List of Istrians

This is a list of notable Istrians. People of Istrian descent born outside the geographical region of Istria have their place of birth credited. The nationality and ethnicity of people included in this list are not mentioned.[lower-alpha 1]

Coat of arms of Istria

Academic sciences

Historians

Miroslav Bertoša, historian, encyclopedist , editor, columnist and polemicist, one of the most important names in contemporary Croatian historiography, born in Belgrade to Istrian parents. Josip Bratulić, philologist, historian, and the 22nd President of Matica Hrvatska. Petar Stanković (1771–1852), historian, archeologist and writer.

Bertoša Bratulić

Philosophers

Franciscus Patricius (Frane Petrić), philosopher and scientist; he was a known defender of Platonism and an opponent of Aristotelianism. Anton Mahnič, Roman Catholic bishop, theologian and philosopher, founder and the main leader of the Croatian Catholic movement. Hermannus Sclavus, 12th-century philosopher, astronomer, astrologer, mathematician, translator and author.

Patricius Sclavus

Scientists

Josip Belušić, professor of physics and mathematics, inventor; invented the speedometer.[1][2] Paolo Budinich, theoretical physicist. Antonio Grossich, surgeon, introduced tincture of iodine as a way of sterilization in 1908.[3] Andrija Mohorovičić, meteorologist and geophysicist, known for the eponymous Mohorovičić discontinuity and considered one of the founders of modern seismology.[4] Fran Novljan, Croatian educator and andragogue. Herman Potočnik, rocket engineer, pioneer of astronautics; He is remembered for his work addressing the long-term human habitation of space, and for conceiving the first space station. Santorio Santorio, physiologist and physician. His studies of basal metabolism introduced quantitative experimental procedure into medical research.[5]

Belušić Grossich Mohorovičić Potočnik

Arts

• Joe Bastianich, American restaurateur, author, showman, television personality born in Queens, N.Y. to Istrian parents of Italian nationality but largely East European descent.[6][lower-alpha 2]
• Lidia Bastianich, celebrity chef, television host, author, and restaurateur.
• Karlo Bilić (Charles Billich), contemporary artist based in Sydney, Australia.
• Orlando Mohorović, modernist artist.
• Antun Motika, 20th-century modernist painter.
• Bernardo Parentino, painter of the Renaissance.
• Rick Rossovich, American actor, who was born in Palo Alto, California, U.S. to a father of distant Istrian Croatian origins (his paternal great-great grandfather was from Mošćenička Draga).[8][9][10]
• Tim Rossovich, American actor, former NFL linebacker and 1969 Pro Bowl. He was the brother of actor Rick Rossovich.
• Teresa Scanlan, American beauty pageant who was named Miss Nebraska 2010, subsequently winning Miss America 2011 at age 17 and becoming the youngest Miss America since Bette Cooper in 1937.[11] Her grandparents are from Ilovik, Cres-Lošinj archipelago.[12][13]
• Angelo and Francesco Trevisani, painters of the late-Baroque, active mainly in Venice.
• Alida Valli, actress who appeared in over a 100 movies, including a number of American films.

Literature

• Mate Balota, poet, novelist and economist.
• Viktor Car Emin (1870 – 1963), writer, publicist, and revivalist of Croatian nationalism.
• Zvane Črnja, poet, prose writer, essayist, culturologist, screenwriter, playwright and filmologist, journalist, publicist, polemicist and publisher.
• Drago Gervais, poet, writer and playwright in the Chakavian dialect of the Croatian language.
• Simon Greblo, priest , Glagolitic writer and scribe. Along with Žakan Juri, he was one of the most important connoisseurs of the Glagolitic alphabet at the end of the 15th century.
• Antun Kalac, poet, writer, playwright, translator and Croatian national revivalist.
• Eugen Kumičić, writer and politician. Kumičić was one of the most prolific Croatian novelists of the realism era and a pioneer of naturalism in Croatian literature. With Ante Starčević, he significantly contributed to the birth of Croatian nationalism.[14]
• Matko Mandić, priest and politician, one of the founder of the Party of Rights in Istria, with Matko Laginja and Vjekoslav Spinčić.
• Božo Milanović, priest, historian, writer, antifascist.
• Daniel Načinović, poet, prose writer, essayist, journalist, and translator.
• Tone Peruško, writer and pedagogue.
• Vinko Šepić, teacher, educator, publicist, children's writer and revivalist of Croatian nationalism.
• Fulvio Tomizza, writer.
• Žakan Juri, priest, Glagolitic writer and herald of the first Croatian printed book.

