A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Karnick family of Poland.
Reg. 4546 · Polish, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
horseReadiness to serve king and country
horseshoeGood fortune and protection from harm
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: au 1 de gu. à un rencontre d'âne au nat.; au 2 d'azur à un fer-à-cheval renv. d'arg., surm. d'une croisette pattée au pied fiché d'or; au 2 d'azur à trois croisettes mal-ordonnées d'or, renfermées dans un cercle du même; au 4 de gu. à trois fasces alésées d'arg., la première plus longue que la deuxième et celle-ci plus longue que la troisième. Sur le tout de gu. à un fer de flèche d'arg., doublement croisé, le pied fendu. Trois cq. cour. C.: 1° un bouquetin iss. et cont., au nat.; 2° un renard iss. au nat.; 3° une jambe posée sur le genou, la cuisse arm. d'arg., la jambe chaussée de sa., éperonnée d'or. L.: à dextre d'arg. et de gu., à sen. d'arg. et d'azur.”
Polandc. 1725
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Map of Poland showing where the Karnick arms are recorded
The Karnick arms were recorded in Poland, c. 1725.
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
1725
Granting Authority for the Karnick 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.
Augustus II the Strong
Sovereign of the period
Augustus II the Strong
1709–1733
Reigning in Poland when the Karnick 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 Karnick Family in Poland
The family name Karnick is deeply rooted in the historical region of Mazovia, a central province of Poland known for its distinct cultural identity and agricultural traditions. By 1725, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this area, likely living as part of the local landed gentry or independent farming communities. During this period, Mazovia was a landscape defined by small villages and noble estates, where families often took surnames derived from local landmarks or specific personal traits. The name itself suggests a connection to the Slavic linguistic roots common in the region, reflecting a long history of settlement in the Vistula River basin. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, navigating the complex political and economic shifts that shaped the lives of Mazovian residents throughout the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
karn
Derived from the Slavic word for a crow or raven.
This name
KarnickA topographic or occupational surname likely referring to someone associated with crows or a dark-haired individual.
also spelled
Karnicky
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Gloger, Zygmunt, Geografia historyczna ziem dawnej Polski (1900)
Kuklo, Cezary, Demografia Rzeczypospolitej przedrozbiorowej (2009)
Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw (Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych), Księgi grodzkie i ziemskie mazowieckie
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
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
horseReadiness to serve king and country
horseshoeGood fortune and protection from harm
cross symbolChristian faith and service
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
horseReadiness to serve king and country
horseshoeGood fortune and protection from harm
