Croatian surnames are one of those topics that rewards curiosity in a big way.
Croatia sits at one of the great crossroads of European history. Slavic tribes settled the land in the seventh century. Venice controlled the Dalmatian coast for centuries. The Ottoman Empire pressed from the east. The Habsburg Empire dominated from the north. And before all of that, Rome was everywhere. Each of those layers left something behind in Croatian culture, Croatian language, and Croatian names.
What makes Croatian surnames particularly interesting is their suffixes. The ending -ić is the most characteristic feature of Croatian naming and it means son of or little. So Petrić means son of Petar or little Petar. It is the Croatian equivalent of the Slavic diminutive and it is so widespread that approximately eighty percent of Croatian surnames end in it. Beyond the -ić names, you find surnames from occupations, from physical traits, from the landscape, from religious tradition, and from the various languages that left their mark on Croatian soil.
Here are 145 of the most common Croatian surnames with their full meanings.
The Most Common Croatian Surnames
These are the names you will encounter most often across Croatia and among the Croatian diaspora. Every one of them has been carried by thousands of families across centuries.
- Horvat
- Origin: Croatian, from Hrvat
- Meaning: Croatian, a Croat
The most common surname in Croatia. Horvat simply means a Croatian person or someone from Croatia. Used so widely because it was given to Croats living outside their homeland who needed to identify their origin.
- Kovačević
- Origin: Croatian, from kovač
- Meaning: Son of the blacksmith
Kovač means blacksmith and the -ević suffix means son of. Every village had a blacksmith and their descendants spread this name across Croatia.
- Babić
- Origin: Croatian, from baba
- Meaning: Son of the old woman or grandmother’s child
Baba means old woman or grandmother in South Slavic languages. Originally given to a child raised by a grandmother or from a matriarchal household.
- Marić
- Origin: Croatian, from Mara or Marko
- Meaning: Son of Mara or son of Marko
One of the most widespread patronymic surnames in Croatia. Mara is the Croatian short form of Maria and Marko is the Croatian form of Mark.
- Novak
- Origin: Croatian, from nov
- Meaning: Newcomer, new settler
Someone who arrived new to a village or area. Found across all South Slavic countries but particularly common in Croatia and Slovenia.
- Jurić
- Origin: Croatian, from Jure
- Meaning: Son of Jure, the Croatian form of George
Jure and Juraj are the Croatian forms of George. Saint George is one of the most popular saints in Croatia and his name generated several very common surnames.
- Petrić
- Origin: Croatian, from Petar
- Meaning: Son of Petar, the Croatian form of Peter
Peter the apostle was enormously important in Croatian Catholic tradition. Petar was one of the most popular names in Croatia for centuries.
- Blažević
- Origin: Croatian, from Blaž
- Meaning: Son of Blaž, the Croatian form of Blaise
Saint Blaise was the patron saint of throat ailments and deeply venerated across the Balkans. His feast day on February 3rd is still celebrated in Dubrovnik with great ceremony.
- Knežević
- Origin: Croatian, from knez
- Meaning: Son of the prince or nobleman
Knez was the title for a prince or nobleman in medieval Croatia. Knežević means descended from or connected to the local noble.
- Tomić
- Origin: Croatian, from Tomo or Tomislav
- Meaning: Son of Tomo or Tomislav
Tomislav was the first King of Croatia, crowned in 925 CE. His name and its short forms generated several common surnames.
- Vuković
- Origin: Croatian, from vuk
- Meaning: Son of the wolf or wolf’s descendant
Vuk means wolf in South Slavic languages. The wolf was a powerful animal in Slavic mythology and vuk was also a common given name.
- Lukić
- Origin: Croatian, from Luka
- Meaning: Son of Luka, the Croatian form of Luke
Saint Luke the Evangelist was deeply venerated in Croatia and Luka was one of the most widely used Croatian first names.
- Pavlović
- Origin: Croatian, from Pavle or Pavao
- Meaning: Son of Pavle, the Croatian form of Paul
Saint Paul was one of the most important figures in Catholic tradition. His name generated several widespread surnames across the Balkans.
- Matić
- Origin: Croatian, from Mato or Matija
- Meaning: Son of Mato, the Croatian form of Matthew
Matthew the Evangelist was deeply important in the Croatian Catholic tradition.
- Šimić
- Origin: Croatian, from Šime or Šimun
- Meaning: Son of Šimun, the Croatian form of Simon
Simon Peter and Simon the Zealot both contributed to the spread of this name across the Croatian Catholic world.
