African Submitted Surnames

African names are used on the continent of Africa, covering a wide number of languages. See also about African names.

usage

Select filters then press SEARCH below

-Usage or language

Usage	clear
Language	clear

+Letters

Initial	clear
Start	clear
End	clear
Substring	clear
Pattern	clear help?
the letters in the pattern are compared to the letters in the name * is a wildcard that matches zero or more letters example: oo matches names which contain oo _ is a wildcard that matches exactly one letter example: __z matches names which have two letters and then z

+Meaning and keywords

Meaning	clear help?
	expand search to include grammatical forms
	expand search to include close synonyms
	expand search to include subclasses
separate search terms with spaces search for an exact phrase by surrounding it with double quotes this field understands simple boolean logic force a term to be included by preceding it with a + sign force a term to be excluded by preceding it with a - sign expand search to include grammatical forms: attempt to include grammatical forms of the meanings example: speak includes spoke expand search to include close synonyms: attempt to include synonyms of the meanings example: brave includes courageous expand search to include search narrower synonyms: attempt to include subclasses of the meanings example: reptile includes turtle
Description	clear help?
	ignore name meanings
the description is the meaning and history write-up for the name separate search terms with spaces search for an exact phrase by surrounding it with double quotes example: "lord of the rings" matches names from the novel 'The Lord of the Rings' this field understands simple boolean logic force a term to be included by preceding it with a + sign force a term to be excluded by preceding it with a - sign example: +greek +(legend myth) -zeus matches Greek names of myths or legends not about Zeus ignore name meanings: keywords from the name meanings are ignored

+Source

Source

clear

+Gender

clear

+Length

clear

+Sound and syllables

Pronunciation	clear help?
	case sensitive
see the pronunciation key for a guide on how to write the sounds sounds can only be searched in names that have been assigned pronunciations * is a wildcard that will match zero or more letters in the pronunciation example: lee matches names which end with the sound lee* _ is a wildcard that will match exactly one letter in the pronunciation example: __z matches names which have two letters and then a z (s) matches exactly one syllable in the pronunciation example: (s)(s)ra matches names which have two syllables and then the sound rah (c) matches a consonant (k) matches a consonant or consonant cluster (v) matches a vowel (p) matches a plosive or stop consonant (f) matches a fricative consonant (n) matches a nasal consonant case sensitive: check this if you wish distinguish between unstressed lowercase sounds and stressed uppercase sounds
Syllables	clear help?
syllables can only be counted in names that have been assigned pronunciations names without pronunciations are excluded from results

+Popularity

List	clear
Year	clear
Rank	clear

+Famous namesake

Category

clear

+Options

Sort	clear
Display	clear

Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.

Ngabu Central African, Kongo

Ngazu Central African

Ngele Tswana

Ngo Central African

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

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

Njoku Nigerian, Igbo

Nkalubo Ganda

Nkenge Kongo

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.

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

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

Ogunmolu Igbo

Ogunmolu Yoruba

Ogunsemilore Nigerian

Ogunwe Nigerian

Ogyampah Akan
Meaning unknown.

Ohene-agyekum Akan

Okinikan Nigerian

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

Olaore Nigerian

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.

Oyekan Yoruba
Means "the next to be crowned" 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

Panguana Eastern African

Pappoe Akan

Pascoal Portuguese, Central African
From the given name Pascoal.

Patisa African

Paulo Portuguese, Central African

Pegado Portuguese, Central African

Pemba Central African

Penda Wolof
Penda stems from the Swahili “kupenda” = to love/like/be pleasant. Notable bearer was Fara Penda, a Waalo noble of the Wolof people in West Africa. Waalo was a kingdom on the lower Senegal River in in what is now Senegal and Mauritania.

Peres Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Gascon, Breton, Central African
Means "son of Pedro" in Spanish and Portuguese. Means "son of Pere" in Catalan... [more]

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

Poopedi South African (Rare)

Popoola Yoruba
"The way of the rich man" or "The way of prosperity"

Possy African

Potgieter Afrikaans

Princew South African

Princewil Nigerian
Variant of Princewill.

Princewill Nigerian

Princewilliheme Nigerian

Princewilll Nigerian
Variant of Princewill.

Princewomeodu Nigerian

Princeworld Nigerian

Princeworlu Nigerian

Princeyemmy Nigerian

Prinsloo Afrikaans
Prinsloo is an Afrikaans surname. The name is derived from the dutch word Prins (meaning prince), and a loo suffix meaning clearing in the forest. Variant spellings include Prinzloo and Prinslo.

Psymon Eastern African

Pumpkin African

Quartey Western African, Ga
Ga surname of unknown meaning.

Quizelete Central African

Rajkoomar Mauritian Creole, South African
Variant of Rajkumar used by Mauritian and South African Indians.

Ramadhan Arabic, Urdu, Somali, Persian, Bengali, Dhivehi
From the given name Ramadan.

Ramazani Central African, Albanian
From the given name Ramadan.

Ramkissoon Trinidadian Creole, Mauritian Creole, South African, South American
Altered form of Ramakrishnan used mainly in Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius, South Africa and Guyana. This surname is not used in India.

Ramogi Luo
Meaning unknown.

Rangarirai Shona
Rangarirai means "Remember, think over, consider".

Raphael Eastern African

Raymondo African

Rebecca Eastern African

Reginald Nigerian

Retief Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of Rétif.

Revee African

Rikke English, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Scottish, Irish, Japanese, Korean, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Yiddish, Spanish, Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, Arabic (Egyptian), Old Celtic, African, Romanian, Serbian, Croatian, Estonian, Slovak, Slovene, Latvian, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Hindi, Persian, Turkish, Swahili
From given name Rikke

Rodrique African

Rogena African

Rolex African

Rufaro Shona
It is a form of the Shona name Mufaro.

