A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Korsak family of Poland.
Reg. 6988 · Polish, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
axeThe execution of military duty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à deux fers de hallebarde opposés de sa., l'un montant, l'autre descendant, en forme de quatre fleurs-de-lis. Cq. cour. C.: trois pl. d'aut. de sa.”
PolandLithuanie, c. 1772
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Map of Poland showing where the Korsak arms are recorded
The Korsak arms were recorded in Lithuanie, 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
Town
Lithuanie
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Korsak 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 Korsak 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 Korsak Family in Poland
The history of the Korsak family is deeply rooted in the historical region of Mazovia, where members of the lineage were documented as early as 1772. The name itself is believed to have origins linked to the Slavic word for a marten, a small forest animal known for its valuable fur. In the centuries leading up to the late 1700s, families with this name were often part of the landed gentry who managed rural estates and participated in local governance. They were active participants in the social and political life of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, often serving in administrative roles or as local officials. By the time of the late eighteenth century, the Korsak family had established a firm presence in the Mazovian landscape, reflecting a long tradition of regional stability and community involvement that defined their early history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Korsak
Derived from the Turkic word for a steppe fox or corsac.
This name
KorsakA surname of Tatar origin referring to a person resembling a fox.
also spelled
Korsack
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Boniecki, Adam. Herbarz polski: wiadomości historyczno-genealogiczne o rodach szlacheckich. 1907
axeThe execution of military duty
axeThe execution of military duty
