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{{Short description|Ethnic group}}
{{Infobox ethnic group|
| group            = Molise Croats
<!--|image=[[Image.jpg]]:-->| population       = cca. 1,000–2,000{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=178}}
| popplace         = [[Molise]] region, [[Italy]]
| langs            = [[Slavomolisano dialect|Slavomolisano]], [[Italian language|Italian]], [[Neapolitan language|Neapolitan]] ([[Molisan]]) [[Croatian language|Croatian]]
| rels             = [[Christianity]] ([[Catholic Church|Catholicism]])
| related          = [[Croats]], [[Italians]]
}}
{{Croats}}
[[File:Molise in Italy.svg|thumb|The Molise region in Italy]]
'''Molise Croats''' ({{langx|hr|Moliški Hrvati}}) or '''Molise [[Slavs]]''' ({{langx|it|Slavo-molisani, Slavi del Molise}}) are a [[Croats|Croat]] community in the [[Molise]] [[province of Campobasso]] of [[Italy]], which constitutes the majority in the three villages of [[Acquaviva Collecroce]] (''Kruč''), [[San Felice del Molise]] (''Filić'') and [[Montemitro]] (''Mundimitar'').{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=189}}  There are about 1,000 active and 2,000 passive speakers of the [[Slavomolisano dialect]]. The community originated from [[Dalmatia]]n refugees fleeing from the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] conquests in the late 15th and 16th centuries.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=189}}<ref name="Williams1991">{{cite book |author=Colin H. Williams |title=Linguistic Minorities, Society, and Territory |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=065qkbf9M44C&pg=PA61 |year=1991 |publisher=Multilingual Matters |isbn=978-1-85359-131-0 |pages=61 |quote=Croatian in three villages in the Molise region stems from settlement there by Slavs during the later Middle Ages (Ucchino, 1957).}}</ref>

==Identity and status==
The community does not have an ethnonym of their own, but are traditionally accustomed to the term ''Zlava'' and ''Škjavuna'' ("Slavs").<ref name="KortmannAuwera2011">{{cite book |author1=Bernd Kortmann |author2=Johan van der Auwera |title=The Languages and Linguistics of Europe: A Comprehensive Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vi_VCm51kpkC&pg=PA435 |date=27 July 2011 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |isbn=978-3-11-022026-1 |pages=435–}}</ref> Since 1999, the governments of Italy and Croatia recognize the community as a Croatian minority in Italy.{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=91}} However, the people consider themselves to be Italo-Slavs or Croatian-speaking [[Italians]], and the term "Molise Croat" is a recent [[exonym]] rather than their own name for themselves,<ref>Anita Sujoldžić, [http://www.mundimitar.it/englis/montemitro_en_271.htm "Molise Croatian Idiom"], ''Coll. Antropol.'' 28 Suppl. 1 (2004) 263–274<br>{{blockquote|Along with the institutional support provided by the Italian government and Croatian institutions based on bilateral agreements between the two states, the Slavic communities also received a new label for their language and a new ethnic identity – Croatian, and there have been increasing tendencies to standardize the spoken idiom on the basis of Standard Croatian. It should be stressed, however, that although they regarded their different language as a source of prestige and self-appreciation, these communities have always considered themselves to be Italians who in addition have Slavic origins and at best accept to be called Italo-Slavi, while the term "Molise Croatian" emerged recently as a general term in scientific and popular literature to describe the Croatian-speaking population living in the Molise.}}</ref> dating to the middle 19th century.{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=92}} Historical terms for this community include ''Schiavoni'', ''Sklavuni'', ''Skiavuni'' and ''Šćavuni'' ("Slavs"), and also [[demonym]]ic ''de Sclavonia'', ''de Dalmatia'' or ''partibus Illirie''.{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=91–106}} In 1967 the minority has also been called "Serbo-Croats of Molise" (Serbo-croati del Molise<ref>{{cite book |title=Atti del Convegno internazionale sul tema: gli Atlanti linguistici, problemi e risultati: Roma, 20-24 ottobre 1967 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MxhKAAAAYAAJ |year=1969 |publisher=Accademia nazionale dei Lincei |quote=I tre villaggi serbo-croati del Molise sono invece completamente isolati, quindi risentono molto dell'ambiente circostante.}}</ref>).

