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.

Matadi Western 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

Matshu Central African

Matuidi Central African

Mawe Central African

Mawere Shona
Meaning unknown.

Maxamed Somali
Somali form of Muhammad.

Maygan Eastern African

Mayombo Central 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

Mbaya Swahili
From Swahili meaning "ugly".

Mbaziira Eastern 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)

Mbili African, Swahili, Zulu
From Swahili and Zulu meaning "two" or "second". It is possible that an ancestor of an individual with this surname was the second child of their parents.

Mbili Central African
Derived from a village in Cameroon named "Bambili".

Mbilli Central African
Variant of Mbili.

Mbini Xhosa
Xhosa form of Mbili.

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.

Mbunga Central African

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

Mengistu Ethiopian

Mengue Western African, Central African

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

Menya African

Menyah African

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.

Mhlongo South African

Migan African

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

Miloh African

Minchie Central African

Mini South African

Mirbuur Somali
"Seed Bearer" (a person who plants or cultivates the land for crops)

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

Miseroole French, South African

Misoya Southern African

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]

Mlima Swahili
From Swahili meaning "mountain".

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.

Moipo Eastern African

Moko Central African

Mokoena Southern African, Sotho, Tswana
Derived from Sotho or Tswana kwena meaning "crocodile".

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.

Mone Western African

Monke Western African

Monkey Nigerian

Montjane South African

Montsho South African

Mooketsi South African

Moolman Afrikaans

Mopantokobogo Zulu
From Zulu meaning "big man".

Morais Portuguese, Central African

Morapedi South African

Moriba Manding
Etymology Unknown.

Moshi Eastern African

Moticoe Tswana (Rare)

Motlatso African

Mouambako Central African

Moukagni Western African

Moula Northern African, Arabic (Maghrebi)

Moustapha Western African
From the given name Moustapha.

Moyo Shona
Meaning unknown.

Mpofu Southern African

Mprah African

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

Mrefu Swahili
From Swahili meaning "tall, long".

Msuya Swahili

Mucyo Rwandan

Muddy Eastern African

Mudzuri Shona
Meaning unknown.

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

Mujiba African

Mukendi Central African

Mukobwankawe Rwandan

Mukwakwami Southern African

Munaye Ethiopian

Mundi African

Munga Southern African

Munisi Eastern African
Found in Tanzania.

Munissi Eastern African
Variant of Munisi.

Munkdmbwe Southern African

Murebwayire Rwandan

Musabyemariya Rwandan

Musah Western African

Mushiranzigo Eastern African

Mushohwe Shona
Meaning unknown.

Musila Rwandan

Musumbu Central African

Mutambo Luba
It means "forest" in Songye and Tshiluba, but can also mean "supreme ruler" in Tshiluba.

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.

Mutombo Kongo

Mutoni Eastern African

Mutuyimana Rwandan

Muziki Swahili
From Swahili meaning "music". Possibly an occupational name for a musician.

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

Nagoli Southern African

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

Nakaayi Eastern African

Nakathila Southern African, Ovambo

Nala South African

Nambala Southern African

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

Nananana South African

Nanyondo Eastern African

Naomi Melanesian, Nigerian, Swahili

Nashua South African

Nassor African

Nazari Swahili

Ndakara Central African

Ndawanah African

Ndiaye Western African

N’diaye Western African

Ndicka Western African

Ndlovu Southern African, Ndebele, Zulu
Derived from Ndebele or Zulu indlovu meaning "elephant".

Ndong Central African

N’dong Western African

Ndori Southern African

Ndour Western African

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

Ndungu African

Ndzengue Central African (?)
Unknown. One notable bearer of the surname is Fahd Richard Ndzengue Moubeti, a Gabonese professional footballer.

Nel Afrikaans

Nemour Northern African, Arabic (Maghrebi)

Nenganga Central African

Nenge Tiv
Means, "see".

Nengomasha Shona
Meaning unknown.

Nga Ethiopian, Japanese
Ethiopian: from the personal name Nega, which is interpreted as "it became morning" in the Amharic language. — Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames, this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.... [more]

Ngabu Central African, Kongo

Nganga Central African

Ngazu Central African

Ngele Tswana

Ngo Central African

Ngoy Central African
Means "lion" in Baluba cultures, identifying someone from a warrior or hunting family.

Ngozi Igbo
From the given name Ngozi.

Nguite Central African

Ngumba Kongo
From Kongo meaning "mountain".

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

Nikala African

Nikobimeze Eastern 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

Njoku Nigerian, Igbo

Njoroge Eastern African

Nkalubo Ganda

Nkata Kongo, Vili
From the Vili nkhata meaning “raffia palm”.

Nkenge Kongo

Nkomo Xhosa (Modern, Archaic), Zulu (Modern, Archaic)
Southern African, Nguni Nomadic meaning "Dairy/Milk Cow or Southern African long-horn Cow".

Nkosi Southern African, Zulu, Chewa
Derived from Zulu and Chewa inkosi meaning "chief, king".

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

Nkurunziza Eastern African
Burundian surname meaning "good news". It is also the most common surname in the country.

Nnanna Nigerian

Noemdo South African

Nogo Mossi
Not available.

Nombeko South African

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

Nouken Central African, Cameroonian

Nsenga Central African

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.

Nwachukwu Nigerian

Nwaloka Nigerian

Nwankwo Igbo
From the given name Nwankwo.

Nwaoloko Nigerian

Nworgu Nigerian

Nwude Igbo
The surname Nwude is likely of Igbo origin, a major ethnic group in Nigeria. In the Igbo language, Nwude (or Nwodi) can be a combination of two elements:... [more]

Nyandeng African

Nyasi Swahili
From Swahili meaning "grass, grassland".

Nyirambarushimana Rwandan

Nyiraneza Rwandan

Nyiranshimiyimana Rwandan

Nyirenda African

Nyona African

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

Obonyo Eastern African

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

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

Odusanya Yoruba

Ogada Eastern African

Ogunkunle Nigerian

Ogunmolu Igbo

Ogunmolu Yoruba

Ogunsemilore Nigerian

Ogunwe Nigerian

Ogyampah Akan
Meaning unknown.

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

Okwabi African (Anglicized, ?)
unknown

Oladayo Nigerian

Oladipo Yoruba

Oladunni Nigerian

Olajide Yoruba
From the given name Olajide.

Olaore Nigerian

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

Olufemi Nigerian

Oluwafemiayo Nigerian

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.

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

Opiyo 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

Oroma Eastern African

Oryema Eastern African

Osae Western African

Osas Somali
Variant of Ossas

Osei Western African
Very popular surname in Ghana.

Osei Ghanian, Akan
This name is of Ghanaian, Akan, and Fante origin and means "noble, honorable"

Ossas Somali

Osy Nigerian
From Imo, Nigeria

Otina African

Otuk African

Ouabdesselam Berber, Arabic, Arabic (Maghrebi)
Means "father of peace, man of peace" from Maghrebi prefix وواب` (ouab) (Arabic: أبو (abu)) (In North African dialects, abu is often rendered as ouab or oua in Latin script) meaning "father of" combined with ديسسيلام (desselam) (Corresponds to السلام (as-salām)) meaning "peace".

Ouaguenouni Berber
Means "from/of Guenoun"

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).

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