Central African surnames are a reflection of the region's rich ethnolinguistic diversity, originating from the Bantu and Ubangian language families, oral traditions, colonial influence, and primarily Christian naming systems. They can be found in nations such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe and Gabon, as well as in the Central African diaspora, mostly located in the former colonial powers: France, Belgium, Spain and Portugal.
Central African surnames naming conventions
In Central Africa, a lot of surnames have deep connotations related to nature, genealogy, virtue, or birth circumstances. Names like Kabasele, Aubameyang, or Mabiala may represent spiritual symbolism, clan affiliation, or praise among Bantu-speaking societies. With connotations that indicate a child's position in family history or the circumstances surrounding their birth, surnames are frequently extremely personal.
Ethnic groups in Cameroon, where more than 200 languages are spoken, have different naming traditions. For example, Ngassa, Mbappe, or Ewodo may represent ancestry, social standing, or recollections of the past. Some organizations alternate between using a given name and a clan name. Some families adopted or were given surnames like Jean-Baptiste or Ngoyi in colonial records as a result of the introduction of European naming systems—French, Belgian, Spanish, Portuguese and German—during colonial control. Christianity also had an impact on naming, combining biblical or saint names with indigenous names.
In Equatorial Guinea, the only African country where Spanish is an official language, surnames largely follow Iberian naming conventions—like Obiang Nguema or Nsue Mbela—a reflection of Spanish colonial rule. Many surnames blend local Fang, Bubi, or Ndowe names with Spanish surnames, especially in formal records. It's common to see both Indigenous and colonial elements within a single name, signaling the fusion of native identity with imposed systems.
In São Tomé and Príncipe, Portuguese colonial heritage is dominant in surnames, with names such as Da Costa, De Carvalho, or Sousa being widespread. Many surnames originated from enslaved or freed Africans given Portuguese names by colonial authorities, missionaries, or slave owners. As in other Lusophone African countries, Portuguese surnames coexist with African naming practices that emphasize ancestry and cultural belonging.
With their combination of colonial-era legacies and ancestral meaning, Central African surnames are now potent symbols of identity, memory, and belonging that provide rich context for intergenerational genealogical study.