Croatian Surnames From Nature And The Landscape
Croatia has a dramatic and varied landscape. The Dalmatian coast, the Dinaric Alps, the Pannonian plain, the Adriatic islands. Every feature of that landscape left its mark on Croatian family names.
- Gorski
- Origin: Croatian, from gora
- Meaning: Of the mountain or forest
Gora means both mountain and forest in South Slavic languages. A family from the highlands or wooded hills.
- Poljak
- Origin: Croatian, from polje
- Meaning: Field dweller, someone from the fields
Polje means field or plain. The great agricultural plains of Slavonia in eastern Croatia produced many families with this name.
- Planić
- Origin: Croatian, from planina
- Meaning: Son of the mountain man
Planina means mountain. A family from the mountain regions of Croatia.
- Vodnik
- Origin: Croatian, from voda
- Meaning: Water man, one who lives near water
Voda means water. Someone who lived near a river, lake, or spring.
- Brežnjak
- Origin: Croatian, from brežuljak
- Meaning: From the hillock or small hill
A family from a small hill or rise in the landscape.
- Lučić
- Origin: Croatian, from luka
- Meaning: Son of the meadow man or harbor man
Luka means both meadow and harbor in Croatian. A geographical name with two possible landscape origins.
- Šumski
- Origin: Croatian, from šuma
- Meaning: Of the forest
Šuma means forest. A family from or living near a forest.
- Dolić
- Origin: Croatian, from dol
- Meaning: Son of the valley man
Dol means valley. A family from a valley location.
- Brđanin
- Origin: Croatian, from brdo
- Meaning: From the hill or highland
Brdo means hill. Someone from the hilly interior of Croatia.
- Morić
- Origin: Croatian, from more
- Meaning: Son of the sea man
More means sea. A coastal family from the Dalmatian coast or the Adriatic islands.
- Ribić
- Origin: Croatian, from riba
- Meaning: Son of the fisherman
Riba means fish. A family connected to fishing on the Adriatic or the great Croatian rivers.
- Lovrinčević
- Origin: Croatian, from Lovro
- Meaning: Son of Lovro, from Saint Lawrence
Saint Lawrence was a beloved martyr saint in Croatian Catholic tradition.
- Hrast
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Oak tree
Named for the oak, one of the most important trees of the Croatian forests.
- Borovac
- Origin: Croatian, from bor
- Meaning: Of the pine forest
Bor means pine tree. A family from pine-covered terrain.
- Kameni
- Origin: Croatian, from kamen
- Meaning: Stony, of the stone
Kamen means stone. A family from rocky terrain, common in the Dalmatian karst landscape.
Croatian Surnames From Occupations
Occupational surnames tell you exactly what the founding ancestor of a family did for a living. In Croatia these names come from both the native Croatian tradition and from the influence of Italian, German, and Turkish trade.
- Kovač
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Blacksmith
The standalone form without the -ić suffix. Kovač as a direct occupational name is found across all South Slavic countries.
- Kolar
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Wheelwright, cartwright
Someone who made wheels and carts. Essential trade in an agricultural society.
- Lončar
- Origin: Croatian, from lonac
- Meaning: Potter
Lonac means pot. Someone who made clay pots and vessels.
- Krznar
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Furrier
Someone who made and sold fur garments.
- Mesar
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Butcher
Someone who slaughtered and sold meat.
- Mlinar
- Origin: Croatian, from mlin
- Meaning: Miller
Mlin means mill. Someone who operated a grain mill.
- Pekar
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Baker
Someone who baked bread for the community.
- Postolar
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Shoemaker, cobbler
Someone who made or repaired shoes.
- Tkalec
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Weaver
Someone who wove cloth. Weaving was one of the most important crafts in medieval Croatia.
- Zidar
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Mason, bricklayer
Someone who worked with stone and mortar. In a country of stone architecture, masons were essential.
- Drvar
- Origin: Croatian, from drvo
- Meaning: Woodcutter, timber worker
Drvo means wood or tree. Someone who cut and sold timber.
- Ribič
- Origin: Croatian, from riba
- Meaning: Fisherman
Professional fisherman on the Adriatic coast or the inland rivers.
- Ratarić
- Origin: Croatian, from ratar
- Meaning: Son of the farmer
Ratar means farmer or ploughman. One of the most fundamental occupational names.
- Sudac
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Judge
Someone who served as a local judge or magistrate. Name of authority and legal power.
