Ghanaian Last Names

These Ghanaian last names come from Akan, Ga, Ewe and northern families across Ghana, listed A to Z with meanings. Some mark birth order, others honor an ancestor, and a few coastal names reflect centuries of trade with Europe.

269 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Abban

Fante family name
Abdulai

Northern Ghanaian form of Abdullah, servant of God
Aboagye

Akan family name
Abudu

Dagomba royal name, one of two royal gates
Abukari

Northern Ghanaian form of Abu Bakr
Acheampong

Akan family name
Acquah

Fante family name
Addo

Akan and Ga family name
Addy

Ga family name
Adjei

Akan family name
Adjetey

Ga family name
Adomako

Possibly from Twi adom, grace or favour
Adongo

Frafra family name from the Upper East
Adotey

Ga family name
Adu

Akan family name
Adusei

Akan family name
Adzraku

Ewe family name
Afriyie

Akan name, often glossed as born at a good time
Agbeko

Ewe family name, possibly from agbe, life
Agbenyega

Ewe; life is greater than all
Agbesi

Ewe family name
Agbodeka

Ewe family name
Agbozo

Ewe family name
Agyapong

Akan family name
Agyei

Akan family name
Agyeman

Akan; possibly saviour or defender of the nation
Ahadzie

Ewe family name
Aheto

Ewe family name
Ahiable

Ewe family name
Aidoo

Fante family name
Akakpo

Ewe family name
Akolgo

Frafra family name from the Upper East
Akorli

Ewe family name
Akoto

Akan family name
Akpalu

Ewe family name
Akuffo

Akan family name from Akuapem
Akwei

Ga family name
Alhassan

Northern Ghanaian form of al-Hasan, the handsome
Allotey

Ga family name
Amadu

Northern Ghanaian form of Ahmad
Amankwah

Akan family name
Amarteifio

Ga family name
Amartey

Ga family name
Amegah

Ewe family name
Amegashie

Ewe family name
Ameku

Ewe family name
Amenyo

Ewe family name
Amissah

Fante family name
Amoah

Akan family name
Ampofo

Akan family name
Amponsah

Akan family name
Anane

Akan birth-order name for the fourth-born child
Anang

Ga family name
Andani

Dagomba royal name, one of two royal gates
Andoh

Fante family name
Anim

Possibly from Twi anim, face or honour
Ankrah

Ga and Akan family name
Anku

Ewe family name
Annan

Fante form of the fourth-born birth-order name
Ansah

Akan birth-order name for a third-born child
Ansong

Akan family name
Antwi

Akan family name
Anum

Akan birth-order name for the fifth-born child
Appiah

Akan family name, common in Asante and Akyem
Arhin

Fante family name
Armah

Ga and Fante family name
Arthur

Fante family name of English origin
Aryee

Ga family name
Asamoah

Akan family name
Asante

Akan name, from the Asante (Ashanti) people
Asare

Akan family name
Ashong

Ga family name
Asiedu

Akan family name
Atanga

Frafra family name from the Upper East
Atsu

Ewe name for a male twin
Atta

Akan name for a twin
Avevor

Ewe family name
Awoonor

Ewe family name
Awuah

Akan family name
Awuku

Akan and Ewe family name
Awuni

Frafra family name from the Upper East
Ayamga

Frafra family name from the Upper East
Ayariga

Kusasi family name from the Upper East
Ayitey

Ga family name
Azu

Krobo family name, borne by chiefly lines

B

Baah

Akan family name
Badu

Akan birth-order name for the tenth-born child
Bagbin

Dagaaba family name from the Upper West
Baidoo

Fante family name
Bannerman

Fante and Ga family of Scottish descent
Bawumia

Mamprusi family name from northern Ghana
Bayor

Dagaaba family name from the Upper West
Bediako

Possibly one who came to fight; a warrior name
Bekoe

Akan family name
Boadu

Akan family name
Boahen

Akan family name
Boakye

Akan family name
Boateng

Akan family name, common among the Asante
Bonsu

Twi for whale; Akan royal name
Bortey

Ga family name
Botwe

Akan birth-order name for the eighth-born child
Brew

Fante family of Irish descent
Brobbey

Akan family name
Busia

Akan family name from Bono

C

Clottey

Ga family name

D

Dadzie

Fante family name
Dankwa

Akan family name
Danquah

Akan family name, common in Akyem
Dapaah

Possibly Twi for good day
Darko

Akan family name, common in Akuapem and Akyem
Dery

Dagaaba family name from the Upper West
Djaba

Dangme family name
Djan

Ga family name
Dodoo

Ga family name
Dogbe

Ewe family name
Donkor

Akan family name
Dotse

Ewe family name
Duah

Possibly from Twi dua, tree
Duku

Akan birth-order name for the eleventh-born child
Dumashie

Ewe family name
Dwomoh

Akan family name
Dzidzienyo

Ewe for happiness is good
Dzokoto

Ewe family name

E

Effah

Akan family name
Egyir

Fante family name
Eshun

Fante family name
Essien

Fante family name

F

Fosu

Akan family name
Frimpong

Akan family name
Fuseini

Northern Ghanaian form of Husayn

G

Gakpo

Ewe family name
Gbedemah

Ewe family name
