Map of Poland showing where the Wasilewski arms are recorded
The Wasilewski 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 Wasilewski 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 Wasilewski 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 Wasilewski Family in Poland
The surname Wasilewski is a classic example of a Polish toponymic name, which means it was originally derived from a specific location. The name is linked to the village of Wasilewo, located in the Mazovia region of central Poland. During the eighteenth century, families who lived in or owned land in this village began using the name to identify their roots and social standing. By 1772, records confirm that members of the Wasilewski family were well-established residents of Mazovia. At that time, the region was a center for the lesser nobility and landowning families who played a significant role in local administration and farming. As the family grew, individuals moved to neighboring towns and villages, carrying the name with them and helping it spread throughout the Polish heartland.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bazyli
Derived from the Greek word basileus meaning king or royal.
This name
WasilewskiA topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a place called Wasilewo.
also spelled
Valewski
Walewsky
Walevsky
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 w Warszawie (Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw), Księgi grodzkie warszawskie (Warsaw Castle Court Books), 1772
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
columnFortitude and constancy
columnFortitude and constancy