- Vojnik
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Soldier
Someone who served as a soldier. Croatia’s military history and the Military Frontier made soldier surnames particularly common.
- Župan
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: District governor, župan
The župan was the governor of a župa, the medieval Croatian administrative district. Name of considerable authority.
- Kapetan
- Origin: Croatian, from Italian capitano
- Meaning: Captain
A military or naval captain. Reflects both Croatian military tradition and Venetian influence along the coast.
- Kmet
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Serf, peasant farmer
Originally used for a feudal serf. Over time became a general surname without the pejorative meaning.
- Gost
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Guest, innkeeper
Someone who hosted travelers or ran an inn. The Croatian tradition of gostinstvo, hospitality to guests, is embedded in this name.
- Trgovac
- Origin: Croatian, from trgovina
- Meaning: Merchant, trader
Trgovina means trade or commerce. Someone who bought and sold goods.
Croatian Surnames From Physical Traits
Croatian nickname surnames based on physical appearance are often refreshingly direct. These names tell you exactly what the founding ancestor of the family looked like.
- Crni
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Black, dark
Given to someone with very dark hair or a dark complexion.
- Bijeli
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: White, fair
Someone with fair hair or a pale complexion.
- Veliki
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Big, great, tall
Someone of unusually large size.
- Mali
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Small, little
The shortest person in the village or family.
- Debeli
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Fat, stout
A physical nickname that became a permanent family name.
- Mrsni
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Lean, thin
Someone noticeably thin or lean.
- Ćelavi
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Bald
Nickname for a bald man that stuck as a family name.
- Dugi
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Long or tall
Someone unusually tall or long-limbed.
- Kratki
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Short
Someone of short stature.
- Crveni
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Red
Red-haired or ruddy-complexioned ancestor.
- Bradi
- Origin: Croatian, from brada
- Meaning: Bearded one
A bearded man whose nickname became a family name.
- Šepavac
- Origin: Croatian, from šepati
- Meaning: Limping one
Someone who walked with a limp. A physical nickname that became hereditary.
- Mršavić
- Origin: Croatian, from mršav
- Meaning: Son of the thin man
A patronymic built on a physical nickname.
- Slijepčević
- Origin: Croatian, from slijep
- Meaning: Son of the blind man
A surname built from the word for blind. Indicates an ancestor with impaired vision.
- Grbavac
- Origin: Croatian, from grba
- Meaning: Hunchback
Someone with a curved spine. Physical nicknames in the Slavic tradition were often brutally direct.
- Plavi
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Blue or blonde
In Croatian plav means both blue and blonde. Given to a very fair or blue-eyed person.
- Žuti
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Yellow
Given to someone with a yellowish complexion or very fair hair.
- Stari
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Old
Given to an elder or someone who looked older than their years.
- Mladi
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Young
Used to distinguish a younger family member from an older one with the same first name.
- Jaki
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Strong
Given to someone of exceptional physical strength.
Croatian Surnames From Religion And Personal Names
Croatia’s Catholic faith runs deep and many Croatian surnames reflect either direct devotion to saints or descent from men who bore the names of those saints.
- Ivić
- Origin: Croatian, from Ivan
- Meaning: Son of Ivan, the Croatian form of John
Ivan was one of the most popular names in Croatia. Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist both contributed to its spread.
- Andrijić
- Origin: Croatian, from Andrija
- Meaning: Son of Andrija, the Croatian form of Andrew
Saint Andrew was the patron saint of the Diocese of Split-Makarska. Andrija was widely used across Dalmatia.
- Filipović
- Origin: Croatian, from Filip
- Meaning: Son of Filip, the Croatian form of Philip
Saint Philip the Apostle was venerated across Croatia. A very widespread patronymic surname.
- Mihajlović
- Origin: Croatian, from Mihajlo or Mihael
- Meaning: Son of Michael
Saint Michael the Archangel was one of the most venerated heavenly figures in Croatian Catholic tradition.
- Nikolić
- Origin: Croatian, from Nikola
- Meaning: Son of Nikola, the Croatian form of Nicholas
Saint Nicholas was one of the most beloved saints in Croatia and his name generated several very common surnames.
- Stjepanić
- Origin: Croatian, from Stjepan
- Meaning: Son of Stjepan, the Croatian form of Stephen
Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr. Stjepan was one of the most royal and popular names in medieval Croatia.
- Josipović
- Origin: Croatian, from Josip
- Meaning: Son of Josip, the Croatian form of Joseph
Saint Joseph was deeply venerated in Croatian Catholic tradition.
