Croatian Heraldry

Adam S. Eterovich

KNEZEVIC-KNEZEVICH-KNEZOVICH

Arms were granted to Michael and his son Martin, Captains of Virje, by King Leopold I on Sept. 18, 1659. The arms were publicized by the Varazdin Committee in Croatia. Other arms were granted in Gospic.

Peter Knezevich, a member of the Croatian Fraternal Union, was a goldminer in Amador, California and Luka Knezevich is buried in the Amador and mined gold at the turn of the century. Marco Knezevich was massacred with a party of miners on June 6, 1860 by Indians at Pyramid Lake, Nevada. The Turks didn't get him in the Balkans, but the Indians did in Nevada.

Knez means prince. Knezovic, Knezevic, Knezic all mean son of a prince. There are probably over 5000 with this name. The prince was busy. Babina Greda, Boraja-Sibenik and Vinjevac-Zadar have the largest numbers of this great clan.

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