The Furtula Brotherhood belongs among the old brotherhoods of the Montenegrin region, with deep roots in the area of Donja Morača. According to family tradition and available historical records, their homeland in more recent history was precisely Donja Morača, from where a large part of the brotherhood moved to the Vraneš region in 1820. That migration wave marked the beginning of the brotherhood’s modern geographical structure and the establishment of hearths that remain important points of family memory to this day.
However, certain Furtula households appeared outside that area even earlier. At the beginning of the 18th century, Janko Furtula moved from the surroundings of Kolašin to Bosnia, beneath Mount Trebević. From his ten sons emerged a numerous branch of the brotherhood whose descendants today form one of the largest Furtula communities in the area of Pale and the wider Sarajevo-Romanija region.
Traditional Hearths
The traditional hearths in the Vraneš region - Vraneš, Stožer, Pavino Polje, Bliškovo, and Sokolac - are not merely historical references. Furtula families still live in these places today, representing an unbroken continuity of the brotherhood from its ancestral homes to the modern era. It was precisely in this region that the first major gathering of the brotherhood was held, serving as a living testimony to unity and family connection.
These places form the foundation of family identity, but also the starting point of numerous later migrations that shaped the present-day distribution of the brotherhood.
Major Migrations and Branches
A significant migration occurred in 1878, when a large number of Furtulas moved from Vraneš to eastern Bosnia. Descendants of this branch now live in the areas around Čajniče, Foča, Goražde, Višegrad, and Rogatica. Because of this migration, there are today more Furtulas in Bosnia than in Montenegro.
Another large branch descends from Furtulas who moved from the surroundings of Pavino Polje to the region around Bara Sjenička. Descendants of this branch mostly live in Kragujevac today, where they represent a recognizable family line.
From the branch that moved from the Sjenica region to the village of Mirnica near Kuršumlija, four brotherhoods eventually emerged: Mihajlović, Mijajlović, Radovanović, and Milosavljević.
From Gledo Furtula, who moved from Stožer to Kosanica near Pljevlja, the Gledović brotherhood originated. The Novoselac family from Stranjani near Brodarevo also traces its origins to the Furtulas, having received their surname as new settlers.
Contemporary Distribution
Today, members of the brotherhood live throughout the region. In Republika Srpska they are most numerous in Pale, Rogatica, Sokolac, and East Sarajevo. In Serbia, many families live in Kragujevac, Čačak, Belgrade, Užice, Kruševac, Novi Sad, and other cities. In Montenegro, the brotherhood still maintains a strong presence in the traditional northern regions.
This distribution is not a sign of separation, but rather of the expansion of a family network that connects different branches through a shared heritage.
Members in the Diaspora
A significant part of the brotherhood now lives abroad. Members of the diaspora can be found throughout Europe, in North America, and in other parts of the world. Although physically distant from the ancestral hearths, they remain part of the same family tree and maintain their connection to their origins through tradition, memories, and stories passed down through generations.
Members living abroad often preserve valuable traces of family history: old photographs, letters, family legends, and memories that do not exist in written sources. For this reason, their contribution is of exceptional importance in understanding the broader picture of the brotherhood.
We invite all members of the diaspora to take part in the project and share their knowledge. More information about participation can be found on the About the Project page, where the steps for contributing and connecting with the administrative group are explained. Through cooperation, we can strengthen family ties and reconnect branches that have grown distant over time.
A Living History
The history of the brotherhood is neither final nor closed. Many details are still being collected, compared, and expanded. Oral traditions, family records, and new research continually broaden the understanding of origins and connections between branches.
This website exists precisely so that this process may continue - so that knowledge may be gathered, preserved, and passed on to future generations. The brotherhood is not only the past; it is a living community that continues to grow and endure.