Benin Genealogical Records

Newspapers Covering Benin

Name Card Index to AP Stories (1905-1990)

An index to over 2.1 million people mentioned in Associated Press stories, including name, subject, location, date and a reference to the article.

AP Stories & Newsfeatures (1937-1985)

An index to and digital images of hundreds-of-thousands of world newspaper articles.

Subject Card Index to AP Stories (1937-1985)

An index to around 500,000 Associated Press articles.

Benin Directories & Gazetteers

CIA World Factbook (1994)

A statistic and descriptive gazetteer of nations.

World Foreign Gazetteer (1998)

Useful for locating places, this searchable gazetteer gives brief details, latitude and longitude for more than 1.5 million features, places and regions throughout the world.

Benin Cemeteries

Billion Graves (1200-Present)

Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.

Benin Histories & Books

Ancestry Member Stories (6000 BC-Present)

Over 7 million remembrances and historic details submitted by Ancestry members. Useful for local historians.

Ancestry Member Photos & Documents (6000 BC-Present)

Over 60 million historic photographs and documents submitted to Ancestry. This rich collection contains many rare sources of interest to local historians and will be relevant to most genealogical research.

Benin Occupation & Business Records

Slave Voyages Database (1514-1866)

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database has information on more than 35,000 slave voyages that forcibly embarked over 12 million Africans for transport to the Americas between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Benin

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Ancestry Member Family Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A compilation of lineage-linked family trees submitted by Ancestry users. The database contains over 2 billion individuals and is searchable by numerous metrics.

Genealogics (1400 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked families. It largely covers royalty and nobility, but also contains actors, footballers and American presidents.

Ancestry World Tree (6000 BC-1997)

A collection of legacy trees submitted by Ancestry users containing nearly 400 million individuals.

Benin Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Genealogics (1400 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked families. It largely covers royalty and nobility, but also contains actors, footballers and American presidents.

Benin Maps

Old Maps Online (1497-2010)

An interactive index to thousands of maps covering the world, continents, countries and regions. The majority of maps cover Britain and Ireland.

Historical Description

Benin, here the people go naked untill they are married, and then are clothed from the wast to the knees: the King hereof hath 600 Wives, with all which twice a year he goeth in pomp; the Gentlemen have some 80, some 90, the meanest 100; Men and Women pinck their bodies, putting thereon grease mixed with colour; here they offer their Wives to Strangers.

A Geographical Description of the World (1671) by George Meriton

Most Common Surnames in Benin

RankSurnameIncidenceFrequency
1Bio110,6231:93
2Orou105,5721:98
3Sabi84,6401:122
4Amadou61,2221:169
5Dossou59,1521:175
6Moussa46,8011:221
7Adamou46,4251:223
8Amoussou45,6421:226
9Assogba43,5681:237
10Bani42,0481:246
11Chabi38,0811:271
12Mama36,3361:284
13Tossou35,7891:289
14Sossou34,9321:296
15Boni34,6991:298
16Houessou33,2841:311
17Zannou32,0211:323
18Idrissou31,6291:327
19Oumarou31,3231:330
20Worou31,2371:331
21Agossou30,5251:339
22Djossou28,6251:361
23Adam28,4641:363
24Dansou28,2011:366
25Kakpo27,6881:373
26Abdoulaye27,6381:374
27Kouagou27,3771:378
28Boukari27,3741:378
29Sanni27,2531:379
30Salifou26,9301:384
31Yacoubou26,4161:391
32Sambieni26,0951:396
33N'Tcha26,0301:397
34Alassane25,4811:406
35Issa25,2501:409
36Lokossou24,5441:421
37Zinsou24,3771:424
38Yarou24,1861:427
39Dossa23,7191:436
40Gounou22,9891:450
41Kora22,7171:455
42Imorou22,6081:457
43Kassa21,9961:470
44Ibrahim21,8611:473
45Soumanou21,8011:474
46M'Po19,6321:526
47Ali19,5321:529
48Hounkpe19,3311:535
49Issifou19,3141:535
50Soule18,5641:557
51Hounsou18,3801:562
52Boko17,5661:588
53Hounkpatin17,1631:602
54Zakari17,1031:604
55Houssou16,9561:610
56Akakpo16,8941:612
57Kpadonou16,7941:615
58Garba16,5331:625
59Arouna16,1121:641
60Sare15,9791:647
61Mamadou15,9391:648
62Sero15,9231:649
63Seidou15,8781:651
64Sidi15,8071:654
65Lafia15,6771:659
66Oke15,5921:663
67Bonou15,5141:666
68Alidou15,4171:670
69Godonou15,1941:680
70Edah15,1691:681
71Moumouni15,0171:688
72Bossou14,1021:733
73Hounsa14,0541:735
74Djobo14,0311:737
75Sossa13,9891:739
76Fanou13,7881:750
77Saka13,7711:751
78Ahouandjinou13,6331:758
79Gado13,5701:762
80Agbo13,4601:768
81Demon13,3421:775
82Loko13,2951:777
83N'Dah12,8851:802
84Bah12,7801:809
85Montcho12,7471:811
86Gbaguidi12,6341:818
87Sagbo12,6161:819
88Alou12,5961:821
89Gnonlonfoun12,5841:821
90Tamou12,5141:826
91Assouma12,5071:826
92Houenou12,4891:828
93Dohou12,4111:833
94Akpo12,3721:835
95Biaou12,3201:839
96Hessou12,1011:854
97Aboudou11,9231:867
98Koto11,8601:871
99Idohou11,8191:874
100Hounnou11,7791:877
101Houngue11,7601:879
102Fassinou11,4641:902
103Karim11,2231:921
104Togbe11,1671:926
105Zime11,1231:929
106Abdou11,0681:934
107Houngbo10,8781:950
108Anato10,8451:953
109Lokonon10,5651:978
110Tossa10,5371:981
111Houndjo10,4591:988
112Quenum10,4421:990
113Kombetto10,3791:996
114Gbenou10,2701:1,006
115Mora10,0471:1,029
116Hodonou10,0291:1,031
117Adjovi10,0041:1,033
118Mamoudou9,9051:1,043
119Hountondji9,6421:1,072
120Gnammi9,5661:1,080
121Gandonou9,5421:1,083
122Hamadou9,4871:1,089
123Djodi9,4461:1,094
124Houngbedji9,4291:1,096
125Hounkanrin9,3941:1,100
126Anagonou9,3291:1,108
127Bouraima9,2801:1,114
128Sambo9,1891:1,125
129Abou9,1611:1,128
130Issaka9,1141:1,134
131Odjo9,0741:1,139
132Kpanou8,9441:1,156
133Namboni8,9261:1,158
134Karimou8,8421:1,169
135Kiki8,8401:1,169
136Ahissou8,8301:1,171
137Tawema8,8251:1,171
138Sonon8,7241:1,185
139Ezin8,7101:1,187
140Amidou8,7031:1,188
141Kouton8,6961:1,189
142Sounon8,6541:1,194
143Oussou8,6441:1,196
144Codjo8,6031:1,201
145Sessou8,5361:1,211
146Atchade8,5341:1,211
147Bankole8,4821:1,219
148Hounkponou8,4571:1,222
149Mamam8,4221:1,227
150Boton8,3751:1,234
151Boco8,2941:1,246
152Yaya8,2781:1,249
153Hossou8,1621:1,266
154Hounton8,1211:1,273
155Fousseni8,0821:1,279
156Savi8,0781:1,279
157Djibril8,0441:1,285
158Agossa8,0411:1,285
159Ballo8,0231:1,288
160Bello7,9591:1,299
161Assou7,9531:1,300
162Asso7,6601:1,349
163Toumoudagou7,6471:1,352
164Houeto7,6291:1,355
165Gnarigo7,6151:1,357
166Senou7,5921:1,361
167Kodjo7,5311:1,372
168Issiaka7,4401:1,389
169Allagbe7,4281:1,391
170Ahouansou7,3941:1,398
171Elegbede7,3781:1,401
172Dramane7,3361:1,409
173Adande7,3301:1,410
174Tairou7,3241:1,411
175Cakpo7,2881:1,418
175Ogou7,2881:1,418
177Dari7,2761:1,421
178Mouhamadou7,2591:1,424
179Ada7,2461:1,426
180Daouda7,2171:1,432
181Sahgui7,2031:1,435
182Dafia7,1951:1,436
183Hounmenou7,1071:1,454
184Boubakar7,0691:1,462
185Aballo7,0581:1,464
186Aliou7,0531:1,465
187Hounye7,0501:1,466
188Sodjinou6,9981:1,477
189Lawani6,9891:1,479
190Hounga6,9281:1,492
191Affo6,8991:1,498
192Houedanou6,8781:1,503
193Deguenon6,8611:1,506
194Matchou6,8421:1,511
195Ahossi6,8011:1,520
196Yessoufou6,7751:1,526
197Salami6,6701:1,550
198Wassou6,6651:1,551
199Bodjrenou6,6561:1,553
200Noumonvi6,6491:1,554