CROATIAN HERALDRY

By Adam S. Eterovich

MIRKOVIC---MIRKOVICH

Mirkovich is found in Croatia proper and also in Dalmatia. There are many living in Slavonia.

Coats of arms were granted in 1581 to John, Frank and Nikola Mirkovich. The original grant is located on the island of Pag. The arms were probably given for valor in battle against the Turks during their conquest of the Balkans or, on the other hand, the three brothers could have been Croatian Casanovas or ladies' men of the highest order.

Mirkovich means the son of Mirko and could also be the "peaceful one", or mir. The colors of the arms are gold for the stars, silver for the girl and blue in the background.

Croatia granted thousand of arms to its sons over the centuries. Many are quite fascinating in color and design. These men were not hereditary nobility but heroes in every sense of the word in that their arms were usually granted in battle in defense of Croatia.

Two early American pioneers, Ivan and Jakov Mirkovich, were members of the Croatian Sokol organization in early America. As a young man of 22, John Mirkovich was silvermining at Candelaria, Nevada in 1880.

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.