South African Submitted Surnames

These name are used in the Republic of South Africa.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Amsterdam Dutch, Afrikaans, Russian
Location surname from the Netherlands capital city of Amsterdam meaning "dam of the Amstel".
Bekker Afrikaans
bekker is a regional form of Dutch bakker which means Baker
Buys Afrikaans (Modern)
South Africa, Pretoria
Cilliërs Afrikaans
Brought to South Africa by settlers of French decent some time in the past 300 years. Sometimes also a given name for boys.
De Beer Afrikaans
De Beer is a Dutch and Afrikaans surname, meaning "the bear"
De Bruyn Afrikaans
"Bruyn" is an archaic spelling of "bruin", meaning "brown"
Dube Ndebele, Zulu
It means Zebra. It is usually a surname instead of a person's name used by Zimbabwean Ndebele people and South African Zulu people.... [more]
du Plessis Afrikaans, French Creole, French (Cajun), French (Huguenot)
French topographic name for someone who lived by a quickset fence, Old French pleis (from Latin plexum past participle of plectere ‘plait’, ‘weave’), with fused preposition and definite article du ‘from the’... [more]
Engelbrecht Afrikaans
The name Engelbrecht has multiple translations, including "Angle Glorious" and "Bright Angel".
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.
Fourie Afrikaans
Originates from French Huguenot settlers
Human English (African), South African
Occupational name for a Hugh-man.
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.
Khumalo Zulu, Ndebele, South African
Zulu and Ndebele clan name meaning "descendant of the fish tribe".
Ledwaba Southern African, South African, Zulu
From Zulu meaning "rock".
Lombard French, English, South African
French and English cognate of Lombardi, or derived from the given name Lambert. A famous bearer of this name was the American actress Carole Lombard (1908-1942), born Jane Alice Peters.
Louw Afrikaans
Louw is a surname that has pre 7th century Germanic origins. It is a Dutch/Flemish variant on the word Lowe, meaning Lion.
Magombo Swahili, African, Swazi (Rare)
Meaning unknown, possibly related from the fore name of the same name. It means "leaves" (verb) in Swahili.
Mahlangu Southern African, Ndebele, Zulu
Derived from Ndebele hlangula meaning "assist, help, remove (from danger)" or Zulu isihlangu meaning "shield".
Mandela Xhosa, Jewish, German
“District” in Xhosa... [more]
Masondo Southern African, Zulu
Derived from Zulu amasondo meaning "wheels".
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]
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.
Mokoena Southern African, Sotho, Tswana
Derived from Sotho or Tswana kwena meaning "crocodile".
Mopantokobogo Zulu
From Zulu meaning "big man".
Naidoo South African, Indian (Expatriate)
Variant of Naidu used by South Africans of Indian descent.
Ndlovu Southern African, Ndebele, Zulu
Derived from Ndebele or Zulu indlovu meaning "elephant".
Nkosi Southern African, Zulu, Chewa
Derived from Zulu and Chewa inkosi meaning "chief, king".
Odendaal Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of Odenthal.
Oosthuizen South African
Came from a village in the Dutch province of North Holland.
Phukuntsi Tswana, Sotho
This surname has multilayered meanings... [more]
Pienaar Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of French Pinard.
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.
Rajkoomar Mauritian Creole, South African
Variant of Rajkumar used by Mauritian and South African Indians.
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.
Retief Afrikaans
Afrikaans form of Rétif.
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.
Sithole Southern African, Zulu
Derived from Zulu isithole meaning "heifer".
Snyman Afrikaans
Afrikaans version of the German surname Schneider, which is German for tailor.
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.
Swart Afrikaans
Means "black" in Afrikaans
Theron Southern African, Afrikaans, Occitan
Habitational name for someone from any of various locations in Occitanie named Théron or Thérond, ultimately from Latin torus meaning "elevation, height, embankment". A famous bearer is South African and American actress Charlize Theron (1975-).
Tshabalala African, Zulu, South African
Means "shooting star"
Uys Afrikaans
Of uncertain origin and meaning. Theories include an Afrikaans variant of Huijs which seems to have developed into Uijs and finally into Uys.
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 Niekerk Afrikaans
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]
Verwey Dutch, Afrikaans, South African
Contracted form of van der Weij meaning "from the meadow".
Wepener South African, German
South African, German decent/history
Yost American, Dutch, Afrikaans
Americanized spelling of Dutch surname Joost or German surname Jost