A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Stokowski family of Poland.
Reg. 2648 · Polish, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'or à une tour de sa., sommée d'un oiseau du même, et sur le seuil de la porte un homme armé; au 2 d'azur à un faisceau de trois lances de tournoi d'arg.”
Polandc. 1772
Where the Stokowski Arms Were Recorded
Mazovia
Map of Poland showing where the Stokowski arms are recorded
The Stokowski 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 Stokowski 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 Stokowski 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 Stokowski Family in Poland
The family name Stokowski is a classic example of a Polish toponymic surname, which means it was derived from the name of a specific place. The suffix "-owski" typically indicates that the family held land or originated from a village called Stokowo. By 1772, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the Mazovia region, a historical province in east-central Poland known for its dense forests and fertile plains. During this period, the family was part of the local landed gentry, often managing agricultural estates and participating in the social and political life of the Mazovian nobility. Because the region was a central hub for Polish culture and administration, the Stokowski family likely played a role in the local governance of their village. Their presence in Mazovia during the late eighteenth century reflects the broader history of families who rooted themselves in the landscape and took their identity directly from the soil they cultivated.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
stok
A tree trunk, stem, or a mountain stream.
This name
StokowskiA topographic surname referring to someone living near a tree trunk or a stream.
also spelled
Stokowsky
Stokovski
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. 1913
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
