349+ Most Common African Last Names Surnames (BEST Guide!)

African last names offer a fascinating insight into the diverse cultures, origins, and ethnic groups that make up the African continent. Due to its rich history and the mingling of various tribes and peoples, you’ll find a vast array of unique and meaningful surnames that originated from different regions in Africa.

As you dive into the world of African surnames, you’ll discover that many of them carry significant meanings, some reflecting the attributes and values of the culture from which they originate. The significance of last names also helps connect people to their ancestral roots and carries the legacy of their proud heritage.

Exploring the most common African last names is an engaging experience, providing a glimpse into the lives and traditions of the African people. These surnames may evoke a sense of kinship, unity, and a celebration of ancestral bonds. So let’s delve further into the intriguing world of African surnames and learn more about their origins and meanings.

Best Names

1-25 Best Names

Here are some of the best African last names (surnames) from our top list:

1. Ali
2. Isa
3. King
4. Ross
5. Peter
6. Daniel
7. Bell
8. Ward
9. Mensah
10. Abiodun
11. Abioye
12. Acheampong
13. Osei
14. Nyong’o
15. Diop
16. Kamara
17. Ba
18. Bello
19. Eze
20. Ndlovu
21. Mwangi
22. Mugo
23. Olumide
24. Maposa
25. Onyango

26-50 Best Names

Continuing with our list of best African last names (surnames), we have:

26. Boateng
27. Kotoko
28. Mabunda
29. Obi
30. Omari
31. Tigere
32. Njoku
33. Onwuka
34. Jabulani
35. Sithole
36. Okafor
37. Chiumbo
38. Radebe
39. Themba
40. Nkosi
41. Yobo
42. Sibanda
43. Kenyatta
44. Appiah
45. Tshabalala
46. Azikiwe
47. Luthuli
48. Mahlangu
49. Seretse
50. Baloyi

51-75 Best Names

Here are more great African last names (surnames) from our list:

51. Selassie
52. Sankara
53. Nyerere
54. Lemalu
55. Masina
56. Khumalo
57. Sissoko
58. Banda
59. Kamau
60. Mhlongo
61. Mirima
62. Zakayo
63. Nkomo
64. Mosia
65. Malema
66. Moseneke
67. Odinga
68. Vimbai
69. Zuma
70. Ngbokulu
71. Kwame
72. Maina
73. Keter
74. Adwetewa
75. Nthabiseng

76-100 Best Names

And finally, wrapping up our list of best African last names (surnames):

76. Ladipo
77. Okonkwo
78. Adesanya
79. Chidubem
80. Macharia
81. Iwuji
82. Ouma
83. Mugabe
84. Maseko
85. Ndebele
86. Tetteh
87. Babangida
88. Fosu
89. Ayew
90. Nguema
91. Njie
92. Lomani
93. Nkrumah
94. Dangote
95. Kono
96. Sefu
97. Marjani
98. Nkurunziza
99. Afolayan
100. Tandeka

Good Names

1-25 Good Names

Here are some common African last names and surnames that you might consider for your list. Remember, these are just suggestions and might not necessarily be the most popular or widely-used names.

1. Abimbola
2. Adebayo
3. Akande
4. Ali
5. Balogun
6. Bash
7. Cisse
8. David
9. Diouf
10. Eze
11. Fofana
12. Gbenga
13. Halima
14. Hall
15. Ibrahim
16. Idris
17. John
18. Kamara
19. Keita
20. Kone
21. Mensah
22. Nwosu
23. Okafor
24. Onyango
25. Yao

26-50 Good Names

Here are more options for you to choose from:

26. Amadi
27. Avery
28. Azikiwe
29. Banda
30. Cham
31. Conteh
32. Diallo
33. Dlamini
34. Eweka
35. Fernandez
36. Hassan
37. Igwe
38. Kenyatta
39. Khouri
40. Maalim
41. Nkosi
42. Ogundipe
43. Oyinlola
44. Sesay
45. Toure
46. Tawiah
47. Uche
48. Vandenberg
49. Young
50. Zein

