A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Piche family of Austria.
lionCourage, strength and royaltyJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'or un lion de gu.,”
The Piche arms were recorded in Moravia, c. 1854.
Moravia was rich farming country held in large estates by a small number of families. Land there passed down whole for centuries, and unbroken tenure of that kind fills a register.
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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Reigning in Austria when the Piche arms are first recorded.
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
The family name Piche has deep roots in the historical region of Moravia, which is located in the eastern part of the modern-day Czech Republic. By 1854, records confirm that members of the Piche family were established residents in this area. During the mid-19th century, Moravia was a central part of the Austrian Empire, a time when many families were deeply connected to the land through agriculture or local trade. The name itself likely evolved from regional dialects, reflecting the linguistic blend of Slavic and Germanic influences common in Central Europe at that time. As families moved through the changing political landscapes of the 1800s, the Piche name became a marker of their specific heritage and their long-standing presence within the Moravian community.
Latin for woodpecker or a mythical figure associated with forests.
