family_history Meaning
Fon family names
Beyond first names, Fon family names (Hounsou, Agbessi, Tossou, Codjia…) each have a story. They tell of the origin, profession or a trait of the founding ancestor.
Lineage and geography
Many Fon names come from a place of origin or a founding ancestor:
Professions and status
Wishes and blessings
Good to know
Many Beninese and Togolese have a family name that was originally a first name (Dossou, Codjia, Adjovi). Over the generations, the ancestor’s first name became the family name.
One name, one story
Understanding the meaning of a Fon family name can take you back 5 or 6 generations. A genealogy hidden in 2 syllables.
Behind every first name, there is a whole language.
A Fon name is a sentence. To truly hear it, you need the language: 79 video lessons with a native speaker — greet people, introduce yourself, talk about your family, understand your grandmother on the phone.
One free trial lesson when you sign up.
- The Fon video course: see the program — 79 lessons with a native speaker from Cotonou, taught in French
- What is your Fon level? — the free 15-question test