Moroccan Last Names

These Moroccan last names include city names, old Fassi and Andalusian families, lineage names and Amazigh names, listed A to Z with Arabic script and meanings. Many end in -i, which usually tells you the region or town a family came from.

202 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Abehsera أبحصيرة

Father of the mat; rabbinic family
Abergel أبرجل

Moroccan Jewish family name
Abitbol أبيطبول

Moroccan Jewish family; father of the drum
Aboukhlal أبوخلال

Father of Khlal
Afellay أفلاي

Amazigh family name of the Rif
Aguerd أكرد

Amazigh family name
Aherdane أحرضان

Amazigh family of the Middle Atlas
Ait Ali آيت علي

Amazigh: sons of Ali
Ait Brahim آيت ابراهيم

Amazigh: sons of Brahim (Ibrahim)
Ait Idder آيت يدر

Amazigh: sons of Idder, he lives
Ait Lahcen آيت لحسن

Amazigh: sons of Lahcen (Hassan)
Ait Said آيت سعيد

Amazigh: sons of Said
Ait Taleb آيت الطالب

Amazigh: sons of the scholar
Akhannouch أخنوش

Amazigh family of the Souss, Tafraout
Alaoui العلوي

Descendant of Ali; Morocco's ruling sharifian lineage
Amallah أملاح

Moroccan family name
Amghar أمغار

Amazigh for chief or elder
Amrabat أمرابط

Amazigh: the marabout, holy man
Amsellem أمسلم

Moroccan Jewish family name
Andaloussi الأندلسي

Place-based name: from Andalusia
Aouita عويطة

Moroccan family name
Assouline أسولين

Moroccan Jewish family, Amazigh origin
Ayouch عيوش

Moroccan family name
Azoulay أزولاي

Moroccan Jewish family; from Mogador
Azzouzi العزوزي

Of Azzouz, dear one; Rif family

B

Bekkali البقالي

The grocer; occupational name
Belghiti بلغيتي

Moroccan family name
Belhaj بلحاج

Son of the pilgrim
Belhanda بلهندة

Moroccan family name
Belkadi بلقاضي

Son of the judge
Belkhayat بلخياط

Son of the tailor
Benabdallah بنعبد الله

Son of Abdallah, servant of God
Benaissa بنعيسى

Son of Aissa (Jesus)
Benali بنعلي

Son of Ali
Benatia بنعطية

Son of Atia, gift
Benbarka بنبركة

Son of Baraka, blessing
Benchekroun بنشقرون

Son of Chekroun, the fair-haired; Fassi family
Benchemsi بنشمسي

Son of Chemsi, the sunny
Benhima بنهيمة

Son of Hima; Safi family
Benjelloun بنجلون

Son of Jelloun; prominent Fez family
Benkhadra بنخضرة

Son of Khadra, the green
Benkirane بنكيران

Son of Kirane; Fassi family
Benmansour بنمنصور

Son of Mansour, the victorious
Benmoussa بنموسى

Son of Moussa (Moses)
Bennani بناني

Old Fassi family; of uncertain origin
Bennis بنيس

Fassi family name
Bennouna بنونة

Son of Nouna; Tetouan family
Benomar بنعمر

Son of Omar
Bensaid بنسعيد

Son of Said, the happy
Bensimon بنسيمون

Son of Simon; Moroccan Jewish family
Benslimane بنسليمان

Son of Slimane (Solomon)
Bensouda بنسودة

Son of Souda; Fassi scholarly family
Bensoussan بنسوسان

Son of Soussan, lily; Jewish family
Benyahya بنيحيى

Son of Yahya (John)
Berrada برادة

Fassi family; possibly from barrada, water jug
Bitton بيطون

Moroccan Jewish family name
Bouabid بوعