Renko (or Renka)

Leksikon priimkov: Renko

Franc Renko (my grandfather) was born as Franjo Renka, in Stara Sušica near Ravna Gora in Croatia. Due to his work (forester), he moved to Bela Krajina, to the village of Klošter pri Gradacu.

Excerpt from the birth register, Franjo Renka, 1901

All his ancestors that I have discovered so far have the surname Renka. Of his descendants, only Franc Renko (grandfather), Polona Renko (who lived with her grandfather's family in Bela Krajina as a child), and Ludvik Renko, who emigrated to Canada and likely changed his surname upon arrival, adopted the Renko form.

Origin from Slovenia?

Among my ancestors along the Renko/Renka line, there are quite a few obviously Slovenian surnames, such as Troha, Kordiš, Sedej, Rotar, Bajt... Franc Renko - ancestors

The question arises whether the surname Renka also originates from Slovenia (where Renko is used), as many Slovenes moved to Ravna Gora in Croatia from nearby areas (around Babno Polje and Bela Krajina), as well as from the Idrija region (Idrija, Cerkno, Črni vrh, Poljana...). Due to these immigrants, the Kajkavian dialect or Rovtar dialect is used in Ravna Gora.

Map of Slovenian dialects 2023

The main wave of Slovenian immigration is said to have occurred during the construction of the Karolina Road in 1727 and the construction of the glassworks in Stara Sušica in 1764.

In his 1965 book Ravna Gora, Antun Herljević described the migrations to the area around Ravna Gora after the construction of the Karolina Road.

Excerpt from the book Ravna Gora about immigrants

Similarly, Antun Burić in his 1983 second edition of the book Povijesna antroponimija Gorskog kotara u Hrvatskoj mentions immigrants from Slovenia:

Excerpt from the book Povijesnantriponimija Gorskog Kotora about Slovenian immigrants

Renko in Slovenia

I have identified the origin of the surname Renko in Slovenia in the Slovenian Genealogical Index in the following areas:

  • Čepovan, Lokovec, and Gorenja Trebuša in Trnovski gozd
  • Smrje near Ilirska Bistrica
  • Zabreznica in Gorenjska
  • Kojščica, Polšnik, and Vače in Zasavje

Further research

My oldest ancestor on my father's line is Jakob/Jakov Renka. There is only a record from SA, where his wife Marija and his children are listed, but unfortunately there is no information about his birth.

Jakob Renka, Status Animarum

The birth year 1764 is thus only an estimate, as I have not found an original document for it, only information provided by other genealogists.

Potential directions for further research:

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