African Submitted Surnames

African names are used on the continent of Africa, covering a wide number of languages. See also about African names.
usage
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Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Coulibaly Western African, Manding
Francization of Bambara kulu bari meaning "without a canoe", referring to someone who crossed a river or another body of water without the use of a canoe.
Dabie Akan (Latinized, Modern)
Dabie was originally from the Bono people of Ghana and it is portrayed as a royal name amongst the people. Many individuals who have inherited this name are Chiefs. It's meaning is someone who's a Warrior.
Dambe Hausa, Western African
Given from a martial art from the Hausa people.
Dambudzo Shona
Dambudzo means "that which causes suffering or trouble". #The Zimbabwean writer, Dambudzo Marechera is a famous bearer of this name".
Danesi Edo
THERE ARE TWO SETS OF DANESI. ONE IN ITALY AND THE OTHER IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA. DANESI ITALIAN MEANS «MAN FROM DENMARK» AFRICAN DANESI MEANS «PRAISE BE TO THE CREATOR»
Dangarembga Shona
Meaning unknown.
Danioko Manding
Meaning unknown.
Darego Nigerian (Rare)
Meaning unknown.
Dauda Hausa
From the given name Dauda.
Dawit Ge'ez, Amharic
From the given name Dawit.
De Beer Afrikaans
De Beer is a Dutch and Afrikaans surname, meaning "the bear"
De Bruyn Afrikaans
"Bruyn" is an archaic spelling of "bruin", meaning "brown"
Deressa Eastern African, Amharic
From the given name Deressa.
Deresse Amharic, Ethiopian
From the given name Deresse or Deressa.
Diallo Western African, Fula
Derived from the Fula clan name Jallo of uncertain meaning. Diallo is a common name throughout West Africa.
Diop Western African, Wolof
From Joob, the name of a Wolof clan, derived from a totemic word meaning "black craned swan" or "peacock".
Diouf Western African, Serer
From the Serer clan name Joof or Juuf of uncertain meaning.
Djabou Arabic (Maghrebi), Central African
Meaning unknown. A bearer is Abdelmoumene Djabou (1987-), an Algerian footballer.
Djokoto African
from Togo Lome, Vogan in west Africa from the djokoto family.
Dolf African
DOLF FAMILY OF CAPE TOWN
Domrane Kabyle, Berber
Not available.
Dorkenoo Akan
Meaning unknown.
Doucouré Western African, Soninke
Meaning uncertain.
Dualeh Somali
Meaning unknown.
Dube Ndebele, Zulu
It means Zebra. It is usually a surname instead of a person's name used by Zimbabwean Ndebele people and South African Zulu people.... [more]
Dudzai Shona
Dudzai means "Speak it out, confess it".
du Plessis Afrikaans, French Creole, French (Cajun), French (Huguenot)
French topographic name for someone who lived by a quickset fence, Old French pleis (from Latin plexum past participle of plectere ‘plait’, ‘weave’), with fused preposition and definite article du ‘from the’... [more]
Dut African
Dut is a surname among the Dinka people in South Sudan.
Dwamena Akan
Meaning unknown.
Dzata Ewe, Western African
From Ewe meaning "warrior".
Ebikeme African
Unsure of the source, used famously by Charles Ebikeme, African scholar and educator in the 21st century.
Ejiofor Western African, Igbo
Means "one who acts in good faith" in Igbo. A famous bearer is British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor (1977-).
El Bechir Western African
Means "the Bechir", derived from the given name Bashir. This surname is mainly used in Mauritania.
Elhassan Northern African, Arabic
From Arabic حَسُنَ (ḥasuna) meaning "to be good, to be beautiful" (chiefly Sudanese).
Elmalik Northern African, Arabic
From Arabic الْمَالِك (al-mālik) meaning "the king" or "the owner" (chiefly Sudanese).
El Moctar Western African
Derived from the given Moctar, a variant of Mokhtar. A bearer is Jidou El Moctar (1985–), a Mauritanian runner.
Elyas Ethiopian, Filipino, Malay
Form of Elias, latinized version of the Hebrew Eliyahu, "My God is Yahweh", found in Ethiopian, Filipino and Malay populations. See also the first names Elias, Elijah.
Emanuel English, German, Welsh, Jewish, African
From the given name Emanuel.
Engelbrecht Afrikaans
The name Engelbrecht has multiple translations, including "Angle Glorious" and "Bright Angel".
Essien Western African, Akan, Ibibio, Efik
Means "sixth born child" in Akan, possibly deriving from the given name Nsia. As a Nigerian name it is derived from a given name (found among the Ibibio and Efik people) denoting the son the family lineage depends on, possibly meaning either "a child who belongs to everyone" or "the child who takes charge of outside matters"... [more]
Esterhuizen Southern African, Afrikaans
Habitational name of French origin, denoting a person from Estreux, a commune in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France.
Etienam Nigerian, Ibibio (?), Spanish (Caribbean, ?)
This is a name which originates from the Calabar/Akwa Ibom region of southeastern Nigeria. It means "a doer of good, or benevolent". It is also found in Spanish-speaking regions of the Caribbean such as Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Cuba (El Oriente) which have populations of people of Ibibio/Efik decent known as "Carabali".
Eto'o Central African, Ibibio, Efik
Means "tree, wood" in Ibibio and Efik. It is found predominantly in Cameroon. The former Cameroonian soccer player Samuel Eto'o (1981-) is a famous bearer of this surname.
Fahnbulleh Western African
Means "bold and strong" in Liberian.
Fall Western African, Fula, Wolof, Manding
Meaning uncertain.