51-75 Good Names

If you’re still looking for more ideas, here’s another selection of names:

51. Jelani
52. Kabila
53. Lamptey
54. Mpondo
55. Nbalu
56. Ndiaye
57. Okaikwei
58. Otieno
59. Queiros
60. Razak
61. Sangare
62. Simba
63. Tandoh
64. Thiam
65. Okereke
66. Olumide
67. Patel
68. Qureshi
69. Ribeiro
70. Samake
71. Tijani
72. Umoh
73. Vogel
74. Walker
75. Zerah

76-100 Good Names

Finally, here are some more names for the end of your list:

76. Acheampong
77. Akinlabi
78. Baah
79. Chinonso
80. Daguan
81. Ekundayo
82. Fatou
83. Garuba
84. Hlongwa
85. Ibrahimovic
86. Jiya
87. Kallon
88. Lubega
89. Mwangi
90. Ndlovu
91. Obeng
92. Phillips
93. Quaye
94. Ramaswamy
95. Savage
96. Tagoe
97. Uhuru
98. Vlok
99. Wambui
100. Zuma

More Name Ideas

In this section, we provide you with some name ideas that you might find interesting when searching for a common African last name. These lists are based on popular African names and surnames that you might find inspiring.

1-25 Name Ideas

1. Juma
2. Toure
3. Eze
4. Mensah
5. Faith
6. Pride
7. Life
8. Onyango
9. Kamau
10. Adejumo
11. Diallo
12. Kone
13. Osei
14. Nyong’o
15. Magubane
16. Ncube
17. Fofana
18. Koita
19. Mokoena
20. Maponyane
21. Nyathi
22. Kaunda
23. Tekere
24. Chipunza
25. Mhlanga

26-50 Name Ideas

26. Acheampong
27. Mudenda
28. Mumba
29. Oloo
30. Katondo
31. Mutharika
32. Mwanza
33. Kabila
34. Chiluba
35. Mbeki
36. Kagame
37. Zuma
38. Musyoka
39. Kibaki
40. Kiplagat
41. Mathunjwa
42. Nkomo
43. Ramaphosa
44. Sankara
45. Sesay
46. Traore
47. Yousafzai
48. Zuma
49. Babu
50. Mazrui

51-75 Name Ideas

51. Asante
52. Radebe
53. Nyamweya
54. Mojapelo
55. Tshabalala
56. Lumumba
57. Nyerere
58. Biko
59. Maluvi
60. Gumede
61. Odede
62. Myburgh
63. Hichilema
64. Banda
65. Nyaduro
66. Mhiripiri
67. Khoza
68. Maathai
69. Nyasha
70. Moshiri
71. Sangala
72. Amollo
73. Zvobgo
74. Nkenge
75. Zungu

76-100 Name Ideas

76. Charumbira
77. Kanda
78. Mupariwa
79. Ibrahim
80. Masters
81. Sibanda
82. Mudau
83. Kgomo
84. Utete
85. Karume
86. Madzima
87. Mariga
88. Dube
89. Banda
90. Kawondera
91. Gara
92. Ledwaba
93. Mabunda
94. Mate
95. Leeuw
96. Mahachi
97. Mathose
98. Subry
99. Chaka
100. Siziba

These lists provide a wide range of African last names and surnames for you to consider when looking for a name that represents your culture and heritage.

More Name Ideas (Continued)

In this section, we will provide you with additional African last name ideas. We have divided them into four subsections, each containing 25 name ideas. So let’s explore these unique and fascinating names.