The communities did not use a specific ethnonym, rather tribal determinants ''naša krv'' (our blood), ''naša čeljad'' (our dwellers), ''braća naša'' (our brothers), while for language speaking ''na našo'' (on our way).{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=92}} Another important aspect of identity is the tradition according which the community vaguely settled "z one ban(d)e mora" (from the other side of the sea).{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=203}} In 1904, Josip Smodlaka recorded a testimony ''su z' Dalmacije pur naši stari'' (from Dalmatia are our ancestors).{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=93}}

==History==
The [[Adriatic Sea]] since the [[Early Middle Ages]] connected the Croatian and Italian coast.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=190}} The historical sources from 10-11th centuries mention Slavic incursions in [[Calabria]], and [[Gargano]] peninsula.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=190}} [[Gerhard Rohlfs]] in dialects from Gargano found many old Croatian lexical remains, and two toponyms ''Peschici'' (''*pěskъ-'') and ''Lesina'' (''*lěsь'', forest), which indicate [[Chakavian dialect]].{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=190, 198}} In the 12th century are confirmed toponyms ''Castelluccio degli Schiavoni'' and ''San Vito degli Schiavoni''.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=190}} Between the 13th and 15th centuries, toponyms ''Slavi cum casalibus'' ([[Otranto]], 1290), ''Castellucium de Slavis'' ([[Province of Foggia|Capitanata]], 1305), ''casale Sclavorum'' ([[Terra di Lavoro|Lavorno]], 1306), ''clerici de Schalvis'' ([[Trivento]], 1328), ''S. Martini in Sclavis'' (Marsia, 13th century), ''S. Nikolò degli Schiavoni'' ([[Vasto]], 1362).{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=191}} In 1487 the residents of [[Ancona]] differed the ''Slavi'', previously settled, and the newcomers ''Morlacchi''.{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=93}} In the 16th century, [[Abraham Ortelius]] in his [[Theatrum Orbis Terrarum]] (1570), West of Gargano in today's province of Molise mentioned ''Dalmatia'',{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=193}} and on Gargano also exist cape ''Porto Croatico'' and cove ''Valle Croatica''.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=195}}

According to evidence, Molise Croats arrived in the early 16th century.{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=187}} The documents from the episcopal archive of [[Termoli]] indicate that Molise Croats arrived 1518 in ''Stifilić'' (San Felice).{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=188}} A stone inscription on the church in [[Palata, Italy|Palata]], destroyed in the 1930s, read ''Hoc Primum Dalmatiae Gentis Incoluere Castrum Ac Fundamentis Erexere Templum Anno 1531'' (Residents of Dalmatia first settled the town and founded the church in 1531).{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=187}} The mention of [[Ban of Croatia|Croatian Ban]] [[Ivan Karlović]] (d. 1531) and absence of any Turkish word in folk poetry additionally proves this dating,{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=187}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=94, 99–100}} and unity of elements in Croatian folk poetry from diverse regions at the end of 15th and 16th century.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=198}}