- Franić
- Origin: Croatian, from Frane or Franjo
- Meaning: Son of Franjo, the Croatian form of Francis
Saint Francis of Assisi was enormously popular in Croatia. Franjo was the given name of the first president of independent Croatia, Franjo Tuđman.
- Dominić
- Origin: Croatian, from Dominik
- Meaning: Son of Dominik, from Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic founded the Dominican order. His name spread widely through the Catholic world.
- Antunović
- Origin: Croatian, from Antun
- Meaning: Son of Antun, the Croatian form of Anthony
Saint Anthony of Padua was one of the most beloved saints in Croatian Catholicism.
- Martinić
- Origin: Croatian, from Martin
- Meaning: Son of Martin, from Saint Martin of Tours
Saint Martin was the patron saint of many Croatian towns and villages.
- Bartulić
- Origin: Croatian, from Bartul
- Meaning: Son of Bartul, the Croatian form of Bartholomew
Saint Bartholomew the Apostle had many churches dedicated to him across Dalmatia.
- Grgurinić
- Origin: Croatian, from Grgur
- Meaning: Son of Grgur, the Croatian form of Gregory
Pope Gregory I and Pope Gregory VII both had significant influence on Croatian church history.
- Katičić
- Origin: Croatian, from Katica
- Meaning: Son of Katica, from Saint Catherine
Saint Catherine of Alexandria was one of the most venerated female saints in Croatia. A surname derived from a woman’s name is unusual in Croatian tradition.
- Madunić
- Origin: Croatian, from Madonna
- Meaning: Son of the devotee of the Madonna
A surname expressing deep Marian devotion.
Croatian Surnames From The Historical Regions
Croatia’s historical division into Dalmatia, Slavonia, the Military Frontier, and the coastal towns produced regional surnames that tell you exactly where a family came from.
- Dalmatinac
- Origin: Croatian, from Dalmacija
- Meaning: From Dalmatia
Someone who came from the Dalmatian coast and settled elsewhere. The Dalmatian coast is Croatia’s most famous region.
- Slavonac
- Origin: Croatian, from Slavonija
- Meaning: From Slavonia
Someone from Slavonia, the flat agricultural region of eastern Croatia.
- Istraninić
- Origin: Croatian, from Istra
- Meaning: Son of the Istrian man
Someone whose family came from the Istrian peninsula, long contested between Croatia, Venice, and Austria.
- Zagorac
- Origin: Croatian, from Zagorje
- Meaning: From Zagorje, the land beyond the mountains
Zagorje is the hilly region north of Zagreb. A surname of the Croatian highlands.
- Ličanin
- Origin: Croatian, from Lika
- Meaning: From Lika
Lika is the mountainous karst region of inland Croatia. Known for its rugged landscape and equally rugged people.
- Posavac
- Origin: Croatian, from Posavina
- Meaning: From the Sava river valley
Posavina is the region along the Sava river in central Croatia. Named for one of Croatia’s great rivers.
- Primorec
- Origin: Croatian, from Primorje
- Meaning: From the coastal land
Primorje means coastal land. Someone from the Croatian littoral region.
- Zadaranin
- Origin: Croatian, from Zadar
- Meaning: From Zadar
Zadar is one of the oldest cities on the Adriatic coast. Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, and Croatian layers all in one city.
- Splićanin
- Origin: Croatian, from Split
- Meaning: From Split
Split is Croatia’s second largest city and the heart of Dalmatia. Built inside and around the palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian.
- Dubrovčanin
- Origin: Croatian, from Dubrovnik
- Meaning: From Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik was the independent Republic of Ragusa for centuries. Its citizens carried this name with real civic pride.
- Zagrepčanin
- Origin: Croatian, from Zagreb
- Meaning: From Zagreb
Zagreb is Croatia’s capital. A surname of urban origin in a predominantly rural naming tradition.
- Varaždinec
- Origin: Croatian, from Varaždin
- Meaning: From Varaždin
Varaždin was the capital of Croatia before Zagreb. A Baroque city in northern Croatia.
- Osječanin
- Origin: Croatian, from Osijek
- Meaning: From Osijek
Osijek is the largest city of Slavonia. Major center of eastern Croatian culture.
- Riječanin
- Origin: Croatian, from Rijeka
- Meaning: From Rijeka
Rijeka means river. Croatia’s main port city on the northern Adriatic.
