A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Kruszynski family of Poland.
Reg. 4793 · Polish, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à une croix latine, les deux bouts de la traverse remontant à la même hauteur du pal, le pied de la croix soutenu d'une traverse, les deux bouts cramponnés vers le bas; le tout d'arg.”
PolandLithuanie, c. 1772
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Map of Poland showing where the Kruszynski arms are recorded
The Kruszynski 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 Kruszynski 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 Kruszynski 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 Kruszynski Family in Poland
The surname Kruszynski is a classic example of a Polish toponymic name, which means it was originally derived from a specific location. The suffix "-ski" was historically used to denote a connection to a place, suggesting that the earliest members of the family were likely landowners or residents of a village named Kruszyn. By 1772, records confirm that the family was well-established in the Mazovia region, a historical province in east-central Poland known for its dense forests and central role in Polish political life. During this period, families in Mazovia often lived in small, rural settlements where they worked the land or served in local administrative roles. Because the region was a hub for the minor nobility and free peasantry, the Kruszynski name became deeply rooted in the local community. Over generations, the family expanded throughout the area, maintaining their identity through this distinct name that tied them to their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
kruszyna
A type of buckthorn shrub or tree with dark bark.
This name
KruszynskiRefers to a person who lived near or worked with buckthorn shrubs.
also spelled
Kroszynsky
Kroshinski
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Krzysztof Kwaśniewski, Nazwiska polskie, 1990
Kazimierz Rymut, Nazwiska Polaków: Słownik historyczno-etymologiczny, 1999
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych (Central Archives of Historical Records), Księgi metrykalne parafii mazowieckich (Parish registers of Mazovian parishes)
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
