African Submitted Surnames

TOMBERE Central African

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".

TROUD Northern African

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

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

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

TURKSON Akan

TWENEBOA Akan
Meaning unknown.

TYJANI Nigerian

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

UMTITI Western 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]

UWILINGIYIMANA Central African

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 Dutch, Afrikaans

VAN LINGEN Afrikaans

VAN NIEKERK Afrikaans, Southern African
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

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

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

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.

WASIU Nigerian

WATER Northern African

WAWA Western African, Various

WEPENER South African, German
South African, German decent/history

WHAA Eastern African

WIREDU Akan
Meaning unknown.

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

YACA African

YAK Eastern African

YA'U Nigerian

YEBOAH Western African, Akan

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.

YOST American, Dutch, Afrikaans
Americanized spelling of Dutch surname Joost or German surname JOST

YUNYUN Nigerian

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

ZABU Nigerian

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 Western African

ZAOUCHE Berber, Northern African
Kabyle name of unknown meaning.

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.

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.