200+ African Last Names 2026 (With Meanings)
African last names have profound cultural, historical, and linguistic significance that showcases the diverse nature of the continent.
From a name about ancestry or lineage to one about nature or profession or, indeed, spirituality, each last name tells a unique story.
Hence, whether inspired by the Bantu, Yoruba, Hausa, Amharic, or some different language family, African surnames generally bear meanings that designate what an individual belongs to and its community.
Further, some of these surnames may even be associated with some major historical and cultural events.
This article will examine the roots, meanings, and cultural aspects of African last names while showing the beautiful ways in which names enrich identity and heritage.
African last names
Adebayo (Yoruba, Nigeria) – “The crown meets joy”
Adeyemi (Yoruba, Nigeria) – “The crown befits me”
Asamoah (Akan, Ghana) – “God has rewarded me”
Bello (Hausa, Nigeria) – “Helper”
Chidubem (Igbo, Nigeria) – “God is my guide”
Diallo (Fula, West Africa) – “Bold” or “Brave”
Eze (Igbo, Nigeria) – “King” or “Ruler”
Fofana (Mandinka, West Africa) – “Born after twins”
Gbadebo (Yoruba, Nigeria) – “The king brings joy”
Habimana (Rwanda/Burundi) – “God gives”
Ibrahim (Hausa/Fulani, West Africa) – Derived from the name Abraham, meaning “Father of nations”
Jallow (Mandinka, Gambia/Senegal) – “Blessed”
Kamau (Kikuyu, Kenya) – “Quiet warrior”
Kone (Malinke, Mali) – “Lion”
Lembede (Zulu, South Africa) – “Bringer of wealth”
Mabaso (Zulu, South Africa) – “Warrior” or “Protector”
Makinde (Yoruba, Nigeria) – “A child brought by the hunter”
Mensah (Akan, Ghana) – “Third-born child”
Mwangi (Kikuyu, Kenya) – “The fast one”
Ndlovu (Zulu, South Africa) – “Elephant”
Ngoma (Bantu, East/Southern Africa) – “Drum” (symbolizing communication and celebration)
Njoku (Igbo, Nigeria) – “God of yam” (symbol of prosperity)
Nkosi (Zulu, South Africa) – “King” or “Chief”
Nkrumah (Akan, Ghana) – “Born on a Saturday”
Obi (Igbo, Nigeria) – “Heart” or “King’s palace”
Ofori (Akan, Ghana) – “Wealth” or “Riches”
Okonkwo (Igbo, Nigeria) – “A strong man has come”
Olajuwon (Yoruba, Nigeria) – “Honor is superior to wealth”
Omari (Swahili, East Africa) – “Flourishing” or “Thriving”
Onyango (Luo, Kenya) – “Born in the morning”
Osman (Hausa/Fulani, West Africa) – “Servant of God”
Otieno (Luo, Kenya) – “Born at night”
Ouedraogo (Mossi, Burkina Faso) – “Male horse” (symbolizing strength)
Sankara (Mossi, Burkina Faso) – “Noble”
Sibanda (Ndebele, Zimbabwe) – “A person of the lion totem”
Simba (Shona, Zimbabwe) – “Power” or “Strength”
Sithole (Zulu, South Africa) – “A powerful lineage”
Sow (Fulani, West Africa) – “Guardian”
Tadesse (Amharic, Ethiopia) – “Renewal”
Toure (Mandinka, West Africa) – “Elephant” (symbolizing power)
Uche (Igbo, Nigeria) – “Wisdom” or “Intention”
Usman (Hausa, Nigeria) – “Companion”
Wambua (Kamba, Kenya) – “Born during the rainy season”
Wanyama (Swahili, East Africa) – “Animal” (symbolizing strength)
Zuberi (Swahili, East Africa) – “Strong”
Jama (Somali, Somalia) – “Gathering” or “Unity”
Girma (Amharic, Ethiopia) – “Honor” or “Majesty”
Mutombo (Lingala, DR Congo) – “A tall, strong person”
Chilufya (Bemba, Zambia) – “Cursed one” (used to protect a child from bad spirits)
Nyong’o (Luo, Kenya) – “Survivor”
Abebe (Amharic, Ethiopia) – “Blossom” or “Flower”
Abiodun (Yoruba, Nigeria) – “Born at the time of war”
Acheampong (Akan, Ghana) – “Destined for greatness”
Adama (Fulani, West Africa) – “Earth” or “Man” (variant of Adam)
Akinyemi (Yoruba, Nigeria) – “Fate befits me”
Alade (Yoruba, Nigeria) – “One who wears the crown”
Amadou (Fulani, West Africa) – “Highly praised”
Amara (Igbo, Nigeria) – “Grace” or “Mercy”
Baako (Akan, Ghana) – “Firstborn”
Bagenda (Luganda, Uganda) – “One who moves forward”
Balogun (Yoruba, Nigeria) – “Warlord” or “Military leader”
Banda (Chewa, Malawi/Zambia) – “People of the mountains”
Bangura (Temne, Sierra Leone) – “A traveler”
Baraka (Swahili, East Africa) – “Blessing”
Boakye (Akan, Ghana) – “Help has come”
Boubacar (Fulani, West Africa) – “Blessed”
Chukwuma (Igbo, Nigeria) – “God knows”
Dlamini (Swazi, Eswatini) – “Royal family name”
Doumbia (Mandinka, West Africa) – “The healer”
Dube (Ndebele, Zimbabwe/South Africa) – “Zebra” (totem name)
Ekwueme (Igbo, Nigeria) – “One who does what he says”
Eshetu (Amharic, Ethiopia) – “A gift”
Etim (Efik/Ibibio, Nigeria) – “Born after many girls”
Fahad (Swahili, East Africa) – “Leopard”
Fumba (Swahili, East Africa) – “The hidden one”
Gatwech (Nuer, South Sudan) – “Born during a period of peace”
Gondo (Shona, Zimbabwe) – “Eagle”
Hadebe (Zulu, South Africa) – “Ancestor’s name”
Hassan (Somali, Somalia) – “Good” or “Handsome”
Jabari (Swahili, East Africa) – “Brave” or “Fearless”
Juma (Swahili, East Africa) – “Born on Friday”
Kagiso (Tswana, Botswana) – “Peace”
Kalisa (Kinyarwanda, Rwanda) – “A noble person”
Katlego (Tswana, Botswana) – “Success”
Kibwana (Swahili, East Africa) – “Little chief”
Kouyaté (Mandinka, West Africa) – “A griot” or “Storyteller”
Kwame (Akan, Ghana) – “Born on a Saturday”
Lusambo (Luba, DR Congo) – “Leader”
Machingura (Shona, Zimbabwe) – “One who never forgets”
Madiba (Xhosa, South Africa) – “Respectable one” (Nelson Mandela’s clan name)
Malope (Tswana, Botswana) – “Strength”
Mané (Mandinka, West Africa) – “King” or “Chief”
Mbatha (Zulu, South Africa) – “Traveler”
Mulenga (Bemba, Zambia) – “One who provides”
Mwila (Luba, DR Congo) – “Firstborn”
Ndiaye (Wolof, Senegal) – “Lion”
Ngozi (Igbo, Nigeria) – “Blessing”
Rashid (Swahili, East Africa) – “Righteous” or “Wise”
Tshabalala (Zulu, South Africa) – “Scattered people”
Zuma (Zulu, South Africa) – “Surprise” or “Unexpected”
Abara – spirit (Igbo)
Abebe – flower (Amharic)
Abioye – son of royalty (Yoruba)
Adebowale – return of the crown (Yoruba)
Adekunle – the crown fills the house (Yoruba)
Adisa – the lucid one
Afia – Friday born (Akan)
Afolabi – child of high status (Yoruba)
Afua – female born on Friday (Akan)
Akachi – God’s hand
Akinyi – born during forenoon (Luo)
Akua – Wednesday born (Akan)
Baako – first born
Bankole – build me a house (Yoruba)
Chidubem – God is my guide (Igbo)
Dlamini – royal family (Zulu/Swazi)
Efunsetan – one who makes her name known (Yoruba)
Eze – king (Igbo)
