CROATIAN HERALDRY

By Adam S. Eterovich

BADOVINAC

Badovinac, pronounced Badovinatz, could derive from badati meaning to stab or pierce as they were a warrior clan. Most of the Badovinac's came from Badovinci-Karlovac, Grmki-Karlovac, Kamenc-Karlovac, Siljki-Karlovac and Zagreb in Croatia. The entire clan came from the Karlovac district of Croatia.

The color of arms are gold for the dots, silver for the white and black for the black.

Vranesa Badovinac, captain of the Uskok Pirates, was granted nobility from Emperor Maximilian II on November 23, 1567 in Vienna. The Uskoks were the most feared soldiers and pirates of the Adriatic and were employed by Austria to plunder Venetian ships. The Badovinac clan also fought on the military frontier of Croatia for generations against the Turks.

John Badovinac, past president of the Croatian Fraternal Union, and my friend, was of this noble clan—he also was a captain or Vojvoda—American style. He was a leader, historian and most of all a scholar of Croatian history in America. May this Zumbercan be remembered.

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.