[[Serafino Razzi]] in his work ''Cronica Vastese'' (1576–1577) wrote that the Slavs who came across the sea founded in Molise region settlements [[San Felice del Molise|San Felice]], [[Montemitro]], [[Acquaviva Collecroce]], [[Palata, Italy|Palata]], [[Tavenna]], [[Mafalda, Molise|Ripalta]], [[San Giacomo degli Schiavoni]], [[Montelongo]], [[San Biase]], [[Petacciato]], Cerritello, [[Sant'Angelo Limosano|Sant'Angelo]] and [[Montenero di Bisaccia]].{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=92}}{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=191}} Other Slavs settled in Vasto, Forcabobolani, San Silvestro, [[Vacri]], [[Casacanditella]], [[Francavilla al Mare]], and in [[Abruzzo]] among others.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=191}} For the Slavic congregation in Rome was established Illyrian brotherhood of St. Jerome, which was confirmed by [[Pope Nicholas V]] in 1452.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=191}} Slavs founded fifteen settlements in Molise,<ref name="Ninić1989">{{cite book |author=Ivan Ninić |title=Migrations in Balkan history |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tK6OAAAAMAAJ |year=1989 |publisher=Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Institute for Balkan Studies |isbn=978-86-7179-006-2 |page=72 |quote=In Molise alone fifteen Slavic settlements came into existence, but the majority of Slavs in cities and villages were, ...}}</ref> according to Giacomo Scotti with around seven or eight thousand people,{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=177}} of which only three (San Felice, Montemitro, Acquaviva Collecroce) today have a Slavic-speaking community.{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=93}}

The existence of this Slavic [[colony]] was first mentioned in the 1850s, and was unknown outside Italy until 1855 when linguist [[Medo Pucić]] from [[Dubrovnik]] journeyed to Italy and overheard a tailor in [[Naples]] speaking with his wife in a language very similar to Pucić's own.{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=94–95}} The tailor then told him that he came from the village of ''Živavoda Kruč'', then part of the [[Kingdom of the Two Sicilies]].{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=94–95}}

===Origin===
The geographical origin of the Molise Croats (Slavs) has been vastly theorized. [[Vikentij Makušev]] while researching Slavic immigrants in [[Naples]] and [[Palermo]], heard "Old-Slavonic" words ''rab'', ''teg'', ''kut'', ''dom'', ''gredem'' etc., and being uninformed about their common use in Chakavian speech of Dalmatia, thought that they were Bulgarians.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=191}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=95}} [[Risto Kovačić]],<ref>{{cite book |title=Prilozi za književnost, jezik, istoriju i folklor, Том 37 |year=1971 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n3lHAQAAIAAJ |author=Univerzitet u Beogradu. Filološki fakultet |access-date=10 September 2012 |page=37 |language=Serbian |quote=Risto Kovačić visited Molise in 1884 and wrote a report to the [[Serbian Learned Society]] about Serbian settlements. In his report, published in 1885, he emphasized that there were nine Serbian settlements of as many as 16,000 people. In three settlements about 4,000 people still spoke [[Serbian language|Serbian]], considered themselves Serbs, and kept tradition of ''[[Badnjak (Serbian)|badnjak]]'' as their legacy.}}</ref>{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=192}} Miroslav Pantić,{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=192}} [[Giovanni de Rubertis]] and [[Graziadio Isaia Ascoli]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Kovačić |first=Risto |authorlink=Risto Kovačić |title=Glasnik Srpskoga učenog društva, Volume 62 |year=1885 |publisher=Serbian Learned Society |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cQQbAAAAMAAJ |access-date=21 July 2011 |pages=273–340 [281] |chapter=Srpske Naseobine u Južnoj Italiji |quote=По господину де Рубертису, вели госп. Асколи ондје, први Срби — или како их онамо обичније зову Schiavoni или Dalmati — дошли су у Молизе заедно с Арбанасима (Албанези) што их је онамо довео Скендербег.}}</ref> considered Molise Croats to be Serbs from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbian littoral.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=192}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=95–96}} Josip Gelecich considered the area of [[Dubrovnik]]-[[Bay of Kotor]].{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=192}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=95}} There's almost no historical and linguistical evidence that Molise Croats originated from continental Balkans or [[Montenegro]].{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=192}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=96}}

