OF HERALDRY AND HERALDIC SNOBBERY, REGARDING TITLES

Translated by Leonard Suligowski, PNA Director of Heraldry - Emeritus (from Konarski 1958)

Regarding Titles

For the heraldist, after searching out clans, surnames, and cognomens, (nicknames) the final trait distinguishing families of the Polish Nobility, one from the other, were titles. In Piast Poland we do not come across any titles except that of "Prince". This title belonged only to the offspring of the Piasts in the clan's various branches.

Beginning with the Jagiellonians, none of the sons of Polish Kings were called "Prince". The Union of Lublin (1569) recognized the existence of, and allowed the use of the title "Prince" for all the descendants of Rurik and Gedymin, as well as descendants of other Princes formerly existing in Lithuania. We know for a fact of the prior conferral on a Polish family of the title "Prince of the Holy Roman Empire", namely the Radziwills in 1547. After the Union of Lublin, the following families obtained the title of Prince from foreign monarchs: Ossolinski--1633; Lubomirski--1647; Sapieha--1700; Jablonowski--1743; and Sulkowski--1752. The only Polish princely titles conferred by the Polish Senate before the first partitioning (1772) were to the Poniatowski family in 1764 and Sapiehas in 1768 (the previous one expired in the year of conferral). Of these conferrals, if you do not include the dynastic line, the following have died out entirely: Jablonowski, Ossolinski and Poniatowski. The still extant titled line of the Poniatowskis identifies itself by the title conferred by Austria in 1850. The only title of Prince awarded in Poland after 1772 was conferred on the Poninski family by the Senate in 1773.

The title conferred by the Senate in 1775 on the family of Massalski should be regarded as confirmation of their ancient title as a family descending from Rurik. Of these two, the Poninski title became extinct in 1920.

Alexander I of Russia (in his capacity as King of Poland) bestowed upon Jozef Zajaczkowki the title of Prince in 1818. This title became extinct in 1826. The list of Princely families living today and at one time listed in the catalogue of nobility of the Polish Republic is as follows: Czartoryski (dynastic line), Lubecki (dynastic), Lubomirski (Holy Roman Empire, 1647), Massalski (only with the family of the dynastic line), Oginski (dynastic), Poniatowski (Austria, 1850), Puzyna (dynastic), Radziwill (Holy Roman Empire, 1547), Sapieha (Poland, 1751), Sulkowski (only with the titled line, Holy Roman Empire, 1752) and Woroniecki (dynastic). Beyond this, there are still certain living representatives of dynastic families whom at one time owned full right to the title of Prince. They cast this title aside and thereby in view of the law formerly in force in Russia, lost their justification for the use of these rights in official documents. Here are those families, if still extant (in cases of doubt as to their existence I have added a question mark). Borkowski h. Gozdana (?); Glinski h. Wlasny (?); Kurcewicz h. Kurcz (?); Jastrzebiec (?); Lukomski h. Wlasny (?); Pokhorski h. Wlasny (?); Polubinski h. Wlasny; Szujski h. Pogon Tuski; Swirski h. Lis (?).

Title List

Princely Houses Czartoryski -- Dynastic -- 1569
Czetwertynski -- Dynastic -- 1843
Gedroic/Gedroyc -- Dynastic -- 1865
Jablonowski -- Holy Roman Empire -- 1775
Lubecki/Drucki -- Dynastic -- 1488
Lubomirski -- Holy Roman Empire -- 1647
Massalski/Masalski -- Dynastic -- 1862
Oginski -- Dynastic -- 1486
Ossolinski -- Holy Roman Empire -- 1633
Poniatowski -- Poland -- 1764
Poninski -- Poland -- 1773
Puzyna -- Poland 1823
Radziwill -- Holy Roman Empire -- 1547
Sanguszko -- Dynastic -- 1569
Sapieha -- Dynastic -- 1824
Sulkowski -- Holy Roman Empire 1752
Woroniecki -- Dynastic -- 1824
Zajaczek -- Russia -- 1818
Lithuanian Princely Houses

Borkowski -- Samogita -- 1499 Glinski/Hlinski -- Dynastic -- 1505 Kurcewicz -- Dynastic -- 1528 Lukomski -- Dynastic -- 1564 Podhorski -- Dynastic -- 1563 Polubinski -- Dynastic -- 1399 Szujski/Szuyski -- Dynastic -- 1534 Swirski/Swierski -- Dynastic -- 1508 These are the legitimate princely houses referred to by Konarski in his Snobizmie article on titles. The above list is from his earlier published work, Armorial de la Noblesse Polnaise Titree (of which he refers to) published in Paris in 1958. The dates accompanying the names listed signify the origin of the family title.

