Changes

The Zuvela’s arrived on the west end of Korčula in the early 1600’s and settled in a small field called '''Rasohatica''' (in Croatian the c in Korcula is pronounced ''ch'' and is written "'''č'''"). There are still small remnants of stone huts there to this day. First time the surname ''Xuvella'' was mentioned was in Blato in a document dated 2nd of February '''1642'''.<ref>Vela Luka od 1490 do 1834 ''by'' Zvonko Maričić (p168, written in Croatian).The information is taken from 'Vela Luka from 1490 to 1834.

The Zuvela’s arrived on the west end of Korčula in the early 1600’s and settled in a small field called '''Rasohatica''' (in Croatian the c in Korcula is pronounced ''ch'' and is written "'''č'''"). There are still small remnants of stone huts there to this day. First time the surname ''Xuvella'' was mentioned was in Blato in a document dated 2nd of February '''1642'''.<ref>Vela Luka od 1490 do 1834 ''by'' Zvonko Maričić (p168, written in Croatian).The information is taken from 'Vela Luka from 1490 to 1834.

'''NOTE''': Maričić received this information from: 'Sources for the History of the Island of Korčula' by Ante Kalogjera, Zagreb (Izvori za povijest otoka Korčula 1980, written in Croatian). The book has many translations of old records of the Venetian Republic in relation to Korčula (from Venetian-Italian to standard Croatian).

'''NOTE''': Maričić received this information from: 'Sources for the History of the Island of Korčula' by Ante Kalogjera, Zagreb (Izvori za povijest otoka Korčula 1980, written in Croatian). The book has many translations of old records of the Venetian Republic in relation to Korčula (from Venetian-Italian to standard Croatian).</ref>

According to surviving documents '''Antonio Xuvella''' (Autun):

At the time, Korčula was part of the ''Republic of Venice'' within the Venetian Dalmatia province<ref>John Everett-Healu. "Dalmatia." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Oxford University Press. 2005. Encyclopedia.com</ref> (Dalmazia Veneta ''or'' in old Venetian: Dalmàssia). From where the original Zuvelas migrated is still a mystery to this editor. <ref>The mystery of the old Zuvela’s might remain a permanent mystery. The family origin story was not passed on, sadly. Based on records from Venice’s period of rule (1600s), documents were written in Venetia - Italian. The first Zuvela was recorded as Antonio Xuvella (1642). That’s as far back as one can go historically with certainty. Antonio upon arrival would also have been known as Autun (or Ante) and called as such by the local community as they were mainly of Slavic - Croatian heritage.

His wife is not recorded but based on family trees there seems to be '''five sons'''. The sons have no date of birth and it can not be confirmed that they were born on the island of Korcula. This would suggest that they arrived as a family unit; Father, Mother and five sons.

 

His wife is not recorded but based on family trees there seems to be five sons. The sons have no date of birth and it can not be confirmed that they were born on the island of Korcula. This would suggest that they arrived as a family unit; Father, Mother and five sons.

Genetically ''via'' the '''male Y gene''' the data places them in the Eastern Mediterranean (Greek origins). There are very similar Greek surnames to Zuvela and most promising  is '''Zouvelos'''. The shared spelling (and feel) is very close.  

Genetically ''via'' the '''male Y gene''' the data places them in the Eastern Mediterranean (Greek origins). There are very similar Greek surnames to Zuvela and most promising  is '''Zouvelos'''. The shared spelling (and feel) is very close.  

We can summarise in Blato on 2nd of February, 1642 on the island of Korčula, part of the Republic of Venice, a contract of land transaction was concluded. The neighboring land mentioned was in Postražišće. This neighboring land belonged to Antonio Xuvella (modern Croatian: Antun Žuvela) without mentioning the family origin, for example; ''son of ...... .'' This is the first record that mentions the Zuvela family.  

We can summarise in Blato on 2nd of February, 1642 on the island of Korčula, part of the Republic of Venice, a contract of land transaction was concluded. The neighboring land mentioned was in Postražišće. This neighboring land belonged to Antonio Xuvella (modern Croatian: Antun Žuvela) without mentioning the family origin, for example; ''son of ...... .'' This is the first record that mentions the Zuvela family.  

The Zuvelas abandoned Rasohatica and moved to live in the village of Blato. From there members of the Zuvela family moved to (and helped to establish) the town of Vela Luka. It is interesting to note that the Zuvelas by the 1690s had houses in the bay of Vela Luka (farm/work cottages in the bay ''or'' as per map of Korčula by V.M Coronelli 1688, warehouses of sardines and wine).  

The Zuvelas abandoned Rasohatica and moved to live in the village of Blato. From there members of the Zuvela family moved to (and helped to establish) the town of Vela Luka. It is interesting to note that the Zuvelas by the 1690s had houses in the bay of Vela Luka (farm/work cottages in the bay ''or'' as per map of Korčula by V.M Coronelli 1688, warehouses of sardines and wine).