Music

Andrea Antico, music printer, editor, publisher and composer of the Renaissance, who is regarded as the first significant music printer. Franka Batelić, singer and songwriter, who won the first edition of Showtime and represented Croatia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. Michael Bublé, Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer. His grandparents were Istrians,[15][16] both Slavic and Italian.[lower-alpha 3] Tony Cetinski, pop singer, one of the most popular musicians in Croatia and countries of former Yugoslavia. Sergio Endrigo, singer-songwriter, who won the Sanremo Music Festival in 1968, and represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 1968. Antonio Smareglia, opera composer, and a perfect example of interethnic marriage in multiethnical Istria (he was born to an Istrian Italian father, Francesco, and an Istrian Croatian mother, Julija Štiglić).[18] Giuseppe Tartini, Baroque composer and violinist. Alen Vitasović, Croatian pop singer and songwriter, famous for writing and singing songs about Istria in the Chakavian dialect. He collaborated with prominent artists of former Yugoslavia, such as Crvena Jabuka and Thompson, with whom he collaborated on Lijepa li si.

Batelić Cetinski Smareglia Tartini

Politics

Luciano Delbianco, Mayor of Pula; he successfully negotiated the peaceful removal of Yugoslav troops in the 1990s, saving the city from destruction. Juraj Dobrila, Catholic bishop, printer and benefactor from Istria who advocated for greater national rights for Croats and also Slovenes in Istria under Austrian rule. Andrei Glavina, writer, professor and politician. Peđa Grbin, president of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia since 2020. Silvano Hrelja, leader of the Croatian Pensioners' Party since 2008. Ernest Jelušić, priest, revivalist of Croatian nationalism and politician. Radovan Juričić, Head of State Administration Office of Istria County, who successfully negotiated the peaceful removal of Yugoslav troops from Pula in the 1990s. Veli Jože, Istrian giant native of Motovun in the local folklore, and the protagonist of Vladimir Nazor's novel of the same name. Luka Kirac, priest, revivalist of Croatian nationalism and politician. Šime Kurelić, politician and Croatian national revivalist. Matko Laginja, lawyer, politician, and Ban of Croatia. Boris Miletić, long-time Mayor of Pula and president of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) since 2014. Francesco Neffat (Franjo Nefat), politician, anti-fascit, partisan, and Mayor of Pula. Joakim Rakovac, guerrilla, activist, anti-fascist; he was killed in an ambush by the Nazis in Ww2. Nazario Sauro, sailor and Italian irredentist. Vjekoslav Spinčić, author and politician, member of the Party of Rights and Croatian nationalist of the late 19th century. Igor Štoković, Mayor of Pula, who successfully negotiated the peaceful removal of Yugoslav troops from Pula in the 1990s.

Dobrila Grbin Hrelja Laginja Miletić Spinčić

Religion

Saints, Beati and Venerables in the Catholic Church

Francesco Bonifacio, beato. Egidio Bullessich, Venerable, the confirmation of his life of heroic virtue in 1997 allowed for Pope John Paul II to name him as Venerable.[19] Miroslav Bulešić, one of Croatia's beati. Oton of Pula, one of Croatia's beati. Julian of Bale, one of Croatia's beati. Jerome, priest, confessor, theologian, patron of translators and historian of Illyrian descent,[20] who is thought to have been born in Istria.[lower-alpha 4] Jerome is considered a saint and Doctor of the Church by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church, and the Anglican Communion.[24]

