Notable members of this family were senior military officers, bans (viceroys) of Croatia or other state officials.

In the 16th century members of family lived in the central Croatian historical region of Banovina, between the rivers of Una and Kupa.

Due to Ottoman expansion, the Jelačićs retreated from the Una river area and settled in Turopolje, Hrvatsko Zagorje and Lika.

Janko Jelačić was a comrade of Hungarian-Croatian general Nikola Šubić Zrinski and fell in 1566 in the famous Battle of Szigetvár.

The family produced many military commanders, among which the best known were Baron Franjo Jelačić (1746–1810), a Field Marshal in Habsburg monarchy army service, and his son Josip (1801–1859), a Ban of Croatia.