List of Croatian Americans

This is a list of notable Croatian Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.

To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Croatian American or must have references showing they are Croatian American and are notable.

Mladen Bestvina – mathematician
Jakša Cvitanić – professor of mathematical finance
William Feller – mathematician
Gordana Matic – mathematician
Emil M. Mrak – food scientist, microbiologist and former chancellor of the University of California, Davis
Vladimir Parpura – neuroscientist
Drazen Prelec – mathematician
Pasko Rakic – neuroscientist
David Sanjek – professor of music
Marin Soljačić – professor of physics at MIT
Henry Suzzallo – president of the University of Washington
Victor Wickerhauser – mathematician

Ivan Meštrović – sculptor and professor at Syracuse and Notre Dame
Anton Perich – filmmaker, photographer and video artist
Michael Trcic – sculptor and special effects artist
Maksimiljan (Makso) Vanka – painter
Matthew Yuricich – Academy Award-nominated special effects artist
Richard Yuricich – three-time Academy Award-nominated special effects artist

Actors

edit

Eric Bana – actor
George Beban – actor, singer
George Birimisa – playwright, actor, editor, director
Anna Chlumsky – actress^[1]
Al Christy – actor
Claire Dubrey – actress (father was from Dalmatia)
Ryan Eggold – actor (his mother is of half Croatian and half Austrian-Jewish ancestry)
Jenna Elfman – television and movie actress (of partial Croatian descent; niece of Tony Butala)
Josip Elic – actor
Judah Friedlander – actor and comedian (mother of Croatian descent)
Mira Furlan – television and film actress
Jay Grdina – pornographic film actor
Gloria Grey – actress and director
John Malkovich – actor (father of Croatian descent)^[2] ^[3]
Mark Matkevich – actor
Ivana Miličević – actress
John Miljan – actor
Patrick Muldoon – actor (mother of Croatian descent)
Rick Rossovich – actor (father of Croatian descent; brother of Tim Rossovich)
Tim Rossovich – actor (father of Croatian descent; brother of Rick Rossovich)
Mia Slavenska – prima ballerina of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet
Goran Višnjić – Croatian actor; became naturalized U.S. citizen
Louis Zorich – actor, musician

Screenwriters, directors, producers and film workers

edit

Christina Cindrich – television producer and actress
Michael Jelenic – American animator, storyboard artist, screenwriter, producer, and director.
Branko Lustig – movie producer, two-time Academy Award winner^[4]
Sergio Mimica-Gezzan – Croatian-born American director, second unit director, assistant director, producer and actor
Marty Pasetta – television producer and director
Frank Pavich – film director

Musicians

edit

Thana Alexa – (born Thana Alexa Pavelić) American jazz vocalist
Nenad Bach – recording artist, composer, performer, producer and peace activist
Tony Butala – co-founder and member of the singing group The Lettermen^[5] (uncle of actress Jenna Elfman)
Dillon Francis – American electronic musician, record producer and DJ
Jim Korthe (1970–2010) – singer
Stephen Kovacevich – pianist and conductor
Katrina Leskanich – singer
Radoslav Lorković is a Croatian-born American based classically trained folk and blues musician on accordion and piano
Clair Marlo (born Clara Veseliza) – singer-songwriter, composer, record producer
Željko Marasović – composer of classical and film music
Miljenko Matijevic – musician^[6]
Johnny Mercer – singer-songwriter^[7] (mother of Croatian and Irish descent)
Helen Merrill – jazz singer
Zinka Milanov – operatic soprano
Tomo Miličević – musician, guitarist
Paul Mirkovich – musical director (The Voice)
Joey Miskulin is an American accordionist and member of western music and comedy group Riders in the Sky
Guy Mitchell – singer and actor
Steve Novosel - jazz bass bassist
Krist Novoselic – musician, bassist. Founding member of rock band Nirvana (band)
David Paich – composer, producer and keyboardist
Marty Paich – pianist, composer, arranger, record producer, music director, and conductor
Walter Parazaider – founding member and saxophone player
Tristan Perich – contemporary composer and sound artist
Steve Popovich – record producer
Plavka – singer
Paul Salamunovich – conductor, brother of producer Mike Salamunovich
Hillel Slovak - founding guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. His father was Jewish Croatian.
Louis Svećenski – violinist
Milka Ternina – operatic soprano