There is currently only one family who is vested (by right of promogenetre) with the title of Margave, namely the Counts of Great Poland with the right to use, at that time the name Gonzaga-Myszkowski Wielopolski (Russia 1879). The question of the titles of Count is completely different. I mentioned them previously at length in my de la Noblesse Polonaise Titree (Armorial of the Polish Titled Nobles), Paris 1958. Here I will limit myself to the statement that of the families who held foreign titles of Count during the days of the Republic, only the following survived the first partition: Latalski, 1538; Tarnowski, 1547; Krasicki, 1631; Przerembski, 1637; Butler, 1651; Wieloposki, 1656 and Moszynski, 1730. The only title of Count that was awarded to a Pole by the Polish King was given to the Chodkiewicz family in 1568 (Wasilewski 149).

Only after the partitions do we come across a great number of the titles of "Count" obtained in various forms (the awarding and confirmation of titles allegedly already in existence for some time) by Polish noble families. A full list of Count titles (also Barons) still extant after 1794 can be found in Armorial mentioned above. Here I include only those families in whose titled Polish lineage and male number are in existence today. (Some, as for instance the Lanckoronskis; Przezdzieckis; Rzewuskis; Zelenskis and Konopskis did not die out until after the last war).

If I am unsure whether they have died out, I indicate as such with a question mark after the date of conferral. If any family obtained a title from two countries, I mention them here chronologically by first conferral. I omit titles awarded ad personam. This list is arranged by country where the title was conferred. In each group they are given alphabetically with the date of conferral in parenthesis.

Count Poland Chodkiewicz (1568)

Papal Title (by right of primogenitre); Brzozowski (1897), Czosnowski (1897), Koczorowski (1871), Kurnatowski (1902), Lasocki (1869 subsequently Belgian without limitation to right of primogeniture in 1885).

Holy Roman Empire and Austria

Badeni (1846), Baworowski (1779), Bielski (1895), Bobrowski (1800), Boch (1783), Dunin-Borkowski (1819), Choloniewski (1798), Debicki (1789), Drohojowski (1783), Dzieduszycki (1776), Goluchowski (1783), Jablonowski h. Grzymala (1779), Jezierski (1801), Kalinowski (1818)?, Komorowski h. Korczak (1793), Konarski (1783), Korytowski (1893), Koziebrodzki (1781), Krasicki (1631), Ledochowski (1800), Lubieniecki (1783), Los (1783), Michalowski (1885), Morsztyn (1915), Osiecimski-Czapski (1907), Ostorog (1783), Pininski (1780), Potocki (1777), Rey (1806), Romer (1818), Rozwadowski (1783)?, Russocki (1800), Rzyszczewski (1845), Siemienski-Lewicki (1779), Sierakowski (1775), Skarbek (1778), Stadnicki (1783), Starzenski (1780), Szeptycki (1871), Tarnowski (1547)?, Wielhorski (1787), Wielopolski (1656), Winiewski (1876), Wodzicki (1799), Wolanski (1886), Zabielski (1808)?, Zabiello (1888), Zaleski (1913), Zaluski (1776), Zamoyski (1778) and Zborowski (1792).

Prussia

Bninski (1798), Czapski (1804), Czarnecki* (1854), Dambski (1825)?, Grabowski h. Topor (1816), Gurowski (1787)?, Krasinski (1798), Dwilecki (1816), Lubienski (1797), Miaczynski (1853), Mielzynski (1786), Mycielski (1882), Ostrowski (1798), Poninski (1782), Potulicki (1780), Racznski (1824), Skorzewski* (1840), Sokolnicki (1817), Szembek (1816), Taczanowski/Dassanowsky* (1857), and Zoltowski* (1840).

Russia

Czacki (1897), Grocholski (1881), Kaszowsk-Illiski (1902), Kossakowski (1843), Mostowski (1843), Moszczenski (1856), Ostorog-Wolski (1903)?, Ozarowski (1838)?, Plater (1774), Ronikier (1850) and Tyszkiewicz (1861).

Saxony

Breza (1889) and Suminski (1870).

Italy Orlowski* (1879). *Right of primogenitre. Baron We find Baronial titles only from 1780 to wit: Austria Blazowski (1780)?, Borowski h. Jastrebiec (1808)?, Chledowski (1884), Dulski (1782)?, Gostowski (1782), Heydel (1826 and previously as in foreigners in Poland, 1772), Horoch (1791) and Lewartowski (1783). France Chlapowski, by right of primogeniture (1811) and Skarzynski, with the same right (1814). Prussia Grotthus (1844).

Russia

Puszet (1826, previously as foreigners in Poland in 1720) and Kosinski (1836).

