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.

Lynxtrans Western African

Lyuka African

Madhubuti Swahili
A notable bearer is Haki R. Madhubuti, a writer.

Madia South African

Mafanela South African

Magombo Swahili, African, Swazi (Rare)
Meaning unknown, possibly related from the fore name of the same name. It means "leaves" (verb) in Swahili.

Magondu Kikuyu

Mahalah African
zambian (tumbuka) name meaning intelligent. "mwana wa mahalah" means intelligent child

Mahamadou Western African
From the given name Mahamadou.

Mahamat Western African, Thai (Muslim)
From the given name Mahamat.

Maïga African

Mainu Western African

Majange Shona
Meaning unknown.

Majoly Central African

Makabu Central African

Makonnen Eastern African, Amharic
Derived from the given name Makonnen.

Makory Eastern African

Malala Malagasy, Central African

Malan Afrikaans

Malgas South African

Malick Indian, Bengali, Pakistani, Western African
From the Arabic ملك (malik) meaning "king, sovereign, monarch" (see Malik 1), used by Indian Hindus and Muslims.

Maliko African

Malindi African

Mama Western African

Mamadou Western African
From the given name Mamadou.

Mambo Southern African
Mambo is a surname of the Kaonde tribe, meaning: danger. A warning to would be detractors.

Mami Northern African

Mandingo African

Mandisa South African

Manfred Eastern African

Mangawa Southern African

Mangle Indian, African

Manu Western African, Akan
Means "second-born child" in Akan.

Manyasha African (Rare)

Maouloud Western African
Derived from Arabic مولود‎‎ (mawlud) meaning "born, newborn", used to refer to the مولد (Mawlid) observance of the birth of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad (chiefly Mauritanian).

Marais French, Afrikaans

Maré French, Afrikaans

Maree Afrikaans, French, English

Mariam Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, Somali, Amharic
From the given name Maryam.

Mariera African

Marindi South African

Maro African

Marole South African

Masakadza Southern African, Zimbabwean

Mashashane Ndebele (Rare), Pedi (Rare)

Masine African

Masiwa African

Masiye Chewa
Means "orphan" in Chewa language.

Masona African

Masondo Southern African, Zulu
Derived from Zulu amasondo meaning "wheels".

Massia African

Mathema Ndebele
The Mathema people mostly inhabit the Northern Matebeleland in Zimbabwe, however their clan names are linked and related of those other Nguni clans. These are as follows: ... [more]

Mathema Shona
Meaning unknown.

Mathenge Swahili

Matins Nigerian, Portuguese

Matuidi Central African

Mawere Shona
Meaning unknown.

Maxamed Somali
Somali form of Muhammad.

Maygan Eastern African

Mazigh Arabic (Maghrebi), Berber
Derived from Arabic أَمَازِيغ (ʾamāzīḡ) the Arabic designation for the Berber (Amazigh) people of North Africa. The word itself is ultimately of Tamazight origin, from Central Atlas Tamazight ⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖ (Amaziɣ) of disputed meaning; in modern Central Atlas Tamazight, it means “free-man”.

Mba Central African

Mbabazi Eastern African
A Bantu Uganda surname meaning 'grace' or 'kindness'.

Mbah Central African, Nigerian

Mbaia Central African

M'bala Central African
Derived from the given name Mbala. This surname is borne by French comedian, actor and political activist Dieudonné M'bala M'bala (1966-).

Mbangwa Shona
Meaning unknown.

Mbappé Central African (Gallicized)
Borne by French professional footballer Kylian Mbappé (1998-), whose father is from Cameroon.

M'bareck Western African
Derived from Arabic مُبَارَك (mubārak) meaning "blessed, fortunate, lucky" (chiefly Mauritanian).

Mbarek Berber
Moroccan Tachelhit variant of Mubarak.

Mbaruk African

M'beirick Western African
Most likely a variant of M’Bareck.

Mbenguzana Hlubi (?), African
Hlubi word referring to an old cat with grey beard but in this instance it means grey-bearded leopard. Originates from one of the Nkwali tribe's early head?king Lusulengwe(Leopard's face)

Mboto African
Last name of a character from Australian soap opera, Home and Away. This is the last name of character Stephanie Mboto, duration 1996-97.

Mchunu South African

Me Western African

Megan Western African

Meghnagi Jewish, Northern African
Sephardic Jewish, originating from the Libyan Jewish community. Most were from Tripoli, with a much smaller contingent from Benghazi.

Mekonnen Eastern African, Amharic
Variant spelling of Makonnen.

