Editing Szlachta (section)

==Origins of szlachta surnames==
{{Main|Polish surnames}}

[[File:Epitafium--jana-z-ujazdu--circa-1450.jpg|thumb|[[Epitaph]] of szlachcic John of [[Ujazd, Opole Voivodeship|Ujazd]] sealed with the [[Srzeniawa coat of arms]] by unknown artist. It is located at the church of [[w:Czchów|Czchów]], [[w:Kraków Voivodeship (14th century – 1795)|Kraków Voivodeship]], [[w:Lesser Poland|Lesser Poland province]], [[w:Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Crown of the Kingdom of Poland]]; 1450.]]
[[File:Polish knights 1228-1333.PNG|thumb|Szlachta 1228–1333]]

The Proto-Slavic suffix "-ьskъ" means "characteristic of", "typical of".
This suffix exists in Polish as "-ski" (feminine: "-ska"). It's attached to surnames derived from a person's occupation, characteristics, patronymic surnames, or toponymic surnames (from a person's place of residence, birth or family origin).
<ref name="hoffman--william">William F. Hoffman, "POLISH SURNAMES: ORIGINS AND MEANINGS" (Chicago, Cook county, ILLINOIS, U.S.A.: [http://www.pgsa.org/ POLISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA], 1993). </ref>{{rp|157}}  In antiquity, the szlachta used topographic surnames to identify themselves.<ref>{{cite book
 | last = Dmowski
 | first = Roman Stanisław
 | author-link = Roman Dmowski
 | editor-last = Duff
 | editor-first = James Duff
 | editor-link = James Duff Duff
 | chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/RussianRealitiesAndProblems
 | title = RUSSIAN REALITIES & PROBLEMS
 | year = 1917
 | publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]]
 | location = Cambridge, East of England, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
 | page = 91
 | chapter = Poland, Old And New
 | quote = The Polish nobility, which sprang from this military class and which derived its family names from its landed properties (in the fifteenth century), ...}}</ref> The expression "[[German nobility#Nobiliary particles|z]]" (meaning "from" sometimes "at") plus the name of one's [[Inheritance|patrimony]] or [[Estate (land)|estate]] (dominion) carried the same prestige as "de" in French names such as "de Châtellerault", and "[[von]]" or "[[German nobility#Nobiliary particles|zu]]" in German names such as [[German nobility#Nobiliary particles|"von Weizsäcker" or "zu Rhein"]].<ref>{{cite book
 | last = Boswell
 | first = Alexander Bruce
 | author-link = :pl:Alexander Bruce Boswell
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=loBDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA109
 | format = GOOGLE EBOOK
 | title = POLAND AND THE POLES
 | year = 1919
 | publisher = [[Dodd, Mead and Company]]
 | location = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|NEW YORK]], U.S.A.
 | page = 109
 | quote = Later on each family began to take the name of some village or town, with the addition of -ski, which is the Polish equivalent for the French de or German von.}}</ref> For example, the family name of counts Litwiccy (Litwicki<ref>{{Cite book |last=ks. Dariusz Pater |title=Kapliczki Matki Bożej w Ziemi Przysuskiej znakiem pobożności maryjnej. |publisher=KONTRAST |year=2010 |isbn=978-83-930803-0-4 |pages=214–216 |language=Polish}}</ref>) was formed with the patronymic suffix -ic from the ethnic name Litwa, i.e. Lithuania, 'nation of Lithuanians'. It refers to the early modern empire of Central Europe, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth  (1569–1648). In Polish "z Dąbrówki" and "Dąbrowski" mean the same thing: "of, from Dąbrówka."<ref name="hoffman--william" />{{rp|60}} More precisely, "z Dąbrówki" means owning the patrimony or estate Dąbrówka, not necessarily originating from. Almost all the surnames of genuine Polish szlachta can be traced back to a patrimony or locality, despite time scattering most families far from their original home. John of [[Zamość]] called himself John [[House of Zamoyski|Zamoyski]], Stephen of [[Potok, Staszów County|Potok]] called himself [[House of Potocki|Potocki]].<ref>{{cite book
 | last = Boswell
 | first = Alexander Bruce
 | author-link = :pl:Alexander Bruce Boswell
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=loBDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA109
 | format = GOOGLE EBOOK
 | title = POLAND AND THE POLES
 | year = 1919
 | publisher = [[Dodd, Mead and Company]]
 | location = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|NEW YORK]], U.S.A.
 | page = 109
 | quote = Thus John of [[Zamość]] called himself John [[House of Zamoyski|Zamoyski]], Stephen of [[Potok, Staszów County|Potok]] called himself [[House of Potocki|Potocki]]. Although time has scattered most families far from their original home, nearly all the names of the genuinely Polish szlachta can be traced back to some locality.}}</ref>

