WE ARE THE ARBANASI           

  FAMILIES THAT  MIGRATED FROM

LAKE SKODRA ALBANIA TO ZADAR CROATIA

First Migration 

In 1726, 21 Albanian families left their homeland and settled a kilometre south of Zadar. The Republic of Venice, which during that time governed Dalmatia, took in the immigrants under its protection; building them houses for homes and stables for livestock, giving them the deeds to the land and, in the case of Zemunik, ploughing and nourishing the pasture land for them as well as clearing it of any trees.
A register of records from August 15, 1726 carries the names of 21 families with the following names:

Luca d'Andrea Gezghenovich
Nicolo di Luca Marghicevich
Nicolo d'Andrea Gasparovich
Giovanni d'Andrea Gezghenovich
Pere di Marco
Prem Vuca Marghicevich
Paolo Giech Marghicevich
Giech Prend Marghicevich
Giech Pepa Marghicevich
Marco Discialo Marghicevich
Prenz Prema Marghicevich
Petar Vuca Gianova
Nico Matessich
Luca Prend
Boso Nico Smira
Stanica Gielencovich
Visco Gielencovich
Lech Pero Marghicevich
Luca Lucich

 

 

SECOND MIGRATION

In 1733, seven years after the first migrations, the second group of Arbanasi left their birthplaces and crossed the Bay of Kotor, some alongside and others by sea, to arrive in Hercegovina, where they temporarily settled until they were shipped to Zadar and settled upon the land known as Zemunik, which was donated by the Venetian government. Records from March 11, 1735 reveal that there were about 28 families, and 199 people in total. The names are listed below:

 

Nicolo Andre
Crasto Covac
Marco Giocca
Giocca Gionon
Giocca Giuchin
Stjepo Gjuri
Stiepo Luco
Prento Kneunichi
Lecca Marco
Prento Marcov
Paolo Marussich
Mar Mazia
Marco Nicadobrez
Pema Nichin
Nicolo Pantov
Marco Pertu
Frane Popovich
Paolo Prendi
Nicola Rose
Rado Ruco
Gen Sperc
Prento Stani
Vuco Tamartinovich
Vuksa Tancovich
Pietro Tioba
Andrea Toma
Capitano Nicolo Vlagdan
Jovan Vucin

These lists are a repeat of those found at http://www.curkovic.f2s.com/Arbanasi.html

which was provided by Ivan Curkovic from his webpage"OFFICIAL CURKOVIC FAMILY HISTORY"

 

http://www.curkovic.f2s.com/

LIST OF MODERN ARBANASI FAMILY NAMES

Bulic,   Cucula,   Curkovic,   Dadic,   Despalj,   Duka,   Gjergja,   Jelenkovic,   Jovic,   Kalmeta,   Karuc,  Kotlar,   Krstic,   Marsan,   Marusic,   Matesic,   Mazija,   Morovic,  Musap,   Muzanovic,  Nikpalj,  Perovic,   Petani,   Ratkovic,   Relja-Vladovic,   Smolcic,   Stipcevic,   Tomas,   Vladovic,   Vukic