A more specific and generally accepted area of origin is considered to have been [[Dalmatia]]. As such, Josip Aranza considered [[Zadar]] region,<ref>{{cite book |last=Aranza |first=Josip |date=1892 |title=Woher die südslavischen Colonien in Süditalien |publisher=Archiv für slavische Philologie, XIV |pages=78–82 |place=Berlin}}</ref>{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=192}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=95}} R. T. Badurina southern [[Istria]],{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=192}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=96}} Mate Hraste the hinterland of Zadar and [[Šibenik]],<ref>{{citation |author=Mate Hraste |title=Govori jugozapadne Istre |location=Zagreb |year=1964 |page=33 |quote=Tom se prilikom stanovništo toga plodnog kraja u zaledju Zadra do Šibenika selilo na sve strane. Jedan dio je odselio u Istru, jedan se odselio u pokrajinu Molise; nastanio se u nekoliko sela [...] Mišljenje Badurinino da su hrvati u južnoj Italiji doselili iz štokavskog vlaškog produčja u južnoj Istri ne može stati, jer je prirodnije da su hrvati iz Dalmacije krenuli u Italiju ravno morem preko Jadrana, nego preko Istre u kojoj bi se u tom slučaju morali neko vrijeme zaustaviti}}</ref> while Walter Breu the [[Neretva]] valley.<ref>{{cite book |author=Walter Breu |chapter=Bilingualism and linguistic interference in the Slavic-Romance contact area of Molise (Southern Italy) |title=Words in Time: Diachronic Semantics from Different Points of View |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Qp55jQ37hwC&pg=PA352 |date=1 January 2003 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |isbn=978-3-11-089997-9 |pages=352–}}</ref> According to linguistic features, it has been established that the area of origin was [[Zabiokovlje]] and [[Makarska Riviera]] ([[Josip Smodlaka]], Josip Barač, [[Milan Rešetar]], Žarko Muljačić, [[Dalibor Brozović]], [[Petar Šimunović]]).<ref>{{cite journal |last=Muljačić |first=Žarko |date=1997 |title=Charles Barone, La parlata croata di Acquaviva Collecroce |url=http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=163780&lang=en |pages=189–190 |journal=Čakavska Rič |volume=XXIV |issue=1–2}}</ref>{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=192}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=96}}

==Language==
{{main|Slavomolisano dialect}}

The language of Molise Croats is considered to be important because of its archaism, preserved old folk songs and tradition.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=197–198, 202–203}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=99–100}} The basic vocabulary was done by Milan Rešetar (in monography), Agostina Piccoli (along Antonio Sammartino, Snježana Marčec and Mira Menac-Mihalić) in ''Rječnik moliškohrvatskoga govora Mundimitra'' (''Dizionario dell' idioma croato-molisano di Montemitro''), and ''Dizionario croato molisano di Acquaviva Collecroce'', the grammar ''Gramatika moliškohrvatskoga jezika '' (Grammatica della lingua croato-molisana), as well work ''Jezik i porijeklo stanovnika slavenskih naseobina u pokrajini Molise'' by Anita Sujoldžić, [[Božidar Finka]], Petar Šimunović and Pavao Rudan.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=194}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=97}}

The language of Molise Croats belongs to Western [[Shtokavian dialect|Shtokavian]] dialect of Ikavian accent,{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=193}} with many features and lexemes of Chakavian dialect.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=193}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=96}} The lexicon comparison points to the similarity with language of [[Sumartin]] on [[Brač]], [[Sućuraj]] on [[Hvar]], and [[Račišće]] on [[Korčula]],{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=194}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=96}} settlements founded almost in the same time as those in Molise,{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=194}} and together point to the similarity of several settlements in South-Western and Western Istria (see [[Southwestern Istrian]] dialect), formed by the population of Makarska hinterland and Western Herzegovina.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=194}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=97}}

Giacomo Scotti noted that the ethnic identity and language was only preserved in San Felice, Montemitro and Acquaviva Collecroce thanks to the geographical and transport distance of the villages from the sea.{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=189}} Josip Smodlaka noted that during his visit in the early 1900s the residents of Palata still knew to speak in Croatian about basic terms like home and field works, but if the conversation touched more complex concepts they had to use Italian.{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=190}}