At least since the 17th century the surnames/[[Roman naming conventions#Cognomen|cognomens]] of szlachta families became fixed and were inherited by following generations, remaining in that form until today. Prior to that time, a member of the family<ref name="radwan-family-line" /> would simply use his Christian name (e.g., Jakub, Jan, Mikołaj, etc.), and the name of the coat of arms common to all members of his clan.<ref>{{cite book
 | last = Boswell
 | first = Alexander Bruce
 | author-link = :pl:Alexander Bruce Boswell
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=loBDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA109
 | format = GOOGLE EBOOK
 | title = POLAND AND THE POLES
 | year = 1919
 | publisher = [[Dodd, Mead and Company]]
 | location = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|NEW YORK]], U.S.A.
 | page = 109
 | quote = Originally a member of the Polish szlachta used simply his Christian name, and the title of the coat of arms which was common to all the members of his clan.}}</ref> A member of the family would be identified as, for example, "Jakub z Dąbrówki",<ref name="boniecki">{{cite journal
 | last = [[:pl:Adam Boniecki (heraldyk)|Boniecki]] ([[Fredro (Bończa)|Fredro]]-Boniecki), herbu [[Bończa coat of arms|Bończa]]
 | first = Adam Józef Feliks
 | year = 1901
 | title = DĄBROWSCY h. RADWAN z Dąbrówki
 | journal = Herbarz Polski - Część I.; Wiadomości Historyczno-Genealogiczne O Rodach Szlacheckich.
 | volume = IV.
 | page = 147
 | location = [[Warsaw]], [[Warsaw Governorate|Warsaw governorate]], [[Vistula Land|Vistula land (Russian POLAND)]], [[Russian Empire|RUSSIAN EMPIRE]]
 | publisher = [[:pl:Gebethner i Wolff|Gebethner i Wolff]]
 | format = online book
 | url = https://polona.pl/item/10355910/159/
 | quote = DĄBROWSCY h. RADWAN z Dąbrówki pod Piasecznem, w ziemi warszawskiej, w różnych stronach osiedli, przeważnie w ziemi rożańskiej. Przydomek ich "Żądło". Żyjący w połowie XV-go wieku Jakub z Dąbrówki, ...}}</ref> herbu Radwan, (Jacob to/at Dąbrówki of the knights' clan [[Radwan coat of arms]]), or "Jakub z Dąbrówki, Żądło ([[cognomen]])<ref name="zadlo-cognomen">{{cite book
 | last = Okolski
 | first = Szymon
|author-link=Szymon Okolski
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=eKBMAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA572
 | section= RADWAN alias WIRBOW.
 | title= Orbis Polonus
 | date = 1643
 | publisher = Franciscus Caesarius
 | location = [[Kraków]]
 | volume = II
 | page = 572
 | archive-date = 8 June 2017
 | access-date = 8 June 2017
 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20170608064839/https://books.google.nl/books?id=eKBMAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA572&redir_esc=y%23v=onepage&q&f=false
 | language = la
 | quote = Dąbrowfcij, cognominati Zedlowie ...}}</ref> (later a przydomek/nickname/[[agnomen]]), herbu Radwan" (Jacob to/at [owning] Dąbrówki with the distinguishing name Żądło of the knights' clan [[Radwan coat of arms]]), or "Jakub Żądło,<ref name="zadlo-cognomen" /> herbu Radwan".

The Polish state paralleled the [[Roman Empire]]<ref name="roman-empire" /> in that full rights of citizenship were limited to the szlachta.<ref name="topor-jakubowski--2002" /> The szlachta in [[Poland]], where Latin was written and spoken far and wide,<ref>{{cite book
 | last = Boswell
 | first = Alexander Bruce
 | author-link = :pl:Alexander Bruce Boswell
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=loBDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA47
 | format = GOOGLE EBOOK
 | title = POLAND AND THE POLES
 | year = 1919
 | publisher = [[Dodd, Mead and Company]]
 | location = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|NEW YORK]], U.S.A.
 | page = 47
 | quote = The use of the Latin language was universal in Poland well into the eighteenth century, and many words from Latin have been assimilated by the Polish language and have added to its vocabulary and its expressiveness.}}</ref> used the [[Roman naming conventions#Tria nomina|Roman naming convention of the tria nomina (praenomen, nomen, and cognomen)]]<ref name="okolski-ancient-romans" /> to distinguish Polish citizens/szlachta from [[Peasant#Medieval European peasants|the peasantry]]<ref>{{cite web
 | url = https://image.slidesharecdn.com/mikmichalowickilite2-161212085641/95/dwr-dbrowskich-w-michaowicach-nowe-ycie-dworu-wystawa-6-1024.jpg?cb=1481533068
 | title = DWÓR DĄBROWSKICH W MICHAŁOWICACH - "Nowe życie dworu" (wystawa)
 | date = 12 December 2016
 | publisher = [[Małopolska Institute of Culture]]
 | location = [[Kraków]]
 | work = [[SlideShare]]
 | access-date = 5 June 2017
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170605081455/https://image.slidesharecdn.com/mikmichalowickilite2-161212085641/95/dwr-dbrowskich-w-michaowicach-nowe-ycie-dworu-wystawa-6-1024.jpg?cb=1481533068
 | archive-date = 5 June 2017
 | language = pl
 | trans-title = DĄBROWSKI MANOR/MANSION IN MICHAŁOWICE - New Life of the Manor/Mansion (Exhibition)
}}{{unreliable source?|date=February 2022}}</ref> and foreigners, hence why multiple surnames are associated with many Polish coat of arms.