Ghartey

Fante family name
Gyamfi

Akan family name
Gyasi

Akan family name
Gyekye

Akan family name

H

Hagan

Fante family name
Hammond

Ga and Fante family name of English origin
Haruna

Northern Ghanaian form of Harun, Aaron

I

Iddrisu

Northern Ghanaian form of Idris
Issah

Northern Ghanaian form of Isa, Jesus

K

Kabutey

Krobo family name
Klutse

Ewe family name
Kodzo

Ewe day name for a Monday-born male, also used as a family name
Kofi

Akan day name for a Friday-born male, also used as a family name
Konadu

Akan family name
Koomson

Fante family name
Kotey

Ga family name
Kpakpo

Ga family name
Kpodo

Ewe family name
Kufuor

Akan family name from Asante
Kumi

Akan family name
Kumordzi

Ewe family name
Kusi

Akan family name
Kuwornu

Ewe family name
Kwabena

Akan day name for a Tuesday-born male, also used as a family name
Kwadwo

Akan day name for a Monday-born male, also used as a family name
Kwaku

Akan day name for a Wednesday-born male, also used as a family name
Kwame

Akan day name for a Saturday-born male, also used as a family name
Kwao

Dangme and Akan family name
Kwarteng

Akan family name
Kwasi

Akan day name for a Sunday-born male, also used as a family name
Kwei

Ga family name
Kwofie

Fante family name
Kyei

Akan family name
Kyeremeh

Akan family name

L

Ladzekpo

Ewe family name
Lamptey

Ga family name
Lartey

Ga family name
Laryea

Ga family name
Letsa

Ewe family name

M

Mahama

Northern Ghanaian form of Muhammad, common across the north
Manu

Akan birth-order name for the second-born child
Marfo

Akan family name
Mawuli

Ewe name meaning God exists, also used as a family name
Mensah

Akan birth-order name for the third-born son
Mills

Fante family name of English origin
Mintah

Akan family name
Mireku

Akan family name
Mohammed

Arabic praised one; very common in northern Ghana
Mumuni

Northern Ghanaian form of Mu'min, believer

N

Nantogma

Dagomba family name
Narh

Dangme and Krobo name, often a birth-order name
Nartey

Dangme and Krobo family name
Neequaye

Ga family name
Nikoi

Ga family name
Nimako

Akan family name
Nkansah

Akan family name
Nketia

Akan family name
Nkrumah

Akan birth-order name for the ninth-born child
Nortey

Ga family name
Nsiah

Akan birth-order name for the sixth-born child
Nsowah

Akan birth-order name for the seventh-born child
Nti

Akan family name
Ntim

Akan family name
Nuamah

Akan family name
Nyaho

Ewe family name
Nyamekye

Twi for gift from God
Nyantakyi

Akan family name
Nyarko

Akan family name

O

Obeng

Akan family name
Obiri

Akan family name
Obodai

Ga family name
Ocran

Fante family name
Odartey

Ga family name
Odoi

Ga family name
Oduro

Possibly from Twi aduro, medicine
Ofei

Ga family name
Ofori

Akan family name, common in Akyem
Ofosu

Akan family name
Ohene

Twi for king or chief
Okai

Ga family name
Okine

Ga family name
Oko

Ga family name
Okyere

Akan family name
Ollennu

Ga family name
Opoku

Akan royal name borne by Asante kings
Oppong

Akan family name
Osafo

Akan family name
Osei

Akan name borne by Asante kings such as Osei Tutu; meaning uncertain
Oteng

Akan family name
Otoo

Fante and Ga family name
Owiredu

Akan family name
Owusu

Akan family name, common among the Asante

P

Padi

Dangme family name
Poku

Akan family name

Q

Quansah

Fante family name
Quarcoo

Ga family name
Quartey

Ga family name
Quaye

Ga family name

S

Sackey

Ga and Fante family name
Salifu

Northern Ghanaian form of Salih, righteous
Sarfo

Akan family name
Sarkodie

Akan family name
Sarpong

Akan family name
Seddoh

Ewe family name
Sefa

Akan family name
Seidu

Northern Ghanaian form of Sa'id, happy
Senyo

Ewe name, possibly destiny is good; also used as a family name
Sowah

Ga family name
Sulemana

Northern Ghanaian form of Solomon
Sumani

Dagomba name, possibly a form of Uthman

T

Tabi

Akan family name
Tackie

Ga family name
Tagoe

Ga family name
Tahiru

Northern Ghanaian form of Tahir, pure
Takyi

Akan family name
Tamakloe

Ewe family name
Tampuli

Dagomba family name
Tawiah

Akan name for a child born after twins
Tetteh

Ga-Dangme name, often a birth-order name
Tettey

Ga family name, variant of Tetteh
Teye

Dangme and Krobo family name
Tsikata

Ewe family name
Tutu

Akan royal name borne by Asante kings
Twumasi

Akan family name

V

Vanderpuije

Ga family of Dutch descent

W

Wellington

Ga family name of English origin
Wiredu

Akan family name
Wumbei

Dagomba family name

Y

Yakubu

Hausa and Dagomba form of Jacob
Yamoah

Akan family name
Yankah

Fante family name
Yao

Ewe day name for a Thursday-born male, also used as a family name
Yaw

Akan day name for a Thursday-born male, also used as a family name