===Antroponyms===
The personal names, surnames and toponyms additionally confirm the origin of Molise Croats.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=195}} Preserved [[Italianization|Italianized]] surnames in Acquaviva Collecroce include ''Jaccusso'' (Jakaš), ''Lali'' (Lalić), ''Matijacci'' (Matijačić), ''Mileti'' (Miletić), ''Mirco'' (Mirko), ''Papiccio'' (Papić), ''Pecca'' (Pekić, Peršić), ''Radi'' (Radić), ''Tomizzi'' (Tomičić), ''Veta'' (Iveta);{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=194}} in San Felice include ''Blasetta'' (Blažeta), ''Gliosca'' (Joško), ''Petrella'' (Petrela), ''Radata'' (Radetić), ''Zara'' (Zaro, Zadro);{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=194}} in Montemitro include ''Blascetta'' (Blažeta), ''Giorgetta'' (Jureta), ''Lali'', ''Miletti'', ''Mirco'', ''Staniscia'' (Stanišić), ''Gorgolizza'' (Gurgurica, Grgurić), ''Sciscia'' (Šišić), ''Juricci'' (Jurić), ''Joviccio'' (Jović) etc.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=194}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mundimitar.it/porijeklo_prezimena/porijeklo_prezimena.htm |title=Italianizirana hrvatska prezimena |language=hr |access-date=7 April 2015}}</ref>

The surnames differ; [[patronymic]]s with suffix ''-ović'' (''Marovicchio'', ''Marcovicchio'', ''Pastrovicchio''), diminutive-hypocoristic (''Vucenichio'', ''Popicchio'', ''Milicchio''), nicknames attribute (''Vecera'', ''Tosti'', ''Poganizza'', ''Bilac'', ''Berhizz''), ethnic-toponyms attribute (''Klissa'', ''Lisa'', ''Zara'', ''Rauzei'', ''Schiavone di Corzula, Traù, Ciuppana'', ''de Raguza''), Italian lexic origin (''Curic'', ''Scaramucchio'').{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=196}}

A rich array of kinship names (including ''vlah'', fiancé, and ''vlahinja'', fiancée), and many lexemes indicate that among the population of Molise Croats were genuine [[Vlachs of Croatia|Vlach]] communities.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=193–194, 197}} It has been preserved the tradition of nickname ''Mrlakin'' ([[Morlachs|Morlak]]; "shepherd") and old homeland for the ''Mirco'' family ([[Baćina lakes]] near [[Ploče]] in Dalmatia).{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=194, 197}} On the Vlach influence point forms ''Mrlakina'', ''Jakovina'', ''Jureta'', ''Radeta'', ''Peronja'', ''Mileta'', ''Vučeta'', ''Pavluša'', patronyms with suffix ''-ica'' (''Vučica'', ''Grgorica'', ''Radonjica'', ''Budinica''), name suffix ''-ul'' (''Radul'', ''Micul''), and verb ''čičarati / kikarati''.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=197}}

===Toponyms===
There's an abundant number of toponyms which include the ethnonyms ''Sciavo'', ''Schiavone'', ''Slavo'', ''Sclavone'' and their variations in South-Eastern Italy.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=199}} The evidence shows that Italians usually used this ethnonyms as synonyms for the name of Croats and residents of Dalmatia.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=199}}{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=176}} For example, in 1584 in ''Palcarino degli Schiavoni'' (Irinia) was mentioned a priest ''de nazione Schiavone o Dalmatico''.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=199–200}}

The names of Molise settlements are Italianized Acquaviva Collecroce (''Živavoda Krȕč''), Montemitro (''Mundìmītar''), San Felice (Stifìlīć > Fìlīć).{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=200}} Toponymy includes several semantic categories; characteristics of the ground (Brdo, Dolaz, Draga, Grba, Kraji, Livade, Polizza, Ravnizza, Vrisi), soil composition (Stina, Drvar), hydronyms (Vrila, Jesera, Jaz, Locqua, Potocco, Coritti, Fontizza), flora (Dubrava, Valle di Miscignavizza, Paprato, Topolizza), fauna (Berdo do kujne, Most do tovari), position of the object (Monte svrhu Roccile, Fonte donio, Fonte zdolu Grade), human activity (Gradina, Ulizza, Puč, Cimiter, Selo, Grad, Stasa), and property owners (Maseria Mirco, Colle di Jure).{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=200–202}} The toponymy of Molise is almost identical to the toponymy of Makarska Riviera.{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=202}}