Melaku Ethiopian, Amharic
From the given name Melaku, meaning "the angel" in Amharic. It is possibly related to Arabic/Hebrew Malak and Turkish Melek 2, also meaning "angel".

Melane South African

Meleni South African

Melgiste Ethiopian

Melker Dutch, Swedish (Rare), Afrikaans
Derived from Dutch melker "milker (one who milks)". In some cases, however, it can also be derived from the given name Melchior.

Melodi South African

Mendy Western African, Fula

Mengiste Ethiopian

Mensah Western African, Akan
Means "third-born son" in Akan.

Menya African

Menyah African

Messi African, Arabic, Italian
Famous bearer of this surname is Lionel Messi (born 1987-), an Argentinian footballer of Italian descent.

Messoud Western African
From the given name Mas'ud; used in Mauritania.

Metito Eastern African

Meziane Berber, Northern African
From the given name Meziane (chiefly Algerian and Moroccan).

Meziani Arabic (Maghrebi), Berber
Variant of Meziane.

Migan African

Mikal Ethiopian
The Origin of Mikal comes from the Hebrew meaning... [more]

Mikel English, Nigerian
From the given name Mikel.

Miloh African

Minchie Central African

Mini South African

Mirghani Northern African, Arabic
Sudanese name of unknown Arabic meaning.

Missi African

Mkerref Berber (Modern, Rare)
Mkerref originated from the 1950s in Tangier, Morocco. The surname is rare and its holders have riffian (amazigh) roots, known as the Temsamanis originally. ... [more]

Mochia Western African

Mode Nigerian

Mogorosi Tswana

Mohamadou Western African
From the given name Mohamadou.

Mohamed Arabic, Dhivehi, Somali (Arabized)
From the given name Muhammad.

Mokrani Berber, Northern African, Arabic (Maghrebi)
Either from the given name Mokrane or derived from El Mokrani, a town in Algeria.

Molly African

Mombeshora Shona
Meaning unknown.

Monke Western African

Monkey Nigerian

Montsho South African

Mooketsi South African

Moolman Afrikaans

Mopantokobogo Zulu
From Zulu meaning "big man".

Moshi Eastern African

Moticoe Tswana (Rare)

Motlatso African

Moustapha Western African
From the given name Moustapha.

Moyo Shona
Meaning unknown.

Mprah African

Mpungu Kongo
Means ‘gorilla’ in Yombe and ‘creator’ in its relative Ntandu.

Msuya Swahili

Muddy Eastern African

Mudzuri Shona
Meaning unknown.

Mufaro Shona
Mufaro means "Joy, happiness". It is a name of rejoicing

Mujiba African

Munaye Ethiopian

Mundi African

Munisi Eastern African
Found in Tanzania.

Munissi Eastern African
Variant of Munisi.

Munkdmbwe Southern African

Musah Western African

Mushohwe Shona
Meaning unknown.

Musumbu Central African

Mutema Southern African

Mutia Eastern African, Maasai
A Kenyan Maasai surname known mostly in the West as the name of a certain fictitious escarpment, which appears infrequently in old Tarzan Films.

Mutoni Eastern African

Muzorewa Shona
Meaning unknown.

Mvuezolo Central African

Mwalimu African

Mwamba Bemba

Mwaruwari Shona
Meaning unknown.

Mwepu African

Mweushi African
salute to a king or chief spokesman.literally means "your excellency" or "your majesty". and is usually followed by another name and not used alone.

Nadie African

Naidoo South African, Indian (Expatriate)
Variant of Naidu used by South Africans of Indian descent.

Nakathila Southern African, Ovambo

Nala South African

Namkoisse Central African, Eastern African (Rare)
Meaning unknown.

Naomi Melanesian, Nigerian, Swahili

Ndiaye Western African

Ndicka Western African

Ndong Central African

N’dri Western African (Rare)
The meaning behind N’Dri is “ Nearby the river “

Ndungu African

Nel Afrikaans

Nenge Tiv
Means, "see".

Nengomasha Shona
Meaning unknown.

Ngazu Central African

Ngele Tswana

Ngo Central African

Nguite Central African

Niang Western African, Wolof
Refers to a member of the Deme, a Wolof clan whose symbol is the donkey.

Nikala African

Nimbo African

Ninga Central African

Njie African
It means path finder. It is an African surname only 11 people in the UK have this surname

Nkrumah Western African
It is of Akan origin meaning "Great".

Nogo Mossi
Not available.