Example – Jakub: Radwan Żądło-Dąbrowski<ref name="minakowski">{{cite web
 | last = Minakowska
 | first = Maria Jadwiga
 | author-link = Maria Minakowska
 | title = Żądło-Dąbrowski z Dąbrówki h. Radwan
 | website = Genealogia Potomków Sejmu Wielkiego
 | location = Kraków, POLAND, EU
 | publisher = Dr Minakowska Publikacje Elektroniczne
 | url = http://wielcy.pl/boniecki/en/art/4/261.xml
 | access-date = 21 July 2018
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190906175928/http://wielcy.pl/boniecki/en/art/4/261.xml
 | archive-date = 6 September 2019}}</ref> (sometimes Jakub: Radwan Dąbrowski-Żądło)

'''[[Roman naming conventions#Praenomen|Praenomen]]'''

Jakub

'''[[Roman naming conventions#Nomen|Nomen]]''' (nomen gentile—name of the [[gens]]<ref name="radwan-family-line" />/[[:pl:Ród|ród]] or knights' clan):

[[Radwan coat of arms|Radwan]]<ref name="radwan" />

'''[[Roman naming conventions#Cognomen|Cognomen]]''' (name of the family branch/[[sept]] within the [[Radwan coat of arms|Radwan]] gens):

For example—Braniecki, Dąbrowski,<ref>{{cite web
 | url = https://image.slidesharecdn.com/mikmichalowickilite2-161212085641/95/dwr-dbrowskich-w-michaowicach-nowe-ycie-dworu-wystawa-4-1024.jpg?cb=1481533068
 | title = DWÓR DĄBROWSKICH W MICHAŁOWICACH - "Nowe życie dworu" (wystawa)
 | date = 12 December 2016
 | publisher = [[Małopolska Institute of Culture]]
 | location = [[Kraków]], [[Kraków County|Kraków county]], [[Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Lesser Poland voivodeship]], Southern Poland, POLAND
 | work = [[SlideShare]]
 | access-date = 3 June 2017
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170603191440/https://image.slidesharecdn.com/mikmichalowickilite2-161212085641/95/dwr-dbrowskich-w-michaowicach-nowe-ycie-dworu-wystawa-4-1024.jpg?cb=1481533068
 | archive-date = 3 June 2017
 | language = pl
 | trans-title = DĄBROWSKI MANOR/MANSION IN MICHAŁOWICE - New Life of the Manor/Mansion (Exhibition)
 | quote = Photographs from the family archive of Jan Majewski; Tadeusz Żądło Dąbrowski [herbu Radwan]...}}</ref> Czcikowski, Dostojewski, Górski, Nicki, [[House of Zebrzydowski|Zebrzydowski]], etc.

'''[[Agnomen]]''' (nickname, Polish {{linktext|przydomek}}):

Żądło (prior to the 17th century, was a [[Roman naming conventions#Cognomen|cognomen]]<ref name="zadlo-cognomen" />)

[[Bartosz Paprocki]] gives an example of the Rościszewski family taking different surnames from the names of various patrimonies or estates they owned. The branch of the Rościszewski family that settled in Chrapunia became the Chrapunski family, the branch of the Rościszewski family that settled in Strykwina became the Strykwinski family, and the branch of the Rościszewski family that settled in Borkow became known as the Borkowski family. Each family shared a common ancestor and belonged to the same knights' clan, so they bore the same coat of arms as the Rościszewski family.<ref>{{cite web
 | last = Bajer
 | first = Piotr Paweł
 | url = http://podolska.neostrada.pl/teksty/heraldry.htm
 | title = POLISH NOBILITY AND ITS HERALDRY: AN INTRODUCTION
 | publisher = podolska.neostrada.pl
 | location = [[Warsaw]], [[Masovian Voivodeship|Masovian voivodeship]], POLAND
 | access-date = 5 June 2017
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160504225306/http://podolska.neostrada.pl/teksty/heraldry.htm
 | archive-date = 4 May 2016
 | quote = This peculiarity may be best illustrated by the example given by Paprocki [50] who mentions the Rosciszewski family which took a surname different from the names of the land properties it had owned. Those of the Rosciszewski family who settled in Chrapunia became known as Chrapunskis; those who settled in Strykwina were known as Strykwinskis; and those who settled in Borkow became known as Borkowskis. Since they shared a common ancestor and belonged to the same clan - they were entitled to bear the same arms as Rosciszewskis.}}</ref>

