African Submitted Surnames

African names are used on the continent of Africa, covering a wide number of languages. See also about African names.

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Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.

Tavitha African

Tawanda Shona
Tawanda means "We have increased or multiplied". #It is a name acknowledging the birth of a child as an increase to the family".

Taye Ethiopian

Tchiki Kongo

Tchouaméni Central African

Tebogo Southern African

Tedros Eastern African, Amharic, Ge'ez, Arabic (Egyptian), Coptic
From the given name Tedros.

Teketeke Eastern African, Southern African

Tendo Eastern African

Terezi African

Tersoo Tiv
Means, "father's love". Has its history from Tiv origin. Its a common name amongst the Tiv people of Nigeria.

Tesfamariam Ethiopian
Meaning "Mary hope", from 'tesifa' (hope), and 'mariyami' (Mary).

Tesfaye Amharic, Ethiopian
From the given name Tesfaye.

Teshome Eastern African, Amharic
From the given name Teshome.

Tetteh Western African

Thathiah South African

Theo Eastern African

Theron Southern African, Afrikaans, Occitan
Habitational name for someone from any of various locations in Occitanie named Théron or Thérond, ultimately from Latin torus meaning "elevation, height, embankment". A famous bearer is South African and American actress Charlize Theron (1975-).

Tiama African

Tiarra African

Tiba Central African

Tibba Western African

Tifu African

Tiger Northern African

Tiifu Ganda

Tikitiki Central African

Tinetariro Shona
Tinetariro means "We have hope". Usually given to declare that we have our hope in God.

Tito Northern African

Tom Nigerian

Tomato Southern African

Tombere Central African

Tombura Zande, Central African
Tombura is of unknown etymology.

Tonderai Shona
Tonderai means "Remember". This name is given as a call to remember a particular event or to remember one's origins.

Tonui Eastern African

Tony Nigerian

Toronto Nigerian

Touré Western African
Probably derived from tùùré meaning "elephant" in the Soninké language.

Tra Western African

Traoré Western African, Manding
Francization of Manding Tarawele, which is of uncertain etymology. It was originally used by 13th-century Malian warrior Tiramakhan and possibly means "going to call it".

Triki Northern African, Arabic (Maghrebi)

Troud Northern African

Tshabalala African, Zulu, South African
Means "shooting star"

Tshibuabua Central African
A notable bearer is Martin Tshibuabua, a soccer player.

Tshireletso Tswana
From the given name meaning "protection" in Setswana.

Tshombe Kongo

Tukutuku Central African

Tumas Arabic, Somali, Urdu
From the given name Tumas.

Turkson Akan

Tweneboa Akan
Meaning unknown.

Tyee African

Tyjani Nigerian

Ugas Somali
From the given name Ugas.

Ugochi Nigerian

Ukpeseraye Nigerian

Umburter Tiv
Means, "Remember the father". Father also used in the context of God.

Umtiti Western African

Upamecano French (African), Manding (Gallicized)
A very rare French surname with African roots.

Upole African

Uthman Nigerian
From the given name Uthman.

Uwem Ibibio, Efik, Anang
Meaning "Life". It originates from the Efik, Ibibio and Anang tribes of Cross River state, Nigeria which has now been divided with the Ibibios and Anang people in the newly formed Akwa Ibom state... [more]

Uwimana Rwandan, Eastern African
Means "belongs to God"

Uyovbievbo Yoruba

Uys Afrikaans
Of uncertain origin and meaning. Theories include an Afrikaans variant of Huijs which seems to have developed into Uijs and finally into Uys.

Uzochukwu Igbo
Meaning "god's way".

Van Der Merwe Dutch, South African
While the name is currently very common in South Africa, it originates in Holland, literally meaning "From the Merwe". The first van der Merwes hail from the Merwede river. The name went to South Africa with the Dutch settlers in 1652.

van der Westhuizen Afrikaans

Vanice African

Van Lingen Afrikaans

van Niekerk Afrikaans
Topographic name for any of the various locations named Nieuwerkerk in The Netherlands or Nieuwerkerken in Belgium. The name itself means "of the new church" from Dutch van meaning "of" combined with nieuw meaning "new" and kerk meaning "church".

Van Rooyen Afrikaans
van Rooyen related to van Rooijen, is an Afrikaans and Dutch toponymic surname. May be rooted from the Rhine area of the Netherlands, possibly having meant "from Rhine" originally... [more]

Van Wyk Afrikaans

Van Zyl Afrikaans

Vava South African

Venâncio Portuguese, Central African, Brazilian
Derived from the given name Venâncio.

Venter Afrikaans

Verwey Dutch, Afrikaans, South African
Contracted form of van der Weij meaning "from the meadow".

Viljoen South African

Vimbai Shona
Vimbai means "Have hope, trust". It is a call to have hope or to trust in

Vinga African

Viviers Afrikaans

Voeman Mapuche (Rare), Jamaican Patois (Rare), Yoruba (Modern)
Similar to Roman

Vonai Shona
It is a form of the Shona name Onai.

Vongai Shona
Vongai means "be thankful, or appreciative".

Voyage Central African

Wa Kikuyu

Wacays Somali

Wach Eastern African

Wadzanai Shona
Wadzanai means "Have fellowship, visit each other, be on good terms". The name may be given as a call to family to come together in fellowship, visiting and being on good terms

Wajoli African
Swahili Word mjoli. Swahili Plural wajoli. English Word fellow servant.

Walala African

Wangimba Central African

Wario Eastern African, Swahili

Wasiu Nigerian

Water Northern African

Wawa Western African

Weah African, Western African

Wepener South African, German
South African, German decent/history

Whaa Eastern African

Willane African

Wiredu Akan
Meaning unknown.

Wittenburg South African, German, English (American)

Womr Nigerian

Womrile Western African

Wonai Shona
It is a form of the Shona name Onai.

Wongai Shona
It is a form of the Shona name Vongai

Wumpa Eastern African

Xoosh Somali

Yaca African

Yacob Amharic
From the given name Yacob.

Yacouba Western African
From the given name Yacouba.

Yafo African

Yahaya Western African, Comorian
From the given name Yahaya.

Yaya Western African
From the given name Yaya.

Yeboah Western African, Akan

Yeibi Nigerian

Yende South African

Yeta African

Yeukai Shona
Yeukai means "Remember". This name is given as a call to remember a particular event or to remember one's origins.

Yia African

Yikoshu African, Central African

Yimtatu Amharic

Yost American, Dutch, Afrikaans
Americanized spelling of Dutch surname Joost or German surname Jost

Youssouf Western African
From the given name Youssouf.

Yudas Indonesian, Swahili
From the given name Yudas.

Yunyun Nigerian

Yusuf Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Bengali
From the given name Yusuf.

Zadzisai Shona
Zadzisai means "you must fulfil - a pledge or promise". The name is given as a reminder to fulfil a pledge or promise.

Zambo Central African

Zammit Berber, Northern African
Tunisian Berber name of unknown meaning.

Zanamwe Southern African
Zimbabwean Surname, originally from the Chivi area, shona speaking people of the Shumba(lion) totem originate from the Masvingo province, Mwenezi, Chitanga,Chikombedzi, Boli Chibwedziva. Some migrated to the Mashonaland East province Mhondoro area and assumed the Moyo(heart) totem

Zango Fula, Western African

Zano African

Zanza African

Zaouche Berber, Northern African
Kabyle name of unknown meaning.

Zarene African

Zaribay Central African

Zeghlache Berber, Northern African
Kabyle surname of unknown meaning.

Zeidane Western African
Mauritanian variant of Zidane.

Zemmamouche Berber (Rare), Northern African (Rare)

Zerhouni Arabic (Maghrebi), Northern African, Berber
Possibly refers to the Zerhoun mountain in Morocco. The family name originates from the city of Nedroma in Tlemcen, Algeria.

Zeroual Arabic (Maghrebi), Berber
Nickname for a person with blue eyes from Berber aẓerwal meaning "blue".

Zi Western African

Zinga Central African

Zivai Shona
Zivai means "you must know".

Zivanai Shona
Zivanai means "You must know each other". #This name is a call to family and relatives to get to know each other by visiting and fellowship - usually so that they do not drift apart"

Zobee Nigerian

Zobo Central African, Hausa

Zororo Shona
Zororo means "rest". It may be given to mean that the parent has rested after the birth of this child. Zimbabwean politician Zororo Duri was a well known bearer of this name.

Zoy African

Zulum Kanuri, Nigerian
Derived from the Arabic Salim.

Zuva Shona
Zuva means "sun or day".

Zvaitika Shona
Zvaitika means "It has happened". This name may be given as a celebration that something that was desired or awaited has finally happened.

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