1-25 Name Ideas

Here are some frequently encountered African last names for you to consider:

1. Mohamed
2. Ahmed
3. Ibrahim
4. Hassan
5. Musa
6. Abdullahi
7. Muhammad
8. Abdi
9. Adam
10. Hussein
11. Kamau
12. Kimathi
13. Mwangi
14. Onyango
15. Ochieng
16. Nkosi
17. Zulu
18. Sithole
19. Khumalo
20. Dlamini
21. Baloyi
22. Masilela
23. Mabaso
24. Letsoalo
25. Ramabulana

26-50 Name Ideas

Continuing with more African last name suggestions:

26. Kabongo
27. Ngandu
28. Matamba
29. Kazadi
30. Mwanza
31. Keita
32. Diarra
33. Coulibaly
34. Traoré
35. Maiga
36. Fofanah
37. Kanu
38. Kamara
39. Kallon
40. Sesay
41. Ouédraogo
42. Compaoré
43. Kaboré
44. Bensaïd
45. Chérif
46. Sow
47. Bâ
48. Ndiaye
49. Gueye
50. Tavares

51-75 Name Ideas

Here’s our next set of African surname ideas for your reference:

51. Mendes
52. Ramos
53. Da Silva
54. Fernandez
55. Dos Santos
56. Aka
57. Koné
58. Kuassi
59. Djédjé
60. Zorro
61. Daouda
62. Coulibaly
63. Diakité
64. Alou
65. Dagnogo
66. Nogueira
67. Dabo
68. Gassama
69. Sagna
70. Seck
71. Niang
72. Sene
73. Mbaye
74. Sal
75. Dembele

76-100 Name Ideas

Finally, take a look at these additional African last name options:

76. Diarra
77. Sankara
78. Sakho
79. Koulibaly
80. Ngom
81. Badji
82. Thiaw
83. Ndong
84. Ndour
85. Sy
86. Mansaré
87. Baldé
88. Camara
89. Cissé
90. Diallo
91. Yattara
92. Tembo
93. Bwalya
94. Mulenga
95. Mwape
96. Sakala
97. Simuusa
98. Chimanga
99. Chikankata
100. Lungu

There you have it, a diverse and interesting collection of African last names. We hope that you found these suggestions helpful and insightful. Remember, African last names hold a lot of meaning and history, so take your time exploring and understanding them.

Tips For Brainstorming The Perfect Name

Choosing an African surname can be a beautiful way to honor your heritage and find a name that truly represents your family’s values. By understanding the meanings behind these names and exploring various regions in Africa, you can find a name that symbolizes unity, hope, and strength. Here are some tips to help you brainstorm the perfect African last name:

1. 
   

   Explore different regions: Africa is a vast continent with diverse cultures and languages. Consider researching names from various African countries like South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Zimbabwe to find a name that resonates with you.

   
   
2. 
   

   Consider cultural backgrounds: African surnames are often associated with specific ethnic groups and languages. Looking into West African names like Yoruba, Akan, and Igbo, or Southern African names like Xhosa, Ndebele, and Zulu can provide a rich source of inspiration.

   
   
3. 
   

   Look for meaningful names: African last names often have strong meanings behind them. For example, names like Abimbola and Abioye stand for wealth and royalty, while Adebisi and Adisa represent hope and clarity.

   
   
4. 
   

   Explore famous African families: Researching notable African families such as the Obama family from Kenya can provide ideas for names with strong roots in the African community.

   
   
5. 
   

   Consider religious influences: Many African names have roots in Muslim, Christian, or traditional African beliefs. Names like Mohammed, Coulibaly, or Yusuf may connect your family’s name with a particular faith.

   
   

To help you get started, here are some African surnames from various regions and cultural backgrounds:

1. West Africa: Ndiaye, Diallo, Sani, Aku, Afia
2. South Africa: Ndebele, Xhosa, Zulu, Shona, Solomon
3. East Africa: Kenya, Abebe, Tesfaye, Haruna, Barry
4. North Africa: Egyptian, Arabic, Osman, Camara, Omar

By following these tips and exploring the vast array of African surnames available, you can find the perfect name to represent your family’s heritage and values. Happy name hunting!