- Šibenčanin
- Origin: Croatian, from Šibenik
- Meaning: From Šibenik
Šibenik is a medieval Dalmatian town famous for its UNESCO-listed Cathedral of Saint James.
Croatian Surnames From Animal Names
Animal surnames in Croatia often reflect the totemic naming traditions of the early Slavic period, when animals carried spiritual significance in folk belief.
- Vuković
- Origin: Croatian, from vuk
- Meaning: Son of the wolf
Already the twelfth most common surname in Croatia. The wolf was the most powerful animal in Slavic folk belief.
- Medvedović
- Origin: Croatian, from medvjed
- Meaning: Son of the bear man
Medvjed means bear. Bears were deeply significant in Slavic mythology.
- Jelić
- Origin: Croatian, from jelen
- Meaning: Son of the deer man
Jelen means deer or stag. The stag was a symbol of nobility and speed.
- Sokol
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Falcon
The falcon was one of the most prestigious animals in medieval Croatian noble culture. Falconry was a noble sport.
- Orao
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Eagle
The eagle is the symbol of strength and freedom across Central European heraldry.
- Gavran
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Raven
Ravens in Slavic tradition were birds of prophecy and wisdom.
- Golub
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Dove, pigeon
The dove is a symbol of peace and the Holy Spirit. A gentle animal name.
- Zec
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Rabbit, hare
Quick and nimble. Animal nickname that became a family name.
- Lisica
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Fox
Cunning and clever. Fox nicknames were given for sharpness of mind.
- Kuna
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Marten
The pine marten appears on the Croatian coat of arms and gave its name to the Croatian currency, the kuna, before the euro was adopted.
- Bik
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Bull
Power and agricultural strength combined in one animal name.
- Pijetao
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Rooster
Farmyard animal name that became a family name.
- Pas
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Dog
Dog names were sometimes given as protection against evil spirits in Slavic folk belief.
- Mačka
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Cat
Cat names carried associations with independence and cleverness.
- Konj
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Horse
The horse was the most valuable working animal in Croatia and horse names carried prestige.
Rare And Historically Significant Croatian Surnames
These surnames appear less frequently but carry extraordinary stories. Every one of them opens a window into a specific chapter of Croatian history.
- Frankopan
- Origin: Croatian, from Latin Frangipani
- Meaning: Break bread
The Frankopan family were one of the two greatest noble dynasties in medieval Croatia alongside the Šubić. Their name meant break bread in Latin and their influence shaped Croatian history for five centuries.
- Šubić
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Son of Šuba, meaning fur coat
The Šubić family were princes of Bribir and one of the most powerful dynasties in medieval Croatian history. Pavao Šubić was the ban of Croatia who effectively controlled the country in the early fourteenth century.
- Zrinski
- Origin: Croatian, from Zrin
- Meaning: From the fortress of Zrin
Nikola Šubić Zrinski died defending Szigetvár against Suleiman the Magnificent in 1566. One of Croatia’s greatest national heroes. His family name came from their ancestral fortress.
- Jelačić
- Origin: Croatian, from Jelač
- Meaning: Son of Jelač, possibly from jelen meaning deer
Josip Jelačić was the Ban of Croatia who led Croatian forces against the Hungarian revolution of 1848. His equestrian statue stands in the center of Zagreb’s main square.
- Držić
- Origin: Croatian, from Držo
- Meaning: Son of Držo, from a Slavic root meaning to hold
Marin Držić was the greatest Croatian Renaissance playwright. His comedies written in Dubrovnik in the sixteenth century are still performed in Croatian theaters.
- Gundulić
- Origin: Croatian, possibly from Gundo
- Meaning: Son of Gundo, uncertain etymology
Ivan Gundulić was the greatest Croatian Baroque poet. His epic poem Osman is considered the masterpiece of Croatian literature.
- Marulić
- Origin: Croatian, possibly from Marul
- Meaning: Uncertain etymology
Marko Marulić was the father of Croatian literature. He wrote Judita in 1521, the first major literary work in the Croatian language.
- Krleža
- Origin: Croatian, uncertain
- Meaning: Uncertain etymology
Miroslav Krleža was the greatest Croatian writer of the twentieth century. His novels and plays defined Croatian modernism.
- Meštrović
- Origin: Croatian, from meštar
- Meaning: Son of the master craftsman
Ivan Meštrović was one of the greatest sculptors of the twentieth century. His works stand across Croatia, Europe, and America.
