Drobnjaci

Drobnjaci (Serbian Cyrillic: Дробњаци, pronounced [dro̞bɲǎːt͡si]) is a historical tribe and region, Drobnjak, in Old Herzegovina in Montenegro (municipalities from Nikšić to Šavnik, Žabljak and Pljevlja). Its unofficial centre is in Šavnik. Today Drobnjaci families are predominantly Orthodox, with a majority declaring as Serbs. The Orthodox families have St. George (Đurđevdan) as their patron saint (slava) and the majority of Drobnjak churches are devoted to St. George as well. Families of distant Drobnjak origin are present in all former Yugoslav republics.

According to Serbian historian Andrija Luburić (1930), by oral tradition their origin was from Travnik in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and initially were called as Novljani. First mention of the name was in 1285 Ragusan document, where was mentioned Vlach Bratinja Drobnjak. The surname probably derives from tribal or regional name.

The tribal name Drobnjaci (Drobignaçich, Drobgnach, Droggnaz, Dropgnach,Drupinach, Idobrignach) in Herzegovina can be followed from 14th century Ragusan sources; Dragossius Costadinich vlachus Drobignaçich (1365), Goitan Banilouich et Bogosclauus Dessiminich vlacchi de chatono de Dobrgnaçi (1376), Vulchota filius Dobroslaui Drobgnach (1377), Dubraueç Chostadinich et Jurech Bogutouich Drobnachi (1377), and so on. Throughout 14th and 15th century they are specifically mentioned as katun "Vlachs" or "Morlachs". They inhabited lands around Jezera, Prijepolje (1423), Bijela (1443). Some individual examples - Milcien Clapcich, Vlachus de Drobnach in 1390 committed to pay 12 perpers to Jakov Gundulić and Pribil Mirković for one horse which was sequestered in Jezera; Vlach Radivoje Vukšić from Drobnjaci, the head of a caravan, in 1423 was accused in Ragusa for robery of an Italian and had to pay 40 perpers; certain Vlachus Drobnach sequestered 3 rams in Jezera from a Ragusan; in 1454 kidnapped some escorts, similarly in 1456 kidnapped certain Ragusan young man who was sold to the Turks. In Herzegovina they served lords Sandalj Hranić Kosača and Stjepan Vukčić Kosača.

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