ðə fˈæmɪliz pɹoʊdʒˈɛnɪɾɚ, ˈæftɚ hˈuːm hˌɪstoːɹɪˈɑːɡɹəfi nˈeɪmz ɪt, wʌz ˌɛmˌɑːɹɹˈɛndʒˈɑːvə, ɐ faɪnˈænʃəl tʃˈænsɛlɚ kˈæznæk, tʃˈeɪmbɚlˌɪn hˌuː sˈɜːvd kˈɪŋ stˈɛfən jˈʊɹɹɑːʃ aɪ ænd hɪz wˈaɪf, kwˈiːn hˈɛlən ʌv ˈændʒuː æt ðə kˈoːɹt æt tɹˈɛbɪndʒ ɪn tɹævjˈuːniə.
The family's progenitor, after whom historiography names it, was Mrnjava, a financial chancellor (kaznac, chamberlain) who served King Stefan Uroš I and his wife, Queen Helen of Anjou at the court at Trebinje (in Travunia).