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Mazreku (archaic forms: Masarecu, Masareccu, Meserechus, Mânzaraku, Mazaraki or Mazarek) is an Albanian tribe[1] or fis from the Dukagjin highlands. Historically they were one of the most widespread tribes, and placenames related to them are found throughout Albania: examples include Mazrek of Shkodër, or Mazrek in Tiranë.
The name Mazrek(u), which means "horse breeder" in Albanian, is found throughout all Albanian regions.[2] Furthermore, the name relates to the Albanian word mëz - maz ('foal'), deriving from the Proto-Albanian *mandja and cognates to the Messapic word *menza ('foal').[3]
Another Albanian tribe called the Mazreku lived in Epirus during the Middle Ages.
As a surname it may refer to:
- Mazarek (vojvoda), Albanian nobleman and general in Serbia in the 15th century
- Pjetër Mazreku, Albanian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church in the 17th century
- Matija Mazarek, priest in the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century
- Blerim Mazreku (born 1981), Kosovan basketball player
- Gafur Mazreku, Albanian politician, late 20th century
- Pjetër Mazreku (fl. 1624–1642), Roman Catholic bishop
- Luan and Bekim Mazreku, Kosovan soldiers in 1998
- Kostandin Kastrioti Mazreku, Great-grandfather of the Albanian national hero, Skanderbeg.
- ^ Elsie, Robert (2015). The Tribes of Albania: History, Society and Culture. I.B.Tauris. p. 138. ISBN 9780857739322.
- ^ Malaj, Edmond (2013). "Familje fisnike të Drishtit mesjetar (Noble Families of Medieval Drivasto". Studime Historike. 3 (4): 45.
- ^ Matzinger, Joachim (2005). "Messapisch und Albanisch". International Journal of Diachronic Linguistics and Linguistic Reconstruction (in German). 2: 29–54.