Saint Jerome Blessed Bulešić

Reformers

Juraj Cvečić, Protestant reformer, translator and editor. Flacius (Matija Vlačić-Franković Ilirik), Lutheran reformer, pioneer in church historical studies, and "theological controversialist who created a lasting rift within Lutheranism."[25] Matija Grbac (Garbitius), humanist, classical philologist, translator and protégé of Luther and Melanchthon, who was dean of the University of Tübingen between 1545 and 1557, and helped and promoted his conterraneus Flacius in Tübingen. Stjepan Konzul Istranin, translator and reformer who translated the New Testament into Croatian and authored and translated religious books into Čakavian dialect.[26] Sebastian Krelj, Protestant reformer, writer, pastor, linguist and preacher born in Vipava, modern day Slovenia Baldo Lupetina (Lupetino), reformer from Labin, who preached both in Chakavian dialect and Italian; he was the uncle-in-law and mentor of Flacius, and was executed for heresy in Venice. Pier Paolo Vergerio (Vergerij), protestant reformer. Matija Živčič, Protestant preacher and translator.

Flacius Konzul Istranin

Sports

Mario Andretti, former racing driver. He won the Formula One Championship in 1978. Andretti family, John, Jeff, Michael and his son Marco all competed in major racing championships and sports races. Most notably, Michael won a CART championship, and a 3rd place at the 1993 Italian F1 Grand Prix. They all descend from Istrian-Italian immigrant to the U.S. Mario Andretti. Nino Benvenuti, boxer, who won a gold at the 1960 Summer Olympics and two European Amateur Championships, and as a professional the EBU Middleweight Title and the WBA and WBC super welterweight and middleweight titles. Lorena Beučić, former handball player, who played for the Yugoslav national team. Mark Bresciano, former professional footballer and one of the most capped players for Australia, born to a Croatian Istrian mother in Melbourne.[27] Damir Burić, water polo player, who won the gold with Croatia at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the silver at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Giovanni Cernogoraz, sports shooter, who won the gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics in Men's trap. Lino Červar, former handball coach. In 2003 he guided Croatia men's national handball team to gold in the 2003 World Championship as well as to gold at the 2004 Olympics. He also won 2 silvers at the World Cup, 3 silvers and 2 bronzes at the Europeans, 1 gold and two bronzes at the Mediterranean Games. Evelina Galo, former handball player; who played for the Yugoslavia women's national handball team. Suzana Golja, former handball player, who played for Croatia national team. Elvis Grbac, former American football quarterback who played in the NFL for the 49ers and the Chiefs. Born in America to Istrian Croatian parents (from Lanišće).[28][29] Valner Franković, former handball player. He won two Croatian Premier Leagues and two Cups with RK Zagreb, with which he reached the 1995 final of the Champions League. Saša Ilić, former handball player who represented Croatia. Vinko Jelovac, Yugoslav basketball player. With Yugoslavia he won the 1970 World Cup, as well as the 1973, 1975, and 1977 EuroBasket. He won the 1971 Mediterranean Games, and a silver at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Željko Jerkov, former basketball player. He represented Yugoslavia at the 1976 and 1980 Summer Olympics, winning a silver and a gold, respectively. He won the 1978 FIBA World Championship in the Philippines, as well as 3 EuroBaskets. Igor Jurković The Istrian Warrior, heavyweight kickboxer, 6 times Croatian national champion, K-1 Champion and FFC Light Heavyweight Champion, once ranked #8 in the World.[30] Srećko Juričić, former football player who won two Yugoslav Cups with Rijeka and is considered one of the Rijeka's greatest players of all time.[31] He's currently the sporting director of HNK Rijeka. Karmen Kokot, former handball player, who played for Yugoslavia women's national handball team. Igor Marenić, professional sailor who won the gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics; the 2009 World Championships, and three European Championships (2009, 2011, 2012) Anđelo Milevoj, former football player widely regarded as HNK Rijeka's best defender of all time.[32] Diego Modrušan, former handball player for the Croatian national team. He won the gold at the 2001 Mediterranean Games with Croatia. Alvaro Načinović, former handball player born in Rijeka,[lower-alpha 5] who represented both Croatia and Yugoslavia. He won a bronze at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Representing Croatia he won the gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics, a silver at the 1995 World Cup and a bronze at the 1994 Euro Cup. Sandro Nicević, basketball player who won a silver with Croatia at the FIBA U18 European Championship. He played at the EuroBasket 1997, the EuroBasket 2003, the EuroBasket 2009, and represented Croatia at the 2008 Olympics. Abdon Pamich, race walker born in Rijeka (Fiume)[lower-alpha 6] who won the gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics competing for Italy. Igor Pamić, former football player who played for Croatia national football team. Mate Parlov, boxer, European Amateur Champion in 1971 and 1973; World Amateur Champion in 1974, and gold medalist at the 1912 Summer Olympics. As a professional, he won the EBU Light Heavyweight title in 1976, and the WBC Light Heavyweight Title in 1978. He was born in Split, but raised in Pula, where he moved in his childhood. Toni Perković, basketball player currently playing for Split and Croatia national basketball team. Adrijana Prosenjak, former handball player, who played for both Yugoslavia and Croatia national team. Mladen Prskalo, former handball player, who played for the Croatian national team. Simon Sluga, professional footballer currently playing for Luton and the Croatian national team. Roberto Sošić, former handball player, who played for the Yugoslav national team. Luka Stepančić, handball player who competed for Croatia in the 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 World Championships, as well as the 2018 and 2020 European Championships, winning the silver in 2020. He represented Croatia at the 2016 Summer Olympics, won the Croatian and French championships, and reached the final of the Champions League with PSG. Sven Ušić, Yugoslav basketball player. He represented Yugoslavia at EuroBasket 1985, playing 8 games. Antonio Vojak, professional footballer who played for Juventus F.C. and Naples. He won the 1925–26 Serie A with Juventus, and with 102 goals with Naples is the club's top goalscorer of all times. Oliviero Vojak, professional footballer, who played for Naples and Juventus F.C., with which he won the 1930–31 Serie A. He was the brother of Antonio Vojak. Vasilij Žbogar, sailor born in Koper. He won two silvers and a bronze at the Olympic Games.

