A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Kurczewski family of Poland.
Reg. 1499 · Polish, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
cross symbolChristian faith and service
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
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 deux pals alésés, réunis en haut par une traverse; et un pairle alésé, br. sur le tout, le pied terminé en fer de flèche; le tout d'arg. Cq. cour. C.: un corbeau de sa., tenant en son bec une bague d'or, châtonnée d'un rubis.”
Polandc. 1772
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Map of Poland showing where the Kurczewski arms are recorded
The Kurczewski 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 Kurczewski 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 Kurczewski 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 Kurczewski Family in Poland
The Kurczewski family name is deeply rooted in the historical region of Mazovia, a central province of Poland known for its distinct cultural identity and agricultural traditions. By the year 1772, members of the family were well-established in this area, living during a time of significant political transition as the region faced the pressures of the First Partition of Poland. The name itself is derived from the Polish word "kurcz," which historically referred to a small chicken or a young bird, suggesting that the original ancestor may have been a poultry farmer or someone known for a specific physical trait. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, likely working as independent farmers or skilled tradespeople who helped sustain the rural economy of the Mazovian plains. Their presence in 18th-century records indicates that they were settled, tax-paying inhabitants who contributed to the development of their local parishes and communities long before the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Kurcz
A Polish term referring to a chicken or a short person.
This name
KurczewskiA topographic or habitational name indicating someone from a place called Kurczewo or a descendant of Kurcz.
also spelled
Krzyczewsky
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bystroń, Jan Stanisław, Nazwiska polskie (1936)
Rymut, Kazimierz, Nazwiska Polaków: Słownik historyczno-etymologiczny (1999)
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie, Księgi metrykalne parafii rzymskokatolickich z terenu Mazowsza (1772)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
cross symbolChristian faith and service
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
cross symbolChristian faith and service
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
