Those župans by origin most probably belonged to the tribal or noble family structure, in historiography known as the Twelve noble tribes of Croatia, which are mentioned in the Pacta conventa and Supetar Cartulary. In the Supetar Cartulary, and in Croatian redaction of Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja, they were called as nobile sapienciroes and starac (elderman), indicating that to the agreement with king Coloman went twelve "elders župan".
Originally, those župans most probably belonged to the tribal or noble family framework, according to historiographical accounts known as the Twelve noble tribes of Croatia, which are mentioned in the Pacta conventa and Supetar Cartulary. In the Supetar Cartulary and Croatian version of Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja, they were called nobile sapienciroes and starac (elderman), signifying that their agreement with king Coloman included twelve "elders župan".