Each knights' clan/gens/ród had its [[List of coats of arms of Polish nobility|coat of arms]], and there were only a limited number. Almost without exception, there were no family coat of arms.<ref>{{cite book
 | last = Zamoyski
 | first = Adam
|author-link=Adam Zamoyski
 | title = The Polish Way: A Thousand-year history of the Poles and their culture
 | orig-date = 1987
 | year = 1998
 | edition = Fourth Printing
 | isbn = 0-7818-0200-8
 | publisher = [[Hippocrene Books]]
 | location = New York
 | page = [https://archive.org/details/polishwaythousan00zamo/page/54 54]
 | quote = Fig. 4 A selection of Polish coats-of-arms. These were never personal to the bearers; each was borne by all members of the family, and often by dozens of families of different names which may or may not have shared their origins.
 | url = https://archive.org/details/polishwaythousan00zamo/page/54
 }}</ref> Each coat of arms bore a name, the clan's call word. In most instances, the coat of arms belonged to many families within the clan.<ref name="zamoyski-whole-clans" /> The Polish state paralleled the Roman Empire,<ref name="roman-empire" /><ref name="okolski-ancient-romans" /> and the szlachta had a different origin and structure in law than Western Europe's feudal nobility.<ref name="zamoyski-clannish-structures" /> The clan/gens/ród system survived the whole of Polish history.<ref name="dmowski-clan-system" />

=== Heraldry ===
{{Main|Polish heraldry}}
[[File:Gelre Folio 53v.jpg|right|thumb|220px|[[List of Polish nobility coats of arms images|Polish coats of arms]] in the [[Gelre Armorial]] (compiled before 1396), among them [[Leliwa coat of arms]], [[Ogończyk coat of arms]], [[Ostoja coat of arms]] ([[Clan Ostoja|Ostoja knights' clan]]), [[Nałęcz coat of arms]].]]
{{Commons category|Coats of arms of families of Poland}}
[[Coat of arms|Coats of arms]] were very important to the szlachta. Its heraldic system evolved together with neighbouring states in [[Central Europe]], while differing in many ways from the heraldry of other European countries. Polish Knighthood had its counterparts, links and roots in [[Moravia]], e.g. [[Poraj coat of arms]] and in [[Germany]], e.g. [[Junosza coat of arms]].

Families who had a common origin would also share a coat of arms. They would also share their crest with families adopted into the clan. Sometimes unrelated families would be falsely attributed to a clan on the basis of similarity of crests. Some noble families inaccurately claimed clan membership. The number of coats of arms in this system was comparatively low and did not exceed 200 in the late Middle Ages. There were 40,000 in the late 18th century.

At the [[Union of Horodło]], forty-seven families of Catholic Lithuanian lords and boyars were adopted by Polish szlachta families and allowed to use Polish coats of arms.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Frost|first1=Robert I.|title=The Oxford History of Poland-Lithuania: The Making of the Polish-Lithuanian Union, 1385-1569|date=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=115}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Marian|first1=Biskup|chapter=Polish Diplomacy during the Angewin and Jagiellonian Era (1370-1572): X-XX C|title=The History of Polish Diplomacy: X-XX C|date=2005|publisher=Sejm Publishing Office|page=79}}</ref>

==== Heritability ====
The tradition of differentiating between a coat of arms and a [[Lozenge (heraldry)|lozenge]] granted to women, did not develop in Poland. By the 17th century, invariably, men and women inherited a coat of arms from their father.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} When mixed marriages developed after the partitions, that is between commoners and members of the nobility, as a courtesy, children could claim a coat of arms from their [[distaff]] side, but this was only tolerated and could not be passed on to the next generation. The [[brisure]] was rarely used. All children would inherit the coat of arms and title of their father. This partly accounts for the relatively large proportion of Polish families who had claim to a coat of arms by the 18th century. Another factor was the arrival of titled foreign settlers, especially from the German lands and the Habsburg Empire.

Illegitimate children could adopt the mother's surname and title by the consent of the mother's father, but would sometimes be adopted and raised by the natural father's family, thereby acquiring the father's surname, though not the title or arms.

{{Clear}}