Most Common Malawian Surnames & Meanings

Most Common Last Names In Malawi

Forebears knows about 56,675 unique surnames in Malawi and there are 301 people per name.

Rank	Surname	Incidence	Frequency
1	Banda	688,962	1:25
2	Phiri	473,511	1:36
3	Nyirenda	186,252	1:92
4	Chirwa	153,890	1:111
5	Mwale	143,982	1:119
6	Nkhoma	136,428	1:125
7	Mkandawire	132,768	1:129
8	Gondwe	126,808	1:135
9	Kamanga	98,602	1:174
10	Mhango	86,081	1:199
11	Munthali	78,762	1:217
12	Moyo	76,932	1:223
13	Mbewe	74,919	1:229
14	Tembo	72,775	1:235
15	Jere	72,488	1:236
16	Kumwenda	71,129	1:241
17	Manda	68,959	1:248
18	Msiska	60,150	1:285
19	Ngwira	59,391	1:288
20	Kaunda	56,490	1:303
21	Nyirongo	52,647	1:325
22	Nkhata	52,203	1:328
23	Mvula	47,524	1:360
24	Nyasulu	44,805	1:382
25	Chisale	44,099	1:388
26	Gama	43,550	1:393
27	Mhone	41,459	1:413
28	Kamwendo	40,779	1:420
29	Zimba	39,185	1:437
30	Soko	36,152	1:474
31	Mtambo	33,068	1:518
32	Chavula	32,937	1:520
33	Magombo	32,676	1:524
34	Msukwa	32,650	1:524
35	Mphande	32,519	1:526
36	Kazembe	32,022	1:535
37	Lungu	31,970	1:535
38	Chunga	31,133	1:550
39	Shaba	29,931	1:572
40	Mussa	29,565	1:579
41	Kondowe	29,356	1:583
42	Chipeta	29,277	1:585
43	Longwe	29,094	1:588
44	Nyondo	28,624	1:598
45	Ngoma	28,546	1:600
46	Saidi	27,421	1:624
47	Chirambo	26,899	1:636
48	Kachingwe	26,742	1:640
49	Msowoya	26,690	1:641
50	Chiwaya	25,618	1:668
51	Bwanali	25,539	1:670
52	Luhanga	24,755	1:692
53	Kayira	23,422	1:731
54	Mtonga	22,899	1:748
55	Samson	22,402	1:764
56	Kayange	22,324	1:767
57	Harawa	22,220	1:770
58	Malunga	22,089	1:775
59	Hara	21,932	1:781
60	Mponda	21,854	1:783
61	Kalua	21,775	1:786
62	Chiumia	21,461	1:798
62	Juma	21,461	1:798
64	Ngulube	21,200	1:808
65	Dickson	20,442	1:837
66	Mwafulirwa	19,971	1:857
67	Moses	19,710	1:869
68	Zulu	19,579	1:874
69	Chisi	19,553	1:876
70	Mumba	19,344	1:885
71	Ndhlovu	19,161	1:893
72	Chawinga	18,978	1:902
73	Mbale	18,743	1:913
74	Kaonga	18,638	1:919
75	Maluwa	18,115	1:945
75	Mwanza	18,115	1:945
77	Chibwana	18,063	1:948
78	Maseko	17,723	1:966
79	Mwandira	17,410	1:983
80	Yohane	17,383	1:985
81	Mwase	17,331	1:988
82	Mandala	16,991	1:1,008
83	Samuel	16,808	1:1,019
84	Mughogho	16,730	1:1,023
85	Zgambo	16,442	1:1,041
86	Saka	16,390	1:1,044
87	Tambala	16,155	1:1,060
88	Botha	15,972	1:1,072
89	Majawa	15,841	1:1,081
89	Masamba	15,841	1:1,081
89	Sichali	15,841	1:1,081
92	Frank	15,815	1:1,082
93	Ng'ambi	15,684	1:1,092
94	Jumbe	15,240	1:1,123
95	Khonje	15,135	1:1,131
96	Kawonga	15,031	1:1,139
96	Maganga	15,031	1:1,139
98	Makina	14,613	1:1,171
99	Nkosi	14,560	1:1,176