- Ruđer
- Origin: Croatian, from Ruđer Bošković
- Meaning: The Slavic form of Roger
Ruđer Bošković was an eighteenth century physicist, astronomer, and mathematician who anticipated several modern scientific concepts. His portrait appears on the Croatian fifty kuna banknote.
- Tesla
- Origin: Croatian-Serbian, from tesla
- Meaning: Adze, a woodcutting tool
Nikola Tesla was born in Smiljan in what is now Croatia in 1856. He invented alternating current and wireless transmission. His name came from the tool his family used.
- Pavelić
- Origin: Croatian, from Pavle
- Meaning: Son of Pavle, the Croatian form of Paul
Ante Pavelić was the leader of the Ustaše regime during World War Two. One of the most controversial figures in Croatian history.
- Tuđman
- Origin: Croatian, from tuđ
- Meaning: Foreign, other
Franjo Tuđman was the first president of independent Croatia. His surname means foreign or belonging to another, an ironic name for the founder of the Croatian state.
- Mesić
- Origin: Croatian, from mesec
- Meaning: Moon or month
Stjepan Mesić was the second president of Croatia and the last president of Yugoslavia. His name comes from the word for moon or month.
- Račan
- Origin: Croatian, from račun
- Meaning: Account, calculation
Ivica Račan was the prime minister of Croatia who led the country’s transition to democracy.
More Common Croatian Surnames Worth Knowing
These surnames appear across Croatia with real frequency and carry interesting origins.
- Bogdanović
- Origin: Croatian, from Bogdan
- Meaning: Son of Bogdan, meaning God’s gift
Bogdan combines the Slavic words for God and gift. One of the most purely Slavic names in Croatian tradition.
- Radić
- Origin: Croatian, from Rade or Radovan
- Meaning: Son of Rade, meaning joyful
Stjepan Radić was the great Croatian peasant leader of the early twentieth century. He was assassinated in the Yugoslav parliament in 1928.
- Stanić
- Origin: Croatian, from Stane or Stanislav
- Meaning: Son of Stanislav, meaning he who achieves glory
Stanislav was one of the great Slavic names combining the words for stand and glory.
- Miletić
- Origin: Croatian, from Mile
- Meaning: Son of Mile, meaning dear or beloved
Mile is a Slavic name of affection. The founding ancestor was someone considered dear or beloved.
- Šarić
- Origin: Croatian, from šar
- Meaning: Son of the colorful or spotted one
Šar refers to something colorful, spotted, or piebald. Originally a nickname for someone with unusual coloring.
- Barić
- Origin: Croatian, from Baro or Bartol
- Meaning: Son of Baro or son of Bartol
Could derive from either the Slavic Baro or the Croatian form of Bartholomew.
- Gašparić
- Origin: Croatian, from Gašpar
- Meaning: Son of Gašpar, the Croatian form of Caspar
Caspar was one of the three wise men. His name was popular in Croatian Catholic tradition.
- Jakšić
- Origin: Croatian, from Jakša or Jakov
- Meaning: Son of Jakša, from Jakob or James
Jakša is a Croatian diminutive of Jakov, the Croatian form of James.
- Krišto
- Origin: Croatian, from Kristo or Kristofor
- Meaning: Son of Kristo, from Christopher
Saint Christopher was one of the most venerated saints in Croatia before his removal from the universal calendar.
- Mandić
- Origin: Croatian, from Manda or Mandal
- Meaning: Son of Manda, from Magdalena
Manda is the Croatian diminutive of Magdalena, Mary Magdalene.
- Oreč
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Walnut, walnut tree
Named for the walnut tree. Tree names as surnames are found across the Croatian landscape.
- Pupovac
- Origin: Croatian, from pupoljak
- Meaning: Bud, sprout
Named for a plant bud or sprout. A nature name of growth and new beginning.
- Skok
- Origin: Croatian
- Meaning: Jump, leap
Originally a nickname for someone agile or quick. Physical quality turned into a family name.
- Vranić
- Origin: Croatian, from vrana
- Meaning: Son of the crow man
Vrana means crow. Crow names in Slavic tradition could indicate cunning, prophecy, or dark hair.
- Župančić
- Origin: Croatian, from župan
- Meaning: Son of the district governor
The župan was the medieval Croatian regional administrator. A surname of noble administrative ancestry.
Wrapping Up
One hundred and forty-five surnames from a nation that sat at the crossroads of Rome, Venice, the Ottomans, and the Habsburgs and somehow managed to stay distinctively itself through all of it.
Every -ić on this list is a small act of cultural survival. Save this to your Pinterest board and come back to it whenever you need it!