House of Poniatowski

House of Poniatowski (plural: Poniatowscy) is an aristocratic (szlachta) family in Poland. Because Polish adjectives have different forms for the genders, Poniatowska is the same name for a female family member.

History
The Poniatowski family became most prominent in the late 18th century and 19th century. In three generations the Poniatowski family rose from the rank of gentry to that of senator and then to royalty.

The first information about the family dates back to the end of the 15th century, when they appeared in Poniatowa, 40 km west from Lublin in about 1446. Their family name derives from that place name. Poniatowa was the residence of several branches of the Poniatowski family: Tłuk, Jarasz and Ciołek.

According to the family's history, the family had ties with the Italian nobility: Giuseppe Salinguerra, a member of the Italian family of Torelli, settled in Poland about the middle of the 17th century, and there assumed the name of Poniatowski from the estate of Poniatow, belonging to his wife, who was the daughter of Albert Poniatowski and Anna Leszczyńska. Modern historians however consider this story dubious, particularly as around the 18th century it was fashionable for Polish nobility to have relatives in Italy. On September 7, 1764, at Wola, the most famous member of the family, Stanisław Poniatowski was elected as King of Poland. In the same year the Coronation Sejm awarded the Poniatowski family the title of Prince of Poland. Nowadays, there are still Poniatowscy living in Poland, France, Mexico, the United States (mostly in Hawaii), and many other countries in the world.

Members
Among most known members are:
 * Stanisław Poniatowski (1676–1762), Podstoli, Treasurer, General, Regimentarz
 * Kazimierz Poniatowski (1721–1800), General, Great Podkomorzy
 * Ludwika Maria Poniatowska (1728–1781), was married to Jan Jakub Zamoyski
 * Izabella Poniatowska (1730–1801), was married to Jan Klemens Branicki
 * Stanisław August Poniatowski (1732–1798), King of Poland
 * Andrzej Poniatowski (1735–1773), General, Marshal of Austria
 * Michał Jerzy Poniatowski (1736–1794), Primate of Poland
 * Konstancja Poniatowska (1759–1830), was married to Ludwik Tyszkiewicz
 * Józef Antoni Poniatowski (1763–1813), General, Marshal of France
 * Stanisław Poniatowski (1754–1833), Duke, Grand Treasurer
 * Jozef Michal Poniatowski (1814–1873), Tuscan plenipotentiary, French senator, composer and singer
 * Michel Poniatowski (1922–2002), French politician
 * Elena Poniatowska (b. 1932), Mexican journalist, author and professor.

Coat of Arms
The Poniatowski family used the Ciołek arms.