African Submitted Surnames

African names are used in various places on the continent of Africa. 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.

Ech Northern African

Edesa Ethiopian

Eduro African (Rare)

Ejiofor Western African, Igbo
Means "one who acts in good faith" in Igbo. A famous bearer is British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor (1977-).

Ekochu African, Eastern African

Ekron South African

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).

Elise Central African

Elk Northern African

Elmalik Northern African, Arabic
From Arabic الْمَالِك (al-mālik) meaning "the king" or "the owner" (chiefly Sudanese).

Elmi Somali

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.

Emane Central African

Emanuel English, German, Welsh, Jewish, African
From the given name Emanuel.

Emily Eastern African

Emma Nigerian

Engelbrecht Afrikaans
The name Engelbrecht has multiple translations, including "Angle Glorious" and "Bright Angel".

Eric Eastern African

Esangui Central African

Eseme African

Eshone African (Rare)

Esse African

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.

Esterhuysen Southern African, Afrikaans
Variant of Esterhuizen.

Ethan Nigerian

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, French (African)

Eye Central African

Eze Nigerian

Ez Zaatouti Arabic (Maghrebi), Northern African

Fahnbulleh Western African
Means "bold and strong" in Liberian.

Falomo Nigerian

Fana Ethiopian

Farai Shona
Farai means "Rejoice, be happy".

Fatimotu African

Fatola Nigerian

Fifi Northern African

Fille Central African

Flye Western African

Folu Nigerian

Fourie Afrikaans
Originates from French Huguenot settlers

Fussy German, English, Eastern African

Ganda Western African

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]

Gebreyes Ethiopian

Gebrselassie Amharic, Ethiopian

Gero Amharic

Ghirmai Eastern African

Gnabry Western African

Godiah Nigerian

Goliath Southern African

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.

Guh Nigerian

Guindo Western African

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).

Haggar Northern African

Haile Ethiopian
Meaning "power" or "might".

Hailemariam Amharic, Ethiopian
Combination of Haile and Mariam.

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.

Hammy Northern African

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

Haruna Hausa, Fula
From the given name Haruna 2.

Hassan Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Dhivehi, Filipino, Tausug, Maranao, Somali (Arabized)
From the given name Hassan.

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.

Hebo African

Hesom South African

Hilina Ethiopian

Hooly Western African

Hughana Eastern African

Human English (African), South African
Occupational name for a Hugh-man.

Huruma African

Husaini Persian, Afghan, Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, Hausa
From the given name Husayn.

Ibaka Central African

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

Ikande Nigerian

Ikochu African, Eastern African

Ikocu African, Eastern African

Ilodigwe Igbo

Ilunga Luba, Central African
Means ‘To Unite’.

Iman Arabic, Urdu, Somali, Bengali, Persian
From the given name Iman.

Iniko Nigerian

Inkie Southern African

Innocenten Nigerian

Inoli African

Irakoze Central African
Means "thank god" in Burundian and Rwandan.

Isheanesu Shona
Isheanesu means "The Lord is with us".

Ismail Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Dhivehi, Somali (Arabized)
From the given name Isma'il.

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.

Izem Berber, Northern African
From the given name Izem, directly taken from the Tamazight word ⵉⵣⴻⵎ (izem) meaning "lion".

Izuchukwu Nigerian

Jabbie Western African, Manding

Jabo Rwandan

Jacob Nigerian

Jacqueline Eastern African

Jali South African

Jalloh Western African
Probably a derivative of Arabic Jalil.

Jallow Western African

Jawara Manding (Anglicized)

Jedou Western African
Found in Mauritania.

Jeptoo African, Kenyan

Jericho African
Directly taken from the place name Jericho.

Jeyi Shona
Porcupine. Wamambo. Strong, Courageous, Joyful and loving.

Jim Nigerian

Jima Ethiopian

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.

Jock Eastern African

Jomana Northern African

Jonah Western African

Jonn Nigerian

Jonnie Nigerian

Jood South African

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]

Jophrey African

Jose Eastern African

Joshua Nigerian

Joumana Northern African

Jozi Hlubi (?), African
A Hlubi word referring to a sword or spear mkonto,mkhonto,lerumo

Juma Swahili, Arabic
From the given name Juma.

Junior Eastern African

Justine Eastern African

Juuf Serer

Kabamba Kongo

Kabila Luba, Central African

Kahari African

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).

Kaikai Manding

Kailand South African

Kaili African

Kainda Kongo

Kaite African

Kalaba African, Southern African, Tonga
Means "forgetful person".

Kamara Western African
Used in Sierra Leone.

Kamoni Kongo

Kamugisha Eastern African

Kanazoé Mossi
Not available.

Kansiime Kiga
The surname of a certain Anne.

Kaphiri Southern African

Karaboué Ivorian, Western African

Karene Western African

Karusha African

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.

Kassie Western African

Kasumu African

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.

Kathure African

Katio African

Kayana Central African

Kayla Eastern African

Kazah Nigerian (Anglicized, Modern)

Kebre African

Keli African

Kellerman South African

Kellu Nigerian

Kemba Eastern African

Kenam Southern African

Kendi African

Kevin African

Khalfani African

Khalif Somali
Somali form of Khalifa.

Khumalo Zulu, Ndebele, South African
Zulu and Ndebele clan name meaning "descendant of the fish tribe".

Ki Western African

Kibo Central African

Kibuuka South African

Kiden African

Killmonger African
The name (last name) of the villain in Black Panther, played by Michael B. Jordan.

Kimachu Eastern African, Swahili

Kimba Luba
Best known as the international given name of a certain Tezuka character.

Kimpembe Central African

Kione African

Kiprono African

Kirwana African

Kitsusu Kongo
The surname of a notable Congolese musician whose real first name was Philemon.

Kiyako Nigerian (?)

Kizi African

Kloi African

Kodjo Ewe
From the given name Kodjo

Koffi Ewe
From the given name Koffi

Kofi Akan
From the given name Kofi

Koko Arabic (Egyptian), Eastern African

Kollie African

Kolver South African

Kombayi African (Rare)

Komboïgo Mossi
Not available.

Konkwo Igbo
Boy born on Nkwo

Kopo Southern African

Kotton South African

Koty African

Kotze Afrikaans

Koulibali Manding, Western African
variant of Coulibaly.

Kpodo Western African

Kporaro Nigerian (Rare)
The name Kporaro translates into the English language as "PROGRESS" (literally Kpo which is "Go", Ra which is "OF" and Aro which is "FRONT" in which case the Ra implies "For" or "Of" thus Kporaro is literally "Go Of Front" or more properly "Move Forward")... [more]

Kumalo Zulu, Ndebele, South African
Variant of Khumalo.

Kunaya Kongo

Kutuna African

Kuzai Southern African

Kwelagobe Southern African

Kwi Central African

Ky Western African

Kyagumbo Shona
Meaning unknown.

Kyekyeku Akan
Meaning unknown.

Laalaa Northern African

Ladie African

Lady Western African