Potocki family
The Potocki family (, Potoccy, Potocki, Potočki; feminine Potocka, Patoka) was a prominent Polish noble family in the Kingdom of Poland and magnates of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Potocki family is one of the wealthiest and most powerful aristocratic families in Poland. History. The Potocki family originated from the small village of Potok Wielki; their family name derives from that place name. The family contributed to the cultural development and history of Poland's Eastern Borderlands (today Western Ukraine). The family is renowned for numerous Polish statesmen, military leaders, and cultural activists. The first known Potocki was Żyrosław  z Potoka (born about 1136). The children of his son Aleksander (~1167) castelan of Sandomierz, were progenitors of new noble families such as the Moskorzewskis, Stanisławskis, Tworowskis, Borowskis, and Stosłowskis. Jakub Potocki (c. 1481-1551) was the progenitor of the magnate line of the Potocki family. The magnate line split into three primary lineages, called: The "Złota Pilawa" line received the title of count from the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1606. The entire family began using the Count title after the partitions of Poland. The title was recognized 1777 and 1784 in the Kingdom of Galicia and  Lodomeria and 1838, 1843, 1859, 1890 1903 in Russia and 1889 by the Pope and in the Kingdom of Poland (Congress Poland). In 1631 Stefan Potocki, who started the "Złota Pilawa" lineage, died and was buried in Zolotyi Potik (pl. "Złoty Potok", "Golden Potok", a village owned by this lineage), his descendants started to use the Pilawa coat of arms in golden colour. Because of that the lineage is called the "Złota Pilawa" (Golden Piława). There are also four branches called: Named after the hubs of their respective constellations of properties. The family became prominent in the 16th and 17th  centuries as a result of the patronage of Chancellor Jan Zamoyski and King Sigismund III Vasa. Coat of arms and motto. The Potocki family used the Piława coat of arms, and their motto was "Scutum opponebat scuto" (Latin for "Shield opposing shield"; literally "He opposed shield to shield").