About the Syrokomla Coat of Arms

The Syrokomla coat of arms is also written: Serokomla, Sirokomla, Sorokomla, Srokomla, Siromla, etc. According to medieval monuments, it depicts in a red field a white (silver) girdle with a similar small cross on the central girdle. The medieval crest [1] is not known. From the 16th century, the crest usually contains a repeated object from the shield, while in both the shield and the crest, the small cross is depicted as gold. It is an ancient sign, reaching back to an era earlier than the 12th century, according to A. Piekosiński at least to the era of Christianity adoption, as a proprietary sign, which became a family identifier (seals, coins), and finally placed on the shields and banners of the Knights of the family, it became a hereditary coat of arms.
Długosz (Vitae Episcoporum Poloniae) mentions under Bernard, “nobilis de domo Sirokomlya,” the Poznan bishop (+1175). The Syrokomla insignia – on ……….. buttons from the 13th century.
According to Piekosiński, Syrokomla is an older form … according to Semkowicz – it originated from …….., created as a variant of that mark by ministers (ministerial knights) from the banner of banner lords……………. Neither can be sustained. The Syrokomlas were banner lords themselves, they fought under their banner at Grunwald. The cross in Syrokomla is not an addition to the girdle ………… and is not, should not be gold. The traditions of the golden cross and its origin from …………… were first introduced into the heralds by Paprocki in “Herby Rycerstwa”, 1584.
Długosz, although in his “Arma Baronum Regni Poloniae” usually noted genetic connections between coats of arms if they existed (e.g., Topór – Starykoń; Pomian-Wieniawa, etc.), says nothing similar for Syrokomla and their connection with …….. is not mentioned: he expresses both these coats of arms quite differently:
“Habdank – tracturam albam tria cornua habentem in modum stellae in campo rubeo defert” (Cornicki Manuscript), or: “Habdank, duplex w in campo rubeo defert” (Arsenal Manuscript)
“Syrokomla – circulatulam triangularem cruce superimposita alba in campo rubeo defert” (Cornicki Manuscript).

The oldest representations of the Syrokomla emblem can be seen: on the seal of Jaśek… from Krakow from 1354 (Cistercian Archive in Mogiła), Rekosiński “Heraldry of Polish Middle Ages” pg. 156 fig 249, on the seal of Zaklika from Korzkiew, deputy of Krakow Land in 1418 (Dominican Archive in Krakow) in the so-called “marshal role” (Biblioteque de l’Arsenal, Paris No 4790 manuscript) and in the Cornicki, arsenals and other Długosz crests manuscripts, as well as on the founding board of the church in Grocholicach. Also on the seal of Jakub from Korzkiew, Bishop of Płock (Polish Archive Ak. Un. in Kr) and in the chronicle of the Constance council from 1415 by Ulrich v. Reychenthal (Augsburg 1483).

Syrokomla with a white small cross is the oldest form of the coat of arms. Only families from the Syrokomla family can claim it, as the simultaneous origin of both the family and the coat of arms; these families are: Chybicki (if they still exist; the last known about them dates to 1697, when Fr. Chybicki signed the election of Augustus II with the Warsaw land) – Grocholski – Janowscy † [2] , Kiińscy vel Kijenscy (if they exist) – Korzyniccy †, Kurdwanowski †, Pulyowie †, Świeszkowscy v. Szwayszkowscy †, Zaklikowie –
A (not complete) list of families ennobled, adopted or incorrectly using the Syrokomla coat of arms (including Lithuanian-Ruthenian).
Andronowscy variant Kijankowscy Sopockowie variant.
Baranowicz amendment Kondraccy Starosielscy ” variant.
Beynar amendment Konratowicze Stefanowicze
Bulhak amendment Konratowscy Stefanowscy
Burdzieccy Korzeniccy Staweccy
Chale amendment Koscialkowski Tracszewscy
Czechow amendment Losowicz Wahanowscy
Dziewoczkow Maslowicze Waszilewiczy amendment
Eygir amendment Minglowie Wesierscy
Gosztowt Mingelowicz Wieliczkowie variant
Gumk amendment Modzelewski Witonisc
Hale amendment Monrim Witowscz
Holibous amendment Nieszikowic Woytrowsc
Horszewic amendment Petrycz Woyniilowicze amendment
Ilga amendment Pucialtow Wyrwicz
Iwanowicz amendment Puciatsz Zagrzodze
Jalos amendment Sapals Zolaziows
Kran amendment Siennaniw Zajce and Syrokomla
Koroni amendment Siwczynci and (?) Syrokomla
Kes amendment Solshubowie Syrokomlowice
All these families, except those marked with a “variation” sign, use the Syrokomla coat of arms in its usual form, with a golden small cross. And this usual Syrokomla is often used by Lithuanian families with a plume (3 or 5 ostrich feathers) instead of repeating the “girdle.” Different shapes are sometimes barely similar to Syrokomla.
Different shapes of the usual Syrokomla were sometimes in ancient times dependent on the skills of engravers or other craftsmen, and certainly, the styles of the respective eras also influenced them. The shape of Syrokomla in the attached color drawing is taken from the foundation board of the brick church in Grocholicach with the date: “A.D. 1460.” [3]
The color of the small cross in Syrokomla – white (silver) or gold – does not influence the identity of the coat of arms. Similarly, in the same Pilawit family, some use the silver (white) Pilawy, while others the gold Pilawy.
After familiarizing oneself with everything known to date and considering that the golden small cross in its heraldic sign was used only in the 16th century, while originally the white girdle and white small cross both in the shield and crest (above the helmet) formed a whole:
“Origin… Venient (sc. arma Syrokomla) ex additione pro meritis viro militari, dicto Syrokomla de armis Abdank as noted by Bielseius fol. 277.   
For when insolently the Prussian knight in Ladislaus Laconicus times (1331) provoked our knight into the theater of duel and in the course of scolding even smirched the name and glory of Christ, the noble with the arms Habdank driven by a pious affection against the unjust knight proceeded and overwhelmed the one threatening terrible with terrible hands – The king joyful gave the golden cross to the meriting noble as a reward and attached it to the arms… When I look at the present arms, I consider the cross, I consider the love of the knights, I consider the help of God and the grace of the king, and I will inscribe on them: grace of God and the king. Henry II Bourbon, King of Navarre – reports Jacobus Tipotius in symbols – had formed a symbol from pious and humble gratitude to God, the letter H adorned with roses on four sides, and added to read: the grace of God am I what I am. Nothing is truer than this? The same and Syrokomla the knight expresses in his arms saying: by the grace of God – who instructed my hands to fight for the faith of Christ, and by the grace of the king – who with a golden cross shone upon my professions, am I what I am.”
S. Okolski. Orsis Poloni. Volume III. fol. 147
The Pietniczańska line of Grocholski from Grabow uses heraldic law and returns to Syrokomla
with a white small cross, which the Family Elder hereby states ad memoriam rei –
Zdzisław Grocholski,
January 1959 in London

[1] crest : le cimier, crest, cymer?
[2] † : extinct families
[3] From Syrokomla is the same as Grocholm: Acta Vaticana, published by Ak. Um. in Krakow “Acta Cameralia” II fol 191. No. 296 under the year 1346; with the words “Ecclesia de Syrokomla”