==Culture==
The community is adherent to [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]].{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=98–99}}

Upon settling in inhabited current area, Molise Croats engaged in [[subsistence agriculture]] (mostly producing grain, as well as some vine-cultivation and other kinds of agriculture) and [[animal husbandry]], as well as home [[Lacemaking in Croatia|lacemaking]] and the trade of resulting goods.{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=188}} In modern times, olive and olive oil production are also cultivated. The village residents mostly work in nearby towns, like Termoli and [[San Salvo]].{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=176}}

The long-term exposure to the disintegration processes and Italian foreign language surroundings, as well absence of cultural institutions, resulted in the loss of ethnic identity.{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=188–189}} The ethnic identity of Molise Croats consists of a common language, shared ancestry and physical appearance, personal names and toponyms, common customs (living and dressing), as well an oral tradition of migration.{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=189}} In 1904, ''Slavenska knjižnica'' (Biblioteca Slava) was founded in Acquaviva Collecroc; from 1968, the journal ''Naš jezik'' was released, and again between 1986–1988 as ''Naš život'' in Slavomolisano dialect.{{sfn|Telišman|1987|p=189–190}}{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=102}} From 2002, a journal entitled ''Riča živa'' has been released.{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=102}} Local amateur associations preserve the tradition, folklore, and language.{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=102}} In 1999, the ''Agostina Piccoli'' Foundation was founded, which in 2002 was officially recognized by Italy as an institution for preservation and protection of Molise Croats culture and tradition.{{sfn|Perinić|2006|p=102–103}}

==Population==
In the late 18th century, [[Giuseppe Maria Galanti]] in his work ''Descrizione dello stato antico ed attuale del Contado di Molise'' (1781), as ''Schiavoni'' settlements considered Acquaviva Collecroce (1380 pop.), Montemitro (460), San Siase (960), San Felice (1009), Tavenna (1325), and noted that the residents of Ripalta (781) spoke equally poorly Slavic and Italian.{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=176}}

[[Giovenale Vegezzi Ruscalla]] in his work ''Le Colonie Serbo–Dalmate del circondario di Lacino - provincia di Molise'' (1864), recorded that only three villages preserved ''la lingua della Dalmazia'', and population was, like previously by Galanti, around 4,000 people.{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=176}} For the residents of Tavenna noted that until 1805 they still spoke ''slavo-dalmato'', but in the last census (probably from 1861), certain sixty elders who preserved the language did not declare for ''lingua dalmata'' because was afraid of being considered strangers.{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=177}}

In 1867, Graziadio Isaia Ascoli considered that around 20,000 residents of Molise region were of Slavic origin.{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=177}} This figure is considered to be unfounded.{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=177}}

During the years, due to economic and social issues, many families migrated to [[Northern Italy]], [[Switzerland]], [[Germany]], and overseas to [[United States]], [[Brazil]], [[Argentina]], [[Canada]], and [[Western Australia]].{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=176}}<ref>{{cite book |first=Vesna |last=Kukvica |date=2005 |title=Iseljenički horizonti, Prikazi i feljtoni |editor-first=Željka | editor-last = Lovrenčić |language=hr |publisher=[[Hrvatska matica iseljenika]] |place=Zagreb |isbn=953-6525-37-2 |chapter=Migracije Moliških Hrvata u Zapadnu Australiju |trans-title=Migrations of Molise Croats in Western Australia}}</ref>{{sfn|Šimunović|2012|p=189}} The population figures reported in the census do not necessarily show accurate data for the language speakers.{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=178}}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0.5em auto; text-align: center;"
|-
! colspan="15" | Population number according census{{sfn|Piccoli|1993|p=178}}
|-
| '''Census year''' || '''1861''' || '''1871''' || '''1881''' || '''1901''' || '''1911''' || '''1921''' || '''1931''' || '''1936''' || '''1951''' || '''1961''' || '''1971''' || '''1981''' || '''1991'''
|-
| [[Acquaviva Collecroce]] || 1777 || 1820 || 1937 || 2212 || 2243 || 2017 || 2058 || 2172 || 2250 || 1808 || 1157 || 1017 || 897
|-
| [[Montemitro]] || 799 || 787 || 849 || 1006 || 1017 || 944 || 935 || 915 || 906 || 874 || 749 || 624 || 544
|-
| [[San Felice del Molise|San Felice]] || 1460 || 1436 || 1550 || 1664 || 1681 || 1655 || 1592 || 1653 || 1727 || 1371 || 1003 || 911 || 881
|}