Our total, (provided all are still living, [see above]) of titled families are 12 Princes, one Margrave, 98 Counts and 13 Barons. After all the details relating to the requirements awarded in exchange for higher-ranking titles, I refer my readers to my Armorial for further details.

Since the First World War, not one instance is recorded of a title being awarded to a Polish citizen in any of the countries that have preserved monarchial status. All of Papal titles, without exception were granted in return for service provided the the Church, from those rendered (often at the risk of harsh legal consequences) to the uniates when they were persecuted by Russia for providing great financial assistance to the Church in Poland. I could never understand why a title granted by one of the partitioning countries was, and still is, considered far more popular than a title granted in return for services provided to the Church or native country.

There is a legend that speaks of the practice of purchasing titles. Recalling a famous anecdote which tells of how someone from a wealthy Polish family from Podolia sent his regent to Rome with the commission of buying for him the title of Count. This agent returned having successfully carried out his commission and at the same time bought a title for himself as well. This is a typical story of an untrue event. Chancelleries finding themselves in financially tough times may have conducted transactions of this sort and not long ago, one could obtain a title from the Republic of San Marino in this manner. In recent times one could obtain a title from claimants to thrones that never existed of some sort of islands or archipelagos. None of the countries with a monarchic system in the 18th century or later conducted such transactions. We can say that some of the post partitioned titles, (fortunately not many) were awarded to Poles. Most for services rendered to Russia and some titles were granted to Poles in Prussia.

A family title and nobility itself, (as opposed to the surname) can only be transferred by way of inheritance to those born of a legally contracted marriage. Titles granted by the Holy See can be passed on by inheritance to the descendants of those born of a marriage contracted according to the laws of the Church. Depending on the type of title, it passes either to all children of both sexes or only to the firstborn son. Daughters lose their right to a title from the time the marriage is contracted, but acquire any title her spouse may posses. A title cannot be transferred to any person by way of a document of acknowledgement of paternity or by way of adoption. This was possible only by way of obtaining a personal decree from the crowned head of state in which the title was formerly granted. So, today such a possibility is a dead issue. Only Napoleonic titles can pass from one to another by way of adoption. I discussed this matter earlier in the section on coats of arms. I must explain that a particular legal state existing in Germany from the time of the Weimar Constitution, (despite popular opinion) in no way provides the possibility of transferring a title by acknowledgement or adoption. According to Article 3 in Paragraph 109 of that constitution, a family title and the noble additive Von became part of the last name, losing its legality of title. Mr. Schmiedt, adopted in Germany by a Count Von Hacke gains only the last name Graf von Hacke-Schmiedt. I reiterate that he gains only the surname, but not the title. He cannot be addressed in Poland as Hrabia, in France as Comte or in England as Count. Inasmuch as the surnames are not translated, he can only call himself Graf von Hacke Schmidt in Poland, France or England, etc., never otherwise. I mention this particular point because of a famous incident in Poland of the use of the title of Count by Jozef Kurnatowski, adopted according to Weimer Law by Count Ignacy Mielzynski. Wlodzimierz Dworzaczek pointed out this usurpation (Hedouin 55).

I list below Polish surnames listed with titles from various sources. To search for authenticating documents (patents or grants) would prove fruitless. At this point I would like to state that within this list are names of families which used noble titles in good faith in the past. But, for the use of such titles today, I can find no mitigating circumstances. I cannot rule out the possibility that some names appear on the list to no fault of the person(s) who bore them. But, they are mentioned in various documents and memoirs using titles that did not belong to them. Some of these (among others) are the Kondycki "Princes" of the "Counts" Bandrowski and Strzelecki and the "Baron" Radomyski. I have omitted from the list those persons who have themselves belonging to an untitled branch, used or use illegally the title of the living legitimate branch. I mention these only if the appropriate titled branch has already died out. I feel I can permit myself to omit such persons from the list, (which would always be far from complete) because in the majority of cases the reader can confirm the right of the title being used by researching the data in my Armorial.

I realize that this list is not complete and it is constantly growing but despite that fact I considered it a useful endeavor to compile it. In a famous work by Jozef Wolff he devoted a whole chapter enumerating families which used the Lithuanian-Ruthenian dynastic title of Prince illegally. In the list I do not mention those names previously mentioned by Wolff because I cite his work in its entirety at the end of this section.

