Uzelac

Uzelac (Serbian Cyrillic: Узелац) is an old South Slavic surname. The name originates from the countries of former Yugoslavia such as Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. It is predominantly used by ethnic Serbs of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Meaning

The surname has a root in the verb "ùzēti" which means "to take (away)" in Serbian and refers to the man who married into his wife's household, rather than taking her to his own, i.e. he was "taken (away)" from his family into another one.

History

Among 12 other families, Uzelac's are one of the first residents and founders of Staro Selo, Lika-Senj County (Old Village) a village near Otočac, Croatia.

In 1696 Bishop Sebastian Glavinić de Glamoć (1630–1697) while visiting Lika and Krbava discovers Serbian Orthodox Priest Nikola Uzelac who was offering his services not only to Serbian Orthodox but also to Roman Catholic people as well. Most Uzelacs come from Lika, Kordun and Banija, which had been until 1881 part of the former Austrian Military Frontier with the Ottoman empire.

1932 postcard showing B. Uzelac Grocery Store in Vrhovine, Lika

In the United States

Many Uzelacs are also found in the United States, mostly in the states of Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. First Uzelac's in the states are recorded in 1900 Ellis Island Immigration station. The most famous Uzelac's in the United States are Kristal Uzelac, a retired gymnast, and Elliot Uzelac, former head football coach at Navy and Western Michigan University.

People

References