Andretti Burić Červar Grbac Jelovac Juričić Jurković Milevoj Pamich Parlov Stepančić Vojak

Notes

1. except for people of Istrian descent born outside Europe
2. Regarding her identity, Joe's mother Lidia has stated: "I feel very Italian, but I do have some Slavic in me, and I relate to that as well; so that forms the mixture that is Lidia."[7]
3. Bublé has stated in his memoir: "[On the side of the family native of modern-day Croatia] some say we're Yugoslavian, others that we're Italian."[17]
4. Jerome is thought to have been born in Zdrenj, Istria.[21] He was called an Istrian notably by Giacomo Filippo Foresti and Flavio Biondo,[22] and implied to be one by Philip Melanchthon.[23]
5. Načinović is a surname originally from Labin, Istria. Today, the surname is still largely prevalent in Istria.[33]
6. Although Pamich was born in Fiume and competed for Italy, Pamić is a surname typical of Istria, originating from Pazin.[34] Other notable Istrians with this surname include international footballer Igor Pamić, his son Zvonko, his late son Alen, and his nephew Manuel

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23. Ilić, Luca (2014). Theologian of Sin and Grace: The Process of Radicalization in the Theology of Matthias Flacius Illyricus Volume 225 of Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Europäische Geschichte Mainz. Göttingen, Germany: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. p. 53.
24. In the Eastern Orthodox Church he is known as Saint Jerome of Stridonium or Blessed Jerome. Though "Blessed" in this context does not have the sense of being less than a saint, as in the West.
25. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Matthias-Flacius-Illyricus
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