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This project and the Makarsko Primorje i Zagora -> Peljesac i Korcula project list those who originated in the Makarska region and Dalmatian Highlands region and moved elsewhere due to various reasons. Historically, the largest movement from this region was caused by the Ottoman incursions. Those fleeing from the mainland onto the islands (mostly to Vis, Korcula, Brač and Hvar , were accorded special privileges and as a result did not intermarry with the earlier settlers on the islands.
The Venetian Republic gave the newcomers land and awarded them special privileges (called "the Paštrović Privileges"), according to which they were exempt from serving on the Venetian galleys in times of war and were freed from many taxes and public works. This resulted in animosity between newcomers and prior settlers and created many socio-cultural barriers between the immigrant and indigenous population. Since, if they married native settlers, the newcomers could lose their privileges, there was a strong barrier to gene flow between the old population substratum and the immigrant superstratum throughout the whole period of Venetian rule on the islands There are a few cases recorded when those who had sought refuge on the islands returned to the mainland.