Sadjo Central African

Saed Arabic, Somali, Persian, Urdu, Sindhi, Bengali, Punjabi, Dhivehi
From the given name Sa'id.

Safara Nigerian

Sagwa Eastern African

Sahie African

Said Arabic, Somali, Urdu
From the given name Sa'id.

Saje African

Sako Western African, Manding
From the name of a Soninke and Mandinka clan most likely derived from saaxo meaning "heron, egret".

Sakyi Akan
Meaning unknown.

Samake Western African

Samb Western African

Samoura Fula
Mauritanian Fula Surname, From the name {Sow}

Sandra Central African

Sane Western African

Sangaré Western African
Unknown.

Sankara Mossi (?), Fula (?)
The surname of the assassinated Burkinabé president Thomas Sankara (1949-1987).

Sanogo Western African

Sanogo Mossi
Not available yet.

Sanusi Nigerian

Sarpei Akan
Meaning unknown.

Sarr Western African, Serer
Meaning uncertain.

Savaya African

Sawadogo Mossi
Not available.

Sayon African

Sayyid Swahili, Muslim
From the Arabic honourific title سَيِّد (sayyid) which means "master, lord, prince, mister".

Scale Jamaican Patois, Southern African

Schutte Dutch, Low German, South African
Dutch and North German (Schütte) occupational name for an archer, from Middle Low German schutten ‘to shoot’. Compare German Schuetz.

Seakanyeng Tswana

Sebastião Portuguese, Central African

Sedjati Northern African, Arabic (Maghrebi)

Seeka Eastern African

Seifu Ethiopian

Sekina African

Selasi African

Selassie Ethiopian, Amharic, Western African
Possibly means "trinity" in Amharic. A notable bearer was Haile Selassie (1892-1975), the regent and emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974.

Semenya South African

Semma Ethiopian

Sene Western African

September African

Sesay African, Temne, Loko, Limba, Kuranko
Is a Muslim Surname from Sierra Leone. It is used among many tribes.

Settles African

Shabazz African

Shame Ethiopian

Shamu Southern African

Shanre African

Shauri Eastern African

Shegow Somali

Shenda African

Sheosanker South African

Sheosunker South African
Variant of Sheosanker.

Shettima Kanuri, Nigerian
Meaning unknown.

Shibabaw Amharic

Shifu Central African

Shittu Nigerian

Shitu Nigerian
Related to Shittu.

Shiyuno African

Shukuru Kongo

Siangla Luo, Eastern African
Meaning unavailable.

Siaw Akan
Meaning unknown.

Sibo Central African

Sid Northern African

Siddig Northern African, Arabic
Derived from Arabic صَدِيق (ṣadīq) meaning "friend" (chiefly Sudanese).

Siel African

Sika Akan
Meaning unknown.

Sikhanyisiwe African

Simão Portuguese, Central African

Simaton African

Simba Swahili

Simbu Eastern African

Sincadu South African (Rare)
Mzimkhulu, Bhaca

Sinema Haitian Creole, Swahili, Turkish
The name Ireally doesI mean "Movie Theater" ("Cinema"). Other related words: "Picture, Charades, Bilet."

Sipoyo South African

Siriboe Akan
Meaning unknown.

Siriki African

Sirleaf Western African
Altered form of Sheriff (a predominantly Mandinka Muslim surname, itself a variant of Sharif).

Sissoko Western African

Sithole Southern African

Sithole Southern African, Zulu
Derived from Zulu isithole meaning "heifer".

Slaa Eastern African, Iraqw
Slaa has an unknown meaning.

Snake Southern African

Snyman Afrikaans
Afrikaans version of the German surname Schneider, which is German for tailor.

Sogbetun Yoruba
?

Sophie Central African

Soueidi Western African
Mainly found in Mauritania.

Soueilem Western African
Meaning unknown—this surname is mainly found in Mauritania.

Souleymane Western African
From the given name Souleymane.

Sow Western African, Fula
Meaning uncertain.

Sow Wolof

Soyini South African

Stazie South African

Steenbok Afrikaans, Dutch
Dutch and Afrikaans form of Steinbock.

Steyn Afrikaans
Derived from Old Dutch stēn "stone" referring ot a (bowl) stone or a weapon made of stone or rock.

Strydom Afrikaans

Sudan African

Sulieman Northern African

Sullubawa Hausa
The Hausa transliteration of a noted Fulani Clan coming from the Bilād as-Sūdān region of West Africa.

Sumaoro Western African

Sumari African

Sunga Bemba, Central African
Sunga is a surname of the Bemba tribe, meaning "a person that takes care of others".... [more]

Suruma Kiga
Suruma is a Kiga surname. Ezra Suruma is a notable person with that surname.

Swart Afrikaans
Means "black" in Afrikaans

Tafara Shona
Tafara means "We are happy or we rejoice". It is a name of rejoicing

Tail Northern African

Takataka Central African, Southern African

Takyi Akan
Meaning unknown.

Talia Northern African

Ta Lou Western African

Tamazight Berber, Northern African
Derived from ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵗⵜ (Tamaziɣt), the Berber (Amazigh) name for the collective Berber language family used in North Africa.

Tamba Western African

Tanda African

Tangara Western African, Manding
Malian Bambara surname of unknown meaning.

Tanyan Nigerian

Tarawele Manding
The original variant of Traoré.

Tariah African

Tarimo Chaga

Tarmoh Western African

Tasifa Amharic
Means “hope” in Amharic.

Taunyane Tswana

Apply this search to the main name collection