Memories: Kamenjarin


In Croatia, Kamenjarin families are Croats (from Kastel Kambelovac). In the past century, relatively most of Croatian residents bearing this family name were born in Split and Zagreb.

The "first" Kamenjarin, born as Petar Gančević, was a so called "Harambaša" (senior commander of hajduk freedom fighters) who freed the fortress Kamen (near Split) in 1647. He fought against the ottomans who were trying to enter Split and Kaštela Bay(*1). The fortresses Kamen (Sasso di Spalato, Split)) and Klis (Clissa) were bastions against the ottoman empire....Klis was already taken by the ottomans in 1537, but was taken back by the venetian empire in 1648. In 1666 Petar Gančević was honored for his bravery.====

[Vjeko Omasic, Kaštela, page: 273/274]

In the years after that, the family of Petar Gančević was first called Gančević-Kamenjarin, and finally just Kamenjarin

The Name Kamenjarin was also mentioned in Form of Kaminjar and Kamenjar in 1807 and 1831. [Frane Bego, Book: "Kastel Kambelovac 1491-1991" page: 580]

Tags Kamenjarin