A Multilingual Research Archive

Arbër History

Documenting the Albër Heritage communities — Arvanites, Arbëreshë, Arbanasi, and Arnaut — across six centuries of migration, language, and identity.

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One People, Many Names

The Arbër communities share a common origin in medieval Albania yet diverged across centuries of migration into Greece, Italy, the Adriatic coast, and the Ottoman world. This archive brings together surnames, ethnonyms, migration records, and regional histories — with evidence levels clearly marked and sources cited.Arber History is an independent educational and documentary project. It does not advocate political positions, territorial claims, or ethnic superiority. Historical interpretations may differ among scholars. Whenever possible, Arber History presents primary sources and references so that readers may examine the evidence themselves.

Diaspora Communities

Languages

600+

Years of History

Open

Community Contributions

Four Communities

Distinct identities, shared origins

Greece · Arvanitika

Arvanites

13th–15th century

Albanian-speaking communities who settled in central and southern Greece during the late medieval period. Their language, Arvanitika, is a distinct variety of Albanian.

Italy · Arbëresh

Arbëreshë

15th–16th century

Descendants of Albanian refugees who fled Ottoman expansion and settled in southern Italy and Sicily. They preserve the Arbëresh dialect and Byzantine Rite traditions.

Croatia · Arbanasi

Arbanasi

17th–18th century

A small Albanian community that settled near Zadar on the Dalmatian coast, preserving a distinct dialect and Catholic identity within the Adriatic world.

Ottoman · Arnaut

Arnaut

15th–19th century

The Ottoman-Turkish designation for Albanians who served in the empire's military and administrative structures, leaving traces across the Balkans and Anatolia.

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Research Tools

Explore the archive

Surname Database

Search and filter Albanian-origin surnames across all four communities, with etymological notes, confidence levels, and source citations.

Migration Waves

A timeline of documented migration events from the 13th to 19th centuries, with estimated population figures and historical drivers.

Ethnonym Dictionary

How communities named themselves and were named by others — tracing the evolution of terms like Arbër, Arvanitis, Arbëresh, and Arnaut across time.

Claims Register

Hypotheses about origins, demographics, and identity — each with an evidence level (High to Unverified) and current scholarly assessment.

Publications

Scholarly texts and primary source compilations available for download.

Corpus Arberensis

A compiled corpus of primary source texts documenting Albanian-speaking diaspora communities. Includes attestations from Byzantine, Venetian, Ottoman, and Western European sources.

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Help Build the Archive

Do you have family records, local histories, or corrections to existing entries? Arbër History welcomes community contributions. All submissions are reviewed by editors before publication.

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