Yeboah

Akan family name

Z

Zakaria

Northern Ghanaian form of Zechariah
Ziblim

Dagomba family name
Zigah

Ewe family name

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Sarpong

Akan family name
Takyi

Akan family name
Kabutey

Krobo family name
Boakye

Akan family name
Mohammed

Arabic praised one; very common in northern Ghana
Zigah

Ewe family name

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Meanings behind well known Ghanaian last names

Many Akan names carry clear meanings. Mensah is a name for a third-born son, Nkrumah for a ninth-born and Badu for a tenth-born, while Osei is often glossed as noble and Agyeman is often read as one who saves the nation. Asante links to the Asante people and kingdom, and Kufuor, Busia and Danquah were made famous by statesmen. Names such as Boateng, Owusu, Frimpong and Ofori are common across Akan areas and are often inherited from an admired relative.

Ewe names often carry a phrase or a prayer. Agbenyega is often read as life is worth more than money, Agbeko contains agbe, life, and names built on Mawu, God, are common. Ga names such as Quaye, Lamptey, Tetteh, Nortey and Quartey are typical of Accra and the nearby coast, while northern names such as Mahama, Alhassan, Abdulai and Iddrisu show the influence of Islam and of Dagbani and other languages of the north.

How Ghanaian families choose a surname

In many Ghanaian families the surname was not simply passed from father to child. Among the Akan, a child traditionally received a day name and a name chosen by the father, often honoring a relative or respected friend, and that name could become the child's surname in school and official records. The naming ceremony, often called an outdooring, takes place about a week after birth and is when the child is formally presented to family and community.

Mission schools, church registers and colonial records pushed families toward fixed surnames, and many now pass one name down in the European way. Some people also carry a Christian or English first name alongside their Ghanaian names, so a man known as Kwame Mensah might be recorded as Joseph Kwame Mensah. Day names such as Kwame, Kofi and Yaw can themselves serve as surnames, which is why you will find them in this list as well as in lists of given names.

Coastal names from centuries of trade

Along the coast, Europeans built forts and trading posts from the late 1400s onward, and some local families took or inherited European names. Bannerman, Brew, Hammond, Wellington and Mills are well known Ghanaian family names with English roots, often from traders who married into Fante or Ga families. Vanderpuije reflects Dutch connections, and Danish links were strong in Accra, where Denmark held Christiansborg Castle. Arthur, Mills and Hagan are carried by many Fante families around Cape Coast.

Many famous Ghanaians carry names from the list. Kwame Nkrumah led the country to independence in 1957, John Kufuor and John Atta Mills served as presidents, and Kofi Annan, born in Kumasi to a Fante family, led the United Nations. Footballers Michael Essien and Kevin-Prince Boateng made other names familiar abroad. When you search the list, try more than one spelling, since Twi, Fante, Ga and Ewe words can be written several ways in English letters.

Frequently asked questions

Which Ghanaian last names are Akan?

Most of the best known ones are, including Mensah, Owusu, Boateng, Asante, Osei, Appiah, Agyeman, Frimpong and Ofori. Akan peoples, among them the Asante, Fante, Akuapem and Akyem, form the largest group in Ghana, so their names dominate national lists, though Ga, Ewe and northern names are common in their own regions.

What does Mensah mean?

Mensah is an Akan birth-order name given to a third-born son. Similar names include Manu for a second-born, Nkrumah for a ninth-born and Badu for a tenth-born. Over time such names became surnames and were passed on regardless of the birth order of the person who carries them.

Why do some Ghanaians have English family names?

Some descend from European traders or officials who married into coastal families, while others adopted names at mission schools or at baptism. Names like Bannerman, Brew, Hammond and Wellington have been Ghanaian family names for generations and are fully part of the country's heritage.

What are some Ewe and Ga names in the list?

Ewe names include Agbeko, Kpodo, Agbenyega, Amegashie, Tsikata, Dzokoto and Gbedemah, common in the Volta Region. Ga names include Quaye, Lamptey, Tetteh, Nortey, Quartey, Odoi and Laryea, typical of Accra and nearby towns. Many carry meanings linked to prayer, birth or family history.