Gqoboka – progress/ascension (Xhosa)
Haile – my strength
Igwe – a holder of respect/title (Igbo)
Kamau – quiet warrior (Kikuyu)
Kasongo – bushbuck (Congo)
Keita – offspring/blessing (Mande)
Khosa – Xhosa lineage (Xhosa)
Khumalo – descendants of fish tribe (Ndebele)
Makena – the happy one
Masondo – wheels (Zulu)
Mbatha – to protect (Zulu)
Mbeki – esteemed clan name (Xhosa)
Mokoena – of the crocodile (Sotho)
Moloi – wizard / powerful one (Sotho/Tswana)
Monyo – of the people (Bantu root)
Mthembu – the humble one (Zulu)
Mutombo – fierce (Luba)
Mwangi – quick talker / wanderer (Kikuyu context, common in Kenya)
Ndhlovu – elephant; wise/strong (Nguni)
Ndugu – brother/sibling
Ngcobo – clan name (Xhosa)
Njoku – yam farmer/harvest identity (Igbo)
Nkrumah – ninth born (Akan)
Nkosi – king/chief (Nguni)
Nnadi – the father lives (Igbo)
Nyambe – Supreme Being / Creator (Lozi/Bantu)
Odili – peace (Igbo)
Okafor – born on Afor market day (Igbo)
Okeke – born on Eke day (Igbo)
Oluwole – the lord has come home (Yoruba)
Phukuntsi – one who attracts flies (Tswana; humorous tribal meaning)
Quansah – God is watching you (Akan)
Rakotomalala – long name from Malagasy culture (Madagascar)
Radebe – ancestor of the Amahlubi (Zulu)
Sibanda – lion clan totem (Nguni/Sotho)
Sobukwe – leadership name (Xhosa heritage)
Tadesse – may he be renewed (Ethiopian Amharic)
Tutu – wealth (Subiya/Southern Africa)
Wanyama – of the animals (Swahili)
Yeboah – helper (Akan)
Zadzisai – fulfillment of a promise (Shona)
Zivai – knowledge (Shona)
Zwide – great chief or leader (Zulu)
Baloyi – one who brings peace (Tsonga)
Chukwuemeka – God has done great deeds (Igbo)
Diallo – bold or brave one (Fulani)
Doumbia – trusted counselor (Mande)
Fashola – God’s will brings wealth (Yoruba)
Gatluak – born during a journey (Nuer)
Hlongwane – long-horned cattle clan (Zulu)
Ibrahima – father of nations (West African usage)
Jelani – mighty, powerful (Swahili)
Kagiso – peace (Tswana)
Kiprono – born during rain (Kalenjin)
Kouyaté – storyteller or griot family (Mandé)
Lethabo – happiness or joy (Sotho)
Lubega – messenger or envoy (Ganda)
Madiba – respected ancestor name (Xhosa)
Mahlobo – the one who brings trouble (Xitsonga, symbolic)
Masego – blessings (Tswana/Sotho)
Matlala – the one who endures (Northern Sotho)
Mbalamwezi – light of the moon (Bantu poetic form)
Mogotsi – comforter or healer (Tswana)
Munyaneza – one who makes others happy (Rwanda)
Nala – successful or beloved (Southern Africa)
Ncube – leopard clan (Ndebele)
Ndlovu – elephant; strength and wisdom (Nguni)
Ngala – protector or defender (Cameroon region)
Nyathi – buffalo; resilience and power (Shona/Ndebele)
Obasi – in honor of God (Igbo)
Omondi – born at dawn (Luo)
Onyekachi – who is greater than God? (Igbo)
Sadiq – truthful or loyal (North & West Africa)
Sekou – learned one; elder (Mandinka)
Sello – cry of joy or happiness (Sotho)
Simelane – one who stands firm (Swati)
Tendai – be thankful (Shona)
Thabane – mountain dweller (Sotho)
Uche – thought, wisdom (Igbo)
Zanele – enough; satisfaction (Zulu)
Zuberi – strong, powerful (Swahili)
Zuma – thunder or storm (Nguni)
Zungu – traveler or outsider (Southern Africa)
