Map of Poland showing where the Kozlik arms are recorded
The Kozlik 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 Kozlik 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 Kozlik 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 Kozlik Family in Poland
The surname Kozlik is derived from the Slavic word *kozeł*, which translates to a young male goat or a billy goat. In the context of early naming traditions in the Mazovia region, this name likely began as a descriptive nickname for an ancestor. It may have been used to identify someone who was particularly agile, stubborn, or perhaps someone who raised goats as a primary occupation. By the time records place the family in Mazovia in 1772, the name had transitioned from a simple nickname into a formal hereditary surname passed down through generations. Living in the Mazovian plains, the early Kozlik family likely participated in the agricultural and rural life that defined the region during the late eighteenth century. As the family grew, the name became a permanent marker of their identity, linking them to the specific cultural and linguistic roots of central Poland.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
kozioł
A male goat or billy goat.
This name
KozlikA diminutive or patronymic form referring to a small goat or someone associated with goats.
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Brückner, Aleksander, Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego, 1927
Rymut, Kazimierz, Nazwiska Polaków: słownik historyczno-etymologiczny, 1999
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie, Księgi metrykalne parafii rzymskokatolickich z terenu Mazowsza
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
goatOne who wins by diplomacy rather than force
goatOne who wins by diplomacy rather than force