Sylvester Antolak – US Army Sergeant, recipient of the Medal of Honor
Paul William Bucha – US Army Captain, recipient of the Medal of Honor; highly decorated American Vietnam War veteran; foreign policy adviser to Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign
Norman Cota – US Army Major General in World War II
Louis Cukela – double recipient of the Medal of Honor
Albert A. Francovich – Navy Cross recipient
Rade Grbitch – US Navy, recipient of the Medal of Honor
Ron Kovic – US Marine Corps, Vietnam War veteran; peace activist
Richard Marcinko – US Navy SEAL commander and Vietnam War veteran
Michael J. Novosel – US Army Chief Warrant Officer, recipient of the Medal Of Honor; veteran of World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War
Ivan L. Slavich Jr. – US Army colonel
Peter Tomich – US Navy Chief Watertender, World War II recipient of the Medal of Honor
John J. Tominac – US Army First Lieutenant, recipient of the Medal of Honor
Albert Vadas – US Navy, recipient of the Medal of Honor
Donald W. Wolf – Navy Cross recipient

Michael D. Antonovich – Los Angeles County Supervisor, 5th District, nine terms from 1980 to 2016 (second longest tenure in Los Angeles County history); former California State Assemblyman for six years (Republican)
Mark Begich – one-term U.S. Senator from Alaska; former mayor of Anchorage, Alaska^[8] (Democrat)
Nick Begich – U.S. Representative (D-AK; 2011–2017)^[9] (Democrat)
Michael Bilandic – Illinois politician; Mayor of Chicago^[10] (Democrat)
John Bonacic – New York State Senator (Republican)
John Cherberg – politician, football coach, teacher and television executive
Renee Ellmers – U.S. Representative (R-NC; 2011–2017); mother of partial Croatian descent
Frank Ivancie – Portland City Council; Mayor of Portland, Oregon (1980–1985) (Democrat)
John Kasich – former member of U.S. House of Representatives (Ohio)^[4] and Governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019 (Republican); mother of Croatian descent
Dennis Kucinich – former mayor of Cleveland; member of U.S. House of Representatives (D-Ohio); 2004 Democratic presidential candidate^[11]
Tony P. Mardesich – Washington State Representative from 1949 to 1950 (Democrat)
August P. Mardesich – Washington State Representative from 1950 to 1963 (Democrat)
John Martinis – Washington State Representative from 1969 to 1984 (Democrat)
Mary Matalin – political commentator, strategist and pundit; assistant to U.S. President George W. Bush (Republican)
George W. Milias – California State Assemblyman from 1962 to 1970 (Republican)
Rose Perica Mofford – 18th governor of Arizona from 1988 to 1991 (Democrat)
Emil Mrkonic – former member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives (Democrat)
Tony Peraica – Cook County Commissioner for the 16th district; nominee for Cook County Board President in 2006 (Republican)
Rudy Perpich – former governor, lieutenant governor, and United States Senator from Minnesota^[12] (Democrat)
George Radanovich – businessman (vintner); California politician; former member of U.S. House of Representatives^[13] (Republican)
Mark Sokolich – politician; Mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey (Democrat)
Michael A. Stepovich – politician; last governor of the Alaska Territory from 1957 to 1958 (Republican)
Rudy Svorinich – Los Angeles City Councilman and Council President Pro Tempore representing the 15th (Greater Harbor Area) district from 1993 to 2001 (Republican)
Vincent Thomas – represented San Pedro's 68th and 52nd Districts in the California State Assembly from 1941 to 1979 (Democrat)
Carmen Trutanich – Los Angeles City Attorney from 2009 to 2013 (Independent)
Andy Vidak – California State Senator for 16th district → then 14th district (Republican)