Nombeko South African

Noor Arabic, Urdu, Somali, Bengali, Persian
Variant transcription of Nur.

Nouken Central African, Cameroonian

Nshimirimana Central African
Means "I thank God" in Burundian.

Nto Nigerian

Ntsako South African

Ntsimango African, South African

Nua African
Means "second daughter" in African.

Nunes South African (Anglicized, Archaic, Expatriate)
An English South African Surname.

Nuur Arabic, Somali
From the given name Nuur.

Nwaloka Nigerian

Nwankwo Igbo
From the given name Nwankwo.

Nyong’o Luo
Best known as the surname of a certain Lupita.

Obaro Nigerian

Obi Nigerian

Odei African

Odendaal Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of Odenthal.

Oderasak Yoruba (Rare)
It is Yoruba mispronunciation of the the name Oscar. It was a middle name that became a last name.

Odetoyinbo Igbo

Odhiambo Eastern African, Luo
East African surname derived from the given name Odhiambo meaning “born in the evening”.

Odige French, African
A Name from french Odige (O.DI Zeouf) zeouf with means egg Zeouf is spelled as ge to shorten the name. This surname means fighter The French has been known to be Lovely and the language of love un-violent... [more]

Odoemene Nigerian
Odoemene roots from Nigeria. It has branched onward to America, and multiple other countries. It literally means 'yellow reluctance' in Igbo.

Ogyampah Akan
Meaning unknown.

Ohene-agyekum Akan

Okolie Nigerian

Okoturo Nigerian
A surname most popular in Nigeria; meaning currently unknown.

Okwabi African (Anglicized, ?)
unknown

Oladayo Nigerian

Oladipo Yoruba

Oladunni Nigerian

Olajide African, Western African, Nigerian, Yoruba

Olatunji Yoruba
"Olatunji" is a Yoruba surname and a given name meaning "Wealth awakes again".

Olwagen Afrikaans

Omadara Nigerian

Omar Arabic, Somali (Arabized), Filipino, Maguindanao, Maranao, Tausug
From the given name Umar.

Onai Shona
Onai means "See, observe". #It is a name that calls the hearer to see or observe that which happened".

Ongai Shona
It is a form of the Shona name Vongai.

Oni Nigerian

Onyango Luo

Onyedika Nigerian

Onyilogwu Nigerian (Rare), Igbo (Rare)
Possibly means "he who is invulnerable to dark magic" in Igbo.

Oosthuizen South African
Came from a village in the Dutch province of North Holland.

Oparei Nigerian

Ope Nigerian

Opira Eastern African

Opoku Akan

Orelias Nigerian (Latinized, Modern, Rare), Italian (Tuscan), Venetian
Means "golden", when coupled with a first name becomes "the golden". Varied from Orelia, "golden".... [more]

Orishe African

Oryema Eastern African

Osae Western African

Osas Somali
Variant of Ossas

Osei Western African
Very popular surname in Ghana.

Ossas Somali

Osy Nigerian
From Imo, Nigeria

Otina African

Otuk African

Ouahmed Berber, Northern African
Kabyle name meaning "son of Ahmed", from the Berber prefix ou- meaning "son (of)" combined with the Arabic name Ahmed (chiefly Algerian).

Ouattara Western African, Manding
From the name of the Wattara or Watara clan of the Dyula people, believed to be derived from a word meaning "prince".

Oubeid Western African
Mauritanian variant of Obeid (see Ubayd).

Ouko Luo

Oumarou Western African
From the given name Oumarou.

Ousman Western African
From the given name Ousman.

Ousmane Western African
From the given name Ousmane.

Ouyahia Berber, Northern African
Means "son of Yahia", from the Berber prefix ou- meaning "son (of)" combined with the Arabic given name Yahia (chiefly Algerian).

Owo Nigerian
From the given name Owo.

Owusu Western African, Akan
Means "strong-willed, determined" in Akan.

Ọyáwálé Yoruba, Nigerian
Means "the river goddess came home" in Yoruba.

Oyiakwan Akan
Meaning unknown.

Oyinvwi Urhobo
A name from the history of the urhobo culture. It's been noted that the name indicate strength and is the name attached to it. The important vice of the tradition. Leads trivial matters in hope for liberty.

Panashe African

Pappoe Akan

Patisa African

Phukuntsi Tswana, Sotho
This surname has multilayered meanings... [more]

Pi Eastern African

Pienaar Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of French Pinard.

Pitan Nigerian

Pleasure Nigerian

Pog Central African

Pogba Western African

Pokey Western African

Pongo Central African