The first Croat in Costa Rica

Abstract

Received: 29-07-2019
Approved: 09-16-2019

Even though the Croat colony in Costa Rica has always been very small, this country appointed as it's resident a citizen of Croatian ancestors, Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich (1962-1966). So far, it was thought that his grandfather, Francisco Orlich Zic, was the first Croat to become established in this country. Nevertheless, based upon several reliable historical documents, in this paper it is demonstrated that it was Juan Orlich Sparosich the first one to do so, when he arrived in 1866. Despite not being a relative of Francisco, he rought him to Costa Rica in 1873 or 1874. While living in Cartago, where he was devoted first to masonry and later to commerce and agriculture, Juan also made it possible for Nicolás Miguel Ivankovich Trojanovich a member of the Domijan (Domián) Kruzich family; even though the latter returned to Croatia, his brothers Domingo and Lorenzo arrived later on. As expected, these are the Croatian lineages with more descendants in Costa Rica.