When these names with their pseudo-titles are added up, we have 15 "Princely" families, one "Ducal" family, five "Margrave" families, 163 "Count" families, one "Viscount" family and 27 "Baronial" families. In all we have 212 "titled" families. In as much as in our first group we had 124 truly titled, the proportion being 126 to 212. However, if we include the 255 names of the pseudo-princes mentioned by Wolff, the proportion is 126 to 467. We know that the first group is getting smaller by becoming extinct, the second continues to grow for reasons difficult to understand. I am reminded of the old economic truism that, "bad currency always drives out the good". The fact that representatives of both of these types of families reside and or resided in England, caused complete confusion in regards to this situation among the residents of that country. Distinguishing the families, those of the first group from that of the second, (not including trained specialists) is or was a matter of squaring the circle. In view of this they greet both groups with an indulgent smile. For them, one who holds a "foreign" title is viewed and treated as just that. The French deal with the situation a bit more acceptably for, as we know, of the 8,000 names that were counted with the particular of "de" attached, only 2,000 had legal basis for the use. In the work done by Jozef Wolff already cited the list of "pseudo-princes" fills an entire chapter. After excluding from it the names of families, which in various countries used authentic Princely titles, the list is as follows:

Pseudo-Princes

Bielski, Dembiski, Demidecki, Jablonowski, Klossowski-Rola, Kondycki, Libkowski, Ostaszewski, Swiderski, Tokarzewski, Weryha, Wiszniewski I Wisniewski, Wojciechowski-Pajak and Wojtczak.

Pseudo-Duke

de Gozdawa Mineyko

Pseudo-Margrave

Bronikowski, Kacki, Kucharski, Rozyckiand Samucewicz.

Pseudo-Counts

Aleksandrowicz, Bandrowski, Bem, Blaowski, Blesyznski, Blonski, Bondi, Borzecki, Bronikowski, Brunicki, Budkowski, Burzynski, Chalecki, Chamiec, Chamski, Chelmski, Chlapowski, Chomentowski, Chrapowicki, Chreptowicz, Chrzanowski, Ciechanowiecki, Ciecierski, Cienski, Czarkowski, Czarnkowski, Czaykowski, Damecki, Dembinski, Dobrski, Dobrzynski, Dolega, Dunin, Dziekonski, Dzierzbicki, Dziuli, Garczynski, Gasztowtt, Gizycki, Gluszezewski, Godebski, Godlewski, Gombrowicz, Gorayski, Gorzynski, Grzymala, Guigitsky, Gurski, Hauss, Horodyski, Jaroszynski, Jasinski, Jelowicki, Jezierski, Jezierski-Lewalt, Kamienski, Karwicki, Kepinski, Kleczkowski, Klossowski-Rola, Kobylinski, Komar, Komarnicki, Konarski, Korsak, Korzybski, Kostowicki, Kotowski, Kosiell-Poklewski, Krassowski, Kraszewski, Krysinski, Krzyzanowski, Kwiatkowski, Litynski, Labecki, Lempicki, Maleszewski, Malachowski, Malynski, Marchocki, Markewicz, Markowski, Mierzejewski, Mniewski, Mohl, Mokronowski, Montresor, Morawski, Morzkowski, Niesiolowski, Oborski, Olizar, Orsetti, Oskierka, Oslawski, Ossuchowski, Ostaszewski, Paszkiewicz, Piotruszynski, Poceij, Podoski, Poniatowski, Potkanski, Potocki, Prandecki, Predowski, Pudlowski, Pulaski, Puttkamer, Raciborowski, Radziminski, Rayski, Rembielinski, Rodkiewicz, Rohozinski, Rostworowski, Roscieszewski, Rottermund, Rusiecki, Rydznski, Rzewuski, Sadowski, Scipio de Campo, Siemonski, Skibniewski, Skorupka, Soltan, Soltyk, Sosnowski, Starzenski, Starzynski, Stecki, Strawinski, Stroynowski, Strzelecki, Strzebosz, Suchorzewski, Sulatycki, Szantyr, Szczyt, Szramkiewicz, Szumlanski, Szydlowski, Szymanowski, Slizien, Swinarski, Tymowski, Walicki, Waskiewicz, Wegierski, Wieloglowski, Wieniawski, Wodzinski, Wolmer, Wolodkowicz, Wolowski, Worcell, Wybranowski, Zalutynski, Zaremba, Zdrojewski and Zdzitowiecki.

Pseudo-Viscount

Lewiwa

Pseudo-Barons

Banski, Burhardt, Ciborowski, Cohen, Dangel, Gadomski, Garezynski, Gubrynowicz, Jurkiewicz, Kaminski, Kniaziolucki, Konopha, Leski, Lubicz, Laski, Radomyski, Romiszowski, Rostocki, Rozenwert, Siemienski, Smolik h. Kotwicz, Toplicki, Turnau, Weyssenhoff, Wiercinski, Wolff and Zalewski.