100	Singini	14,534	1:1,178
101	Gomani	14,430	1:1,186
102	Mlenga	14,377	1:1,191
103	Chimwaza	14,325	1:1,195
104	Mangani	14,273	1:1,199
105	Mfune	14,194	1:1,206
106	Chilongo	14,011	1:1,222
107	Milanzi	13,750	1:1,245
108	Kalonga	13,698	1:1,250
109	Sakala	13,567	1:1,262
110	Makawa	13,541	1:1,264
111	Thom	13,489	1:1,269
112	Master	13,436	1:1,274
113	Makwinja	13,410	1:1,277
114	Chimaliro	13,384	1:1,279
115	Patrick	13,358	1:1,282
116	Kanyenda	13,306	1:1,287
117	Kamoto	13,279	1:1,289
118	Chikopa	13,253	1:1,292
119	Chabwera	13,096	1:1,307
120	Josephy	13,044	1:1,312
121	Maulidi	12,992	1:1,318
122	Kambalame	12,940	1:1,323
123	Ngambi	12,913	1:1,326
124	Chinyama	12,887	1:1,328
125	Kaliati	12,809	1:1,336
126	Matola	12,678	1:1,350
127	Robert	12,600	1:1,359
128	Simwaka	12,495	1:1,370
129	Chimwala	12,417	1:1,379
130	Matemba	12,365	1:1,384
131	Ndalama	12,286	1:1,393
131	Nkhonjera	12,286	1:1,393
133	Kaira	12,155	1:1,408
133	Kanyika	12,155	1:1,408
135	Sibale	12,129	1:1,411
136	Chima	12,103	1:1,414
136	Chiona	12,103	1:1,414
138	Kapalamula	12,077	1:1,417
139	Bandawe	11,999	1:1,427
140	Kalima	11,946	1:1,433
141	Mzumara	11,920	1:1,436
142	Selemani	11,763	1:1,455
143	Moffat	11,711	1:1,462
144	Ng'oma	11,685	1:1,465
145	Chimombo	11,633	1:1,472
145	Julius	11,633	1:1,472
147	Kayuni	11,580	1:1,478
148	Zuze	11,476	1:1,492
149	Simbeye	11,423	1:1,499
150	Petro	11,240	1:1,523
151	Mwalwanda	11,214	1:1,527
152	Msuku	11,162	1:1,534
153	Mulenga	11,084	1:1,544
154	Mphepo	11,005	1:1,556
155	Adam	10,979	1:1,559
155	Bonongwe	10,979	1:1,559
157	Chanza	10,953	1:1,563
158	Chimenya	10,874	1:1,574
159	Kathumba	10,848	1:1,578
160	Sambo	10,796	1:1,586
161	Kaipa	10,744	1:1,593
161	Mdala	10,744	1:1,593
163	Luka	10,692	1:1,601
163	Nkhwazi	10,692	1:1,601
165	Elias	10,665	1:1,605
166	Kamwana	10,587	1:1,617
166	Magawa	10,587	1:1,617
166	Sikwese	10,587	1:1,617
169	Alfred	10,561	1:1,621
170	Chitsulo	10,482	1:1,633
170	Nthala	10,482	1:1,633
172	Steven	10,352	1:1,654
173	Matewere	10,299	1:1,662
173	Wyson	10,299	1:1,662
175	Chimbalanga	10,273	1:1,666
176	Kaponda	10,247	1:1,671
176	Singano	10,247	1:1,671
178	Lipenga	10,221	1:1,675
179	Chihana	10,195	1:1,679
180	Chikuse	10,169	1:1,683
181	Gausi	10,143	1:1,688
182	Misomali	10,090	1:1,697
183	Chibwe	10,064	1:1,701
183	Magalasi	10,064	1:1,701
185	Mithi	10,038	1:1,705
186	Nyoni	9,986	1:1,714
187	Kabango	9,960	1:1,719
188	Sibande	9,907	1:1,728
189	Nguluwe	9,855	1:1,737
190	Sitima	9,829	1:1,742
190	Theu	9,829	1:1,742
192	Maulana	9,750	1:1,756
193	Mtambalika	9,698	1:1,765
193	Mwenda	9,698	1:1,765
195	Kachepa	9,672	1:1,770
195	Sichinga	9,672	1:1,770
197	Kalulu	9,620	1:1,780
197	Kapito	9,620	1:1,780
199	Matope	9,594	1:1,784

199	Musukwa	9,594	1:1,784
201	Macheso	9,567	1:1,789
201	Mataka	9,567	1:1,789
201	Nazombe	9,567	1:1,789
204	Kachere	9,541	1:1,794
205	Thindwa	9,489	1:1,804
206	Isaac	9,463	1:1,809
207	Kasambala	9,332	1:1,834
208	Shawa	9,306	1:1,840
209	Amos	9,175	1:1,866
209	Mpinganjira	9,175	1:1,866
211	Hassan	9,149	1:1,871
212	Harry	9,123	1:1,876
212	Kapira	9,123	1:1,876
214	Bakali	9,097	1:1,882
215	Masina	9,071	1:1,887
216	Chikoti	9,045	1:1,893
217	Simfukwe	8,992	1:1,904
218	Kabaghe	8,940	1:1,915
219	Damiano	8,914	1:1,920
220	Edward	8,862	1:1,932
221	Liwonde	8,809	1:1,943
221	Michael	8,809	1:1,943
223	Maloya	8,757	1:1,955
224	Dzimbiri	8,731	1:1,961
224	Emmanuel	8,731	1:1,961
224	Mzembe	8,731	1:1,961
227	Maxwell	8,653	1:1,978
228	Daudi	8,626	1:1,985
229	Jimu	8,600	1:1,991
230	Chikafa	8,574	1:1,997
230	Stephano	8,574	1:1,997
232	Kalambo	8,548	1:2,003
233	Matias	8,496	1:2,015
234	Lyson	8,470	1:2,021
234	Mchenga	8,470	1:2,021
236	Malata	8,443	1:2,028
236	Malenga	8,443	1:2,028
238	Bauleni	8,417	1:2,034
239	Mkwanda	8,391	1:2,040
240	Kaluwa	8,365	1:2,047
240	Mtawali	8,365	1:2,047
242	Mateyu	8,287	1:2,066
243	Chaula	8,260	1:2,073
244	Raphael	8,234	1:2,079
245	Chauluka	8,208	1:2,086
246	Chiwanda	8,182	1:2,092
247	Chikaonda	8,156	1:2,099
248	Katunga	8,130	1:2,106
249	Bamusi	8,104	1:2,112
249	Mkwezalamba	8,104	1:2,112
251	Ganizani	8,051	1:2,126
252	Kachali	8,025	1:2,133
253	Kampira	7,999	1:2,140
254	Kachala	7,947	1:2,154
254	Mbendera	7,947	1:2,154
256	Jonas	7,921	1:2,161