The Poel Family Crest shows a silver chevron on blue background, which creates three fields, each of which contains a golden star. The design is topped with a five-pronged crown.

The crest was a christening gift from the late Czar Das Wappen ist das Patengeschenk des späteren Zaren Peter III who, even as Czarevitch, often interacted with the family of Jakobus Poel and his wife Magdalena, née van Brienen. He was Godfather to Pieter Poel, born on 17.06.1760 in Archangel, his mother's hometown. Jacobus Poel was later asked by the Czar to give up his business affairs, as the Czar wanted to utilize his good connections to the Western states. He was thus named Director of Legations. After Peter III was murdered he (Poel) left Russia and retired to his Zierow Estate in Mecklenburg, where he died in 1775.

Czar Peter III was the son of the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and Peter the Great's daughter Anna Petrowna. He was born in Kiel and was brought to Russia by his aunt, the Russian Empress Elisabeth, to be her successor to the Russian throne. In 1745 he married the future Empress Katharina, Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst, who went down in history as Katharina the Great

Peter took the Czar's throne in January 1762, after the death of Empress Elisabeth. Only half a year later he was overthrown and murdered by his wife, the future Empress Katharina II. As a natural born German he was inclined toward the West and a great admirer of Frederick the Great with whom he made peace after the death of his predecessor. He was not accepted by the intrigue-riddled men at his predecessor's and his wife's Court, and was eliminated. It is said that he was mentally impaired, however, t he reforms executed during his brief reign show a different picture, also supported by the fact, that Sweden offered him the Royal Crown, which he declined. His negative characterization is most likely an attempt to justify his political opponents and his murder

Compiled by Gustav Poel in May 1999