== See also ==
* [[Croats of Italy]]

== References ==

=== Notes ===
{{reflist}}

=== Sources ===
* Heršak, Emil (1982), "Hrvati u talijanskoj pokrajini Molise", Teme o iseljeništvu. br. 11, Zagreb: Centar za istraživanje migracija, 1982, 49 str. lit 16.
* {{Cite journal |first=Tihomir |last=Telišman |date=1987 |title=Neke odrednice etničkog identiteta Moliških Hrvata u južnoj Italiji |trans-title=Some determinants of ethnic identity of Molise Croats in Southern Italy |url=http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=189770&lang=en |journal=Migration and Ethnic Themes |language=Croatian |publisher=Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies |volume=3 |issue=2 }}
* {{Cite journal |first=Agostina |last=Piccoli |date=1993 |title=20 000 Molisini di origine Slava (Prilog boljem poznavanju moliških Hrvata) |trans-title=20,000 Molise residents of Slav origin (Appendix for better knowledge of the Molise Croats) |url=http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=112420&lang=en |journal=Studia ethnologica Croatica |language=Croatian |publisher=Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb |volume=5 |issue=1 }}
* {{Cite journal |first=Ana |last=Perinić |date=2006 |title=Moliški Hrvati: Rekonstrukcija kreiranja ireprezentacijejednog etničkog identiteta |trans-title=Molise Croats: Reconstruction of creation and representation of an ethnic identity |url=http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=43460&lang=en |language=Croatian |publisher=Croatian Ethnological Society and Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb |journal=Etnološka Tribina |volume=36 |issue=29 }}
* {{Cite journal |first=Petar |last=Šimunović |author-link=Petar Šimunović |date=May 2012 |title=Moliški Hrvati i njihova imena: Molize i druga naselja u južnoj Italiji u motrištu tamošnjih hrvatskih onomastičkih podataka |trans-title=Molise Croats and their names: Molise and other settlements in southern Italy in the standpoint of the local Croatian onomastic data |url=http://hrcak.srce.hr/81924 |journal=Folia onomastica Croatica |issue=20 |language=hr |pages=189–205 |access-date=24 July 2017 }}

== External links ==
* {{cite web|url=http://www.kruc.it/|title=Acquaviva Collecroce}}
* {{cite web|author=Gabriele Romagnoli|title=Mundimitar|url=http://www.mundimitar.it/|language=Italian, Croatian}}
* {{cite web|author=Euromosaic|url=http://www.uoc.edu/euromosaic/web/document/croat/fr/i2/i2.html|title=Le croate en Italie|publisher=Research Centre of Multilingualism|language=French}}
* {{cite web|author=Francesco Martino|date=March 2006|publisher=balcanicaucaso|title=Alla scoperta degli ultimi 'schiavuni'|url=http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/Tutte-le-notizie/Alla-scoperta-degli-ultimi-schiavuni-32555|language=Italian}}

{{Croatian diaspora}}
{{Ethnic groups in Italy}}
{{Slavic ethnic groups}}

[[Category:Croat people]]
[[Category:Croatian diaspora]]
[[Category:Molise]]
[[Category:Italian people of Croatian descent|*]]
[[Category:Croatia–Italy relations]]