Farai Shona
Farai means "Rejoice, be happy".
Faye Western African, Serer
Meaning uncertain.
Fourie Afrikaans
Originates from French Huguenot settlers
Gakpo Western African, Ewe
Means "iron, metal" in Ewe, possibly derived from a nickname or an occupation. It is usually found in Ghana and Togo. Dutch soccer player Cody Gakpo (1999-) bears this name.
Garbai Nigerian, Kanuri, Hungarian
Meaning unknown.
Gaya African
African spelling, surname form, and variant spelling of Gaia. It is the 18,784th most frequently used surname in the world. It is borne by approximately 1 in 246,879 people... [more]
Grigahcine Berber (Rare, ?)
Meaning unknown, perhaps of Kabyle origin. A known bearer is DJ Snake, who was born William Grigahcine (1986-), an Algerian-French musician.
Guèye Western African, Wolof
Variant of Gueye influenced by French orthography.
Gueye Western African, Wolof
From a clan name of uncertain meaning.
Gurira Southern African, Shona
From the Ndau word gurira meaning "to break or cut for someone, cut short, take shortcut". The American-Zimbabwean actress and playwright Danai Gurira (1978-) is a famous bearer of this name.
Gwinyai Shona
Gwinyai means "be strong".
Gyasi Akan
Meaning unknown.
Habyarimana Central African
Variant spelling of Havyarimana. This surname was borne by assassinated Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana (1937-1994).
Haile Ethiopian
Meaning "power" or "might".
Hakizimana Central African
Means "God cures" in Burundian and Rwandan.
Haliche Berber, Northern African
Variant transcription of Halliche.
Halliche Berber, Northern African
Kabyle surname of unknown meaning.
Hamadache Berber, Northern African
Kabyle surname derived from the Arabic given name Hamada.
Hamadou Western African
From the given name Hamadou.
Hamidou Western African
From the given name Hamidou.
Harouna Western African
From the given name Harouna.
Harun Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Bengali
From the given name Harun.
Haruna Hausa, Fula
From the given name Haruna 2.
Hassane Western African
From the given name Hassane.
Hassani Persian, Arabic, Swahili
From the given name Hassan.
Hatendi Shona
Meaning unknown.
Havyarimana Central African
Means "God gives birth" in Burundian and Rwandan.
Hawa Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Bengali
From the given name Hawa.
Human English (African), South African
Occupational name for a Hugh-man.
Husaini Persian, Afghan, Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, Hausa
From the given name Husayn.
Idriss Western African
From the given name Idriss.
Idrissa Western African
From the given name Idrissa.
Iduh Nigerian
Iduh surname occurs mainly in Africa, of the Idoma people of Benue state, Nigeria.
Igwe Igbo
Means "sky".
Ihekweme Igbo
Name used mostly by South Eastern Nigerians
Ilunga Luba, Central African
Means ‘To Unite’.
Iman Arabic, Urdu, Somali, Bengali, Persian
From the given name Iman.
Irakoze Central African
Means "thank god" in Burundian and Rwandan.
Isheanesu Shona
Isheanesu means "The Lord is with us".
Issaka Western African
From the given name Issaka.
Issoufou Western African
From the given name Issoufou.
Iwuchukwu Igbo, African
It means God's covenant is unwavering. This name is a bearer is a testimony of God's command. This ia a Christian name.
Izebboudjen Berber
From the berber word meaning "Olive tree".
Izem Berber, Northern African
From the given name Izem, directly taken from the Tamazight word ⵉⵣⴻⵎ (izem) meaning "lion".
Jalloh Western African
Probably a derivative of Arabic Jalil.
Jalloh Western African, Fula
Variant of Diallo primarily used in Sierra Leone.
Jallow Western African, Fula
Variant of Diallo primarily used in Gambia.
Jedou Western African
Found in Mauritania.
Jericho African
Directly taken from the place name Jericho.
Jeyi Shona
Porcupine. Wamambo. Strong, Courageous, Joyful and loving.
Jlassi Arabic (Maghrebi), Berber
From the name of an Tamazight (Berber) tribal confederation in Tunisia; the name could be from Arabic إِخْلَاص (ʾiḵlāṣ) meaning "sincerity, devotion, loyalty" or of unknown Berber meaning.
Joof Serer
The surname Joof (English spelling in Gambia) whit its derivatives Juuf / Juf (Seereer proper) or Diouf (French spelling in Senegal and Mauritania) is a Senegambian surname found amongst the Seereer people of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania... [more]
Jozi Hlubi (?), African
A Hlubi word referring to a sword or spear mkonto,mkhonto,lerumo
Juma Swahili, Arabic
From the given name Juma.
Kaba Western African, Manding
From a Mandinka clan name perhaps derived from the name of a village in southern Mali.
Kahinu Eastern African, Ge'ez, Amharic, Tigrinya, Swahili, Somali, Malagasy
Means "clergyman" in several Eastern African languages, originally denoting someone who was a clergyman (see the given name Kahinu).
Kalaba African, Southern African, Tonga
Means "forgetful person".
Kamara Western African
Used in Sierra Leone.
Kanazoé Mossi
Not available.
Kansiime Kiga
The surname of a certain Anne.
Kasongo Central African
A Congolese surname derived from the town with the same name, located in the Maniema Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Kat Dutch, Frisian, Afrikaans, Jewish
Means "Cat" in Dutch, Frisian, and Afrikaans, perhaps originally a nickname for someone who owned a cat or somehow resembled a cat.
Khalif Somali
Somali form of Khalifa.
Khumalo Zulu, Ndebele, South African
Zulu and Ndebele clan name meaning "descendant of the fish tribe".
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