Lada Adamic – network scientist
Ralph S. Baric – epidemiologist
Tanja Bosak – geobiologist
Milislav Demerec – geneticist
Anthony Francis Lucas – oil explorer; inventor; organized with Pattillo Higgins the drilling of an oil well near Beaumont, Texas that became known as Spindletop, which led to the widespread exploitation of oil and the start of the petroleum age
Daniel Gajski – computer scientist
Anthony Grbic – electrical engineer
Victor Grinich – one of the "traitorous eight" who founded Silicon Valley
Terry Jonathan Hart – former astronaut
Hedvig Hricak – radiologist
Brian Krzanich – CEO, Intel
Ferdo Ivanek – electrical engineer
Branka Ladanyi – physical chemist
John M. Martinis – physicist^[14]
John Miscovich – inventor
Egon Matijevic – chemist
Jacob Matijevic, Ph.D. – NASA engineer, posthumously, NASA named a hill on Mars after him
Igor Mezić – mechanical engineer and mathematician
Paul L. Modrich – biochemist, 2015 Nobel Prize Winner
Steven Z. Pavletic – NIH medical doctor, cancer researcher
Hrvoje Petek – physicist
Stephen Polyak – neuroanatomist
Andrija Puharich – medical and parapsychological researcher, medical inventor
Mario Puratić – inventor of the fishing Puretic power block
Mark Russinovich – Microsoft technical fellow
Nenad Sestan – neuroscientist
Vincent Sarich – chemist, anthropologist^[15]
Branimir Ivan Sikic – medical doctor
Jadranka Skorin-Kapov – operations research scientist
George M. Skurla – aeronautical engineer for the Apollo program, director of operations at the Kennedy Space Center, former president of the Grumman Corporation
Marin Soljačić – Ph.D. professor of physics, electrical engineer at MIT; inventor
Davor Solter – biologist
James Spudich – biochemist

John Abramovic – former basketball player
Mario Ančić – in legal department of the NBA; former professional tennis player, once ranked No. 7 in the world
Marijon Ancich – football coach in California
Johnny Babich – former baseball player
Gary Beban – former NFL player, 1967 Heisman Trophy winner
Bill Belichick – NFL football head coach; six-time Super Bowl winner with the New England Patriots ^[16]^[17]
Steve Belichick – football player
Pete Bercich – former NFL player and coach with the Minnesota Vikings; currently the color commentator on KFAN radio
Scott Boras – sports agent
Nick Burley, born Nicholas Barovich – bare-knuckle boxer, Heavyweight Champion of the Yukon Territory in 1902^[18]
Pete Carroll – Super Bowl-winning coach, Seattle Seahawks; former USC football coach
Tom Cecic – US National Soccer Team player
Ann Cindric – All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
Ralph Cindrich – former NFL player
Fred Couples – golfer (Croatian mother)
Helen Crlenkovich – diver, actress
Lou Cvijanovich – California High School coach, only coach who won CIF titles in three different sports
David Diehl – former football player and offensive lineman in the National Football League (Croatian mother)
Duje Dukan – NBA basketball player
Bill Fralic – former professional American football offensive guard
Gary Gabelich
Elvis Grbac – former NFL quarterback
Bobby Grich – former MLB player
Tom Haller – former MLB player
John Havlicek – Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (Croatian mother)
Frankie Hejduk – US National Soccer Team player and member of the Columbus Crew
Les Horvath – 1944 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback
Ed Jurak – former MLB player
Al Jurisich – former MLB player
John Jurkovic – former NFL player
Mirko Jurkovic – former football player
Mike Karakas – NHL hockey player
David Kopay – first professional athlete (American football) to be openly gay
Joe Kuharich – former football player
Larry Kuharich – former football coach
Toni Kukoč – former NBA player
Curtis Leskanic – baseball player^[19]
Mickey Lolich – baseball player
Tony Mandarich – NFL offensive player
Marv Marinovich – retired American football offensive guard and sports trainer
Todd Marinovich – former American and Canadian football quarterback
Roger Maris – baseball player
Dino Mattessich – former Maryland lacrosse coach, current University of Connecticut Sr. Assoc. Athletic Director
John Mayasich — former hockey player
Kevin McHale – former NBA player
Catfish Metkovich – MLB player
Joe Mihaljevic – former soccer player
Ed Mikan – former NBA player
George Mikan – former NBA player
Pat Miletich – martial artist^[20]
Stipe Miocic – UFC heavyweight champion, only man to ever defend the title three consecutive times
Rob Ninkovich – NFL player
Jim Obradovich – former NFL player
Erv Palica – former MLB pitcher
Mark Pavelich – retired professional ice hockey player; member of the 1980 gold medal-winning USA "Miracle on Ice" team at the Winter Olympics
George Perpich – former football player
Johnny Pesky – former baseball player and announcer
Dan Plesac – baseball player^[19]
Gregg Popovich – NBA coach and five-time NBA champion
Christian Pulisic – winger/attacking midfielder for the United States men's national soccer team and English Premier League club Chelsea
Ed Puskarich – former soccer player
Ante Razov – US National Soccer Team player
John Robic – Kentucky Basketball assistant coach
Lou Saban – football coach
Nick Saban – seven-time National Champion NCAA football coach^[16]^[17]
Vladimir "Spider" Sabich – skier
Buzz Schneider – member of the 1980 "USA Miracle on Ice" Olympic Ice Hockey Team
Frank Sinkwich – Heisman trophy winner
Joe Stydahar – former NFL player
Andrew Susac – MLB player
Joey Terdoslavich – MLB player
John Tomac – cyclist
Rudy Tomjanovich – NBA basketball player and Hall of Fame coach^[21]
Auggie Vidovich II – driver in the NASCAR Busch Series
Bill Vinovich – NFL official
Danny Vranes (Vranješ) – professional basketball player (NBA);^[22] NBA All-Defensive Second Team 1985
Fritzie Zivic – "Croat Comet", world boxing champion (welterweight)^[23]
Mike Zordich – former NFL player
Chris Zorich – former NFL player

Courtney Angela Brkic – anthropologist, writer
Michael Cunningham – author
Richard Kauzlarich – diplomat, writer, and intelligence analyst^[24]
Nicholas Kulish – author and journalist
Josip Marohnić – published the first book of Croatian poetry in America, Amerikanke
Ottessa Moshfegh – writer
Josip Novakovich – writer^[25]
Jason Smilovic – writer, executive producer
Tom Sunic – writer, former professor
Amanda Petrusich – music journalist
Natasha Sajé - poet

Joan Biskupic – journalist
Steven Biskupic – former US Attorney
Mike Cernovich - Media personality. Mike’s paternal grandfather was Mike Cernovich (the son of John Cernovich and Anna/Anne Matušić who were Croatian immigrants.
Blase Cardinal Cupich – Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago
Edward J. Damich – former judge and professor
John Owen Dominis – last Hawaiian royalty, by marriage to Hawaiian Queen Lydia Kamekaha Kapaaka in 1862
Mike Grgich – winemaker; 1976 winner at the Judgement of Paris for the Best White Wine in the world; inducted into the Vintner's Hall of Fame in 2008
Noma Gurich – judge serving as a justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
Jay Kordich (1923–2017) – "father of juicing" and the inventor of the Juiceman Juicer. Both his parents were Croatian immigrants from the island of Vis.
Bill Kurtis – television journalist and producer^[26]
Michael Lah – cartoonist
Louis Lucas – winemaker
Capricia Penavic Marshall – Chief of Protocol of the United States (2009 to August 2013; father of Croatian descent)
Anthony Maglica – inventor, owner and founder of Mag Instrument Inc.^[27]
Boris Mikšić – Cortec Corporation owner and founder
Zinka Milanov – operatic soprano
Joe "Pegleg" Morgan - organised crime gangster
Steve Nelson (born Stjepan Mesaros) – Spanish Civil War veteran and Communist Party leader
Katie Pavlich – journalist, blogger, political commentator, author, podcaster.
Kevin Radich – sports reporter
Bill Rancic – entrepreneur; husband of E! News' Giuliana DePandi
Gene Rayburn – radio and television personality^[28]
Tony Robbins – motivational speaker and author
Teresa Scanlan – Miss America 2011^[29]^[30]
Nicholas Sulentic – industrialist, creator of Sears Craftsman tool boxes, chests and cabinets
Miroslav Volf – Protestant theologian
Paul Washer - Protestant Christian evangelist - Croatian mother and grandmother
Vanna White – television personality (biological father of Puerto Rican and Croatian descent; she was adopted and reared by her stepfather, whose name she took)

List of Croatian Americans

Contents

Academics

Artists

Entertainers

Actors

Screenwriters, directors, producers and film workers

Musicians

Military personnel

Politicians

Scientists, inventors and engineers

Sportspeople

Writers

Others

References

Languages