African Submitted Surnames

African names are used on the continent of Africa, covering a wide number of languages. See also about African names.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Ababuo f African
African
Abakar Western African
From the given name Abakar.
Abdellahi Western African, Wolof
From the given name Abdellah (chiefly Mauritanian).
Abdoulaye Western African
From the given name Abdoulaye.
Abebe Amharic, Ethiopian
Means "flower" in Amharic.
Abeqquy Berber
Moroccan (Rifian): tribal name from the tribe of Ibeqquyen from the province of Řḥusima.
Abeqquy Berber
Moroccan (Rifian): tribal name from the tribe of Ibeqquyen from the province of Řḥusima.
Abeṭṭiw Berber
Moroccan (Rifian): tribal name from the tribe of Ibeṭṭiwen from the province of Nnaḍua.
Abimbola Yoruba
From the given name Abimbola
Aboah Akan
Meaning unknown.
Aboubacar Western African
From the given name Aboubacar.
Aboubakar Western African
From the given name Aboubakar.
Abukar Somali
Of Somali origin and means "father of the unique".
Achampomaa African
Allegedly a feminine form of Achampong used in Ghana.
Achampong Western African
Variant of the Ashanti surname Acheamphong, meaning "destined for greatness".
Acheamphong Western African (?)
Could mean "destined for greatness"
Adamou Western African
From the given name Adamou.
Adamu Amharic, Swahili, Hausa
From the given name Adamu (see user-submitted name).
Adebowale Yoruba
From the given name Adebowale
Adedeji Yoruba
Means "one crown has become two" in Yoruba.
Adefope Nigerian, Western African, Yoruba
Derived from Adéfọpẹ́, meaning “the crown grants thanksgivings”.
Adegbamigbe Yoruba
From the given name Adegbamigbe.
Adegoke Yoruba
From the given name Adegoke
Adelakun Yoruba
From the given name Adelakun
Ademola Yoruba
From the given name Ademola
Adesanya Yoruba
Meaning "first to be born" in Yoruba.
Adesina Yoruba
From the given name Adesina
Adewale Yoruba
From the given name Adewale.
Adisa Yoruba
From the given name Adisa
Adonis South American, Southern African
From the given name Adonis. This surname is particularly common in parts of South Africa, Haiti, and Guyana
Agbaje Nigerian, Yoruba
Meaning unknown. A bearer is Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (1967-), an English actor and model of Yoruba Nigerian descent.
Agbeko Western African, Ewe
From Ewe meaning "chief of the family line of the Beko people".
Agrinya Nigerian (Rare)
Means "warrior" in the Nigerian language of Yala. It was an earned name.
Agu Igbo
Agu is an Igbo surname; the word Agu means Tiger in Igobo language.
Aguer Dinka
the name was mainly given to boys of the Dinka tribe ,mainly in the Upper Nile state of South Sudan. meaning is unknown but is synonymous with "tree"
Agyare Akan
Meaning unknown.
Agyei Akan
Meaning unknown.
Agyeman Akan
Derived from an Akan male personal name denoting a fourteenth-born boy but also interpreted as ‘savior of the nation’.
Agzenay Berber
Moroccan (Rifian): tribal name from the tribe of Igzenayen from the province of Nnaḍua.
Ahamada Comorian
From the given name Ahamada.
Ahishakiye Rwandan
AHISHAKIYE is a both male (most) and female name which means "Whenever God want" and is originally from Rwanda. It is a familiar name in the East African countries speaking Kinyarwanda and Kirundi such as Rwanda, Uganda, RDC, Burundi and Tanzania... [more]
Ahmat Western African
From the given name Ahmat.
Ahmedin Amharic
From the given name Ahmedin.
Aït Berber, Northern African
Derived from Tamazight ⴰⵢⵜ (aït) meaning "son", also commonly used a component for compound names and surnames.
Aït Ahmed Berber (Gallicized)
Means "son of Ahmed" in Tamazight.
Ait Bekka Berber
Berber surname derived from ait meaning "son" and Bekka, possibly a Berber given name.
Aïtbrahim Berber, Northern African
Means "son of Brahim", from Tamazight ⴰⵢⵜ (ait) meaning "son" combined with the Arabic given name Brahim.
Ajala Edo
Means "chief of the horses".
Àjàyí Yoruba
From the given names Àjàyí.
Akebdani Berber
Moroccan (Rifian): habitational name from the town of Dar Lkebdani.
Akello Eastern African
A Lou surname that originates from the name of a male ancestor, Okello or Akello. The ancestor was so named as he was a child born after the birth of twins. Lou personal names were given based on a circumstance of birth.
Akiiki Tooro, Nyoro, Alur, Acholi
The pet name of Elizabeth of Toro.
Akinnuoye Western African, Yoruba
Means "chief warrior" in Yoruba. A famous bearer is English actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (1967-).
Akyeampong African
Akan name from Ghana. It means the one who gives birth to princes. Mostly spelt Acheampong mainly to make life easy for Europeans, however that spelling is wrong because there is no "c" in the Akan or Twi alphabet... [more]
Albaz Jewish, Northern African
Ashkenazic Jewish name meaning, "falconer" found mainly amongst Jewish peoples emigrating from Algeria and Morocco.
Alhassan Arabic, Somali, Urdu
From the given name Al-Hasan.
Alioune Western African
From the given name Alioune.
Amadou Western African
From the given name Amadou.
Amani Tigrinya
From the given name Amani (see user-submitted name) meaning "faith" in Tigrinya. It is possibly related to Arabic Iman or Swahili Imani, also meaning "faith".
Amankona Akan
Meaning unknown.
Ameziane Berber, Northern African
Variant transcription of Meziane.
Amissah Akan
Meaning unknown.
Amsterdam Dutch (Expatriate), Afrikaans
From the name of the capital city of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, meaning "dam of the Amstel".
Annaka f African, Hebrew, Hausa
Annaka is a feminine appellation particularly beloved in the Chadic language of Hausa, spoken mainly in Nigeria, Niger, and throughout West Africa. Meaning “sweet-faced,” Annaka is a form of Anika, adding a dash of flavor with its triple “a” and double “n.” Annaka is also a form of the Hebrew Anna, meaning “graciousness.” American author Annaka Harris bears this beautiful appellation, whose work focuses on mental health in children and adults.
Annan Western African, Akan
Means "fourth-born child" in Akan.
Anotidaishe Shona
Anotidaishe means "the Lord loves us".
Antetokounmpo Western African, Yoruba (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Adetokunbo. This name is borne by the Greek-Nigerian basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo (1994-), as well as his brothers Thanasis (1992-), Kostas (1997-) and Alex Antetokounmpo (2001-), also noted basketball players.
Anunoby Nigerian (?)
A famous bearer is the British basketball player O.G. Anunoby (1997-).
Appiah Akan
Appiah is derived from an Akan male personal name of unexplained etymology.
Archangel Eastern African
From the given name Archangel.
Archibong Efik, Ibibio
of Efik Origin, originally pronounced asibong but changed by the british to Archibong, meaning Kings Father, Kings Friend, (amasi Obong)
Arjwana Eastern African
Eastern African
Asamoah Western African, Akan
From the given name Asamoah. A famous bearer is the retired Ghanaian soccer player Kwadwo Asamoah (1988-).
Asante Western African, Akan
From the ethnic name of the Ashanti, a sub-ethnic group of the Akan from southern Ghana. The name possibly means "warlike" in the Twi language.
Askia Songhai, Western African
Meaning unknown.
Assamoah Akan, Western African
Variant of Asamoah
Awaayaɣeř Berber
Moroccan (Rifian): tribal name from the tribe of Ayt Waayaɣeř from the province of Řḥusima.
Axmed Somali
Somali form of Ahmed.
Azi Afizere
Azi is actually pronounced Azīh which means "Unending, in ended father of many generations" it is named after children believed to become the origin or source of lasting families.
Azubuike Igbo
From the given name Azubuike.
Baba Nigerian, Yoruba, Western African
From an honourific title used to denote a father, wise man, or an elder.
Baeta Ewe
Best known as the maiden surname of a certain Annie.
Baffoe Western African, Akan
Ghanaian surname of unknown meaning.
Bah Fula (Anglicized)
A surname of Fulani origin found all over Western Africa. French speaking African countries typically spell this surname as Ba or .
Bangoura Manding (Gallicized)
Guinean Susu surname of unknown Meaning.
Bantam English (African), South African
Possibly a variant of Bentham. In an alternate interpretation, it could also be from the word "bantam" which denotes someone who's small but mighty.
Baraki Ethiopian, Amharic
From the given name Baraki, meaning "one who blesses" in Amharic. It is possibly related to Arabic Barak 2 and Hebrew Baruch, also meaning "blessed".
Barry African
A Guinean surname meaning the family comes from the Peul, Fulani, or Foulbe ethnic groups of West Africa.
Batlokwa Tswana, Southern African
a branch of the Bakgatla section of the Bantu speaking communities which originated from the Great Lakes and Northern Central Africa. Batlokwa are said to have been a breakaway branch of the Bakgatla which is another Bahurutse section of the Tswana people.
Beerale Somali
The surname "Beerale" in Somali means "farmer" or "agriculturist." It refers to someone involved in farming or agricultural activities.
Beernabad Somali
Beer" means farm, and "Nabad" means peace.
Bekker South African, Dutch
Regional variant of Bakker or Becker.
Beloucif Northern African, Arabic (Maghrebi), Algerian
A family name, likely of Algerian origins, written in Arabic as "بلوصيف"... [more]
Ben Ali Arabic (Maghrebi), Comorian
Maghrebi transcription of Arabic بن علي (bin Ali) meaning "son of Ali 1". A notable bearer was Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (1936-2019), who served as the president of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011.
Benhaim Judeo-Spanish, Northern African
Variant of Ben Haim used by Jews in North Africa.
Blaauw Dutch, South African
Archaic spelling of Dutch blauw "blue", a nickname referring to the bearer’s eye colour, clothes, or possibly a pale and sickly complexion. It could also be an occupational name for someone who made blue dye, or bluing for laundry.
Boakye Akan
Meaning unknown.
Boateng Western African, Akan
Means "someone who is humble to God" in Akan. This is among the most common surnames in Ghana. Famous bearers include half-brothers Jérôme (1988-) and Kevin-Prince Boateng (1987-), both of whom are German soccer players.
Bolaji Nigerian
This surname is very common in Nigeria. Possibly taken from a word in one of the Nigerian tribes languages.
Bolingoli Central African, Lingala
Means "shining" in Lingala. This surname is borne by Belgian soccer player Romelu Lukaku Bolingoli (1993-), more commonly known as Romelu Lukaku. Another famous bearer is Romelu's cousin Boli Bolingoli (1995-), also a noted soccer player.
Boubacar Western African
From the given name Boubacar.
Bouchemlal Kabyle, Berber
Kabyle surname of unknown meaning.
Bouhouche Berber, Northern African
Kabyle name possibly derived from Arabic أَبُو (ʾabū) meaning "father" and حَوْش (ḥawš) meaning "courtyard, enclosure, farm" (chiefly Algerian).
Boujettif Northern African (Archaic)
Meaning, "The family of the son of the Clever Head" or "One Whom Possess a Clever Head." Bou (normally used in the North African Regions of the Maghrib Countries) has 2 possible derivative meanings both originating from the Arabic language, "Son of..." or an Arabic word Tho meaning, "One Who Possess A Quality." Jettif is a variance of Jettef, Jeif or Ji'f which is derived from the ancient Tamazight or Imazighen (popularly known as Berber) and is pronounced "j-ixf" which means Clever, head, or brain."
Boushab Western African
Used in Mauritania.
Branco Portuguese, Central African
from the the portuguese word Branco meaning "white", referring to someone with light skin and/or hair
Buuro Somali
From the Somali language,Buur meaning "mountain".
Buys Afrikaans (Modern)
South Africa, Pretoria
Ceesay Western African, Manding
Gambian surname of Mandinka origin, which originally indicated a descendant of a marabout, i.e. a West African Muslim teacher and religious leader.... [more]
Chamapiwa Shona
Chamapiwa means "that which you have been given". It is a call to appreciate that which you have from God
Chenai Shona
Chenai means "Be clean, be hygienic or come out clean"
Chepchumba Kalenjin
Matronymic surname meaning "daughter of Chumba".
Chérif Arabic (Maghrebi), Western African
Form of Sharif used in North Africa and parts of French-influenced western Africa.
Chiama Igbo
Western Africa (Nigeria)... [more]