CROATIAN HERALDRY

Adam S. Eterovich

ARNERICH----ARNERIC

Arnerich was originally Dobroslavich with some called Piruzovich-Perusich and Arneri. Arnerich is found in great numbers on the Island of Brac and with a few on the Island of Korcula and in the City of Split, Dalmatia, Croatia.

Arnero Perusich fought with distinction as a galleon captain in the Venetian service and fell at the battle of Crete. His memory was honored by the Venetian Republic with a liberal pension to his family and, in his honor, the family name was changed from Perusich to Arneri-Arnerich. This name was given in honor of Saint Arnir from Solin.The name was registered as nobility in 1553 on the Island of Korcula. In 1583 Dimitar Arnerich from the Island of Brac was awarded 200 gold ducats by the Venetian Republic for the defense of the fortress of Klis against the Turks. Jakob Arnerich graduated from the University of Padova in 1558 with a degree in law.

The colors in the Arms are gold for dots and blue for the lines. White is silver.

Arms were frequently granted for valor in battle fighting the Turks for over 300 years. Most of the Balkans fell to the Ottoman Turk, but Croatia was free and Christian and had a continuity of heraldry and coat of arms.

The American Arnerich's carried on the tradition of law in the Santa Clara Valley of California and in the Los Angeles area. One served in the State Legislature and another became a Judge. Mateo Arnerich came to Santa Clara in 1849 and married an Irish girl and had a large family. He was an orchardist and vineyardist one of the first in the valley. Other Arnerich's were mining gold in the Amador during the great gold rush. Many are buried at the Sutter Creek Catholic Cemetery in Amador County.

Courtesy of the Croatian Genealogical and Heraldic Society, 2527 San Carlos Ave., San Carlos, California, 94070. Phone: 650-592-1190; E-Mail croatians@aol.com; Web www.croatians.com. Adam S. Eterovich.