17. BLAŽEVIĆ /blazhevich/

Frequency in Croatian population: 8.152 (17th Most Frequent)

Patronymic surname Blažević originates from the masculine first name Blaž. It comes from the word bastah that can be found in 16th century in Dubrovnik region, with the meaning "carrier" or "porter". It further originates from the Old Greek word bastazo with the meaning "I carry". The first name of Blaž came to Croatian language through the influence of Catholic Church and the canonized Saint Blaise which then started to be used for naming babies.

There are several Croatian surnames that has their root in the first name of Blaž: Blaškić, Blašković, Blaž, Blažanović, Blažek, Blažeka, Blažeković, Blaženović, Blažetić, Blažev, Blažičević, Blažičko, Blažinčić, Blažinić, Blažinović etc.

Bearers of Blažević surname are typically of Croatian ethnicity, primarily from Bosnian Posavina region (northern part of Bosnia along the Croatian-Bosnian border).

Geography. City of Brčko in Bosnian Posavina is the place where this surname is most frequently borne. One in every seventy inhabitants of Brčko bears it.

(Sources: Petar Šimunović, Hrvatska prezimena, Golden Marketing-Tehnička knjiga, Zagreb, 2006; Enciklopedija hrvatskih prezimena, Nacionalni rodoslovni centar, 2008)