Map of Poland showing where the Kois arms are recorded
The Kois 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 Kois 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 Kois 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 Kois Family in Poland
The history of the Kois family name is deeply rooted in the historical region of Mazovia, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1772. During this period, 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 where surnames were closely tied to local landholdings or specific ancestral trades. The name Kois likely emerged as a descriptive identifier within these tight-knit village structures, reflecting the distinct linguistic patterns of the Mazovian dialect. As the family grew, they maintained a presence in the local parish registers, which served as the primary way to track births, marriages, and deaths in the eighteenth century. These early generations helped shape the local culture of the region, living through the turbulent transitions that eventually led to the partitions of Poland.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Koj
A derivative of the verb kojarzyć meaning to connect or associate.
This name
KoisRefers to a person who acts as a matchmaker or a connector.
also spelled
Koss
Kose
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych (Central Archives of Historical Records), Księgi metrykalne parafii rzymskokatolickich z terenu Mazowsza (Parish registers of Roman Catholic parishes in the Mazovia region)
Bystroń, Jan Stanisław, Nazwiska polskie (Polish Surnames), 1936
Kozierowski, Stanisław, Badania nazw topograficznych dzisiejszej diecezji poznańskiej (Studies of topographical names of the modern Poznań diocese), 1916
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
