spelled
Karae
Karaer
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Krzysztof Chłapowski, Starostowie niegrodowi w Koronie 1565–1795, 2017
Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw (Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych), Księgi metrykalne parafii rzymskokatolickich z terenu Mazowsza, 1772
Władysław Semkowicz, Geografia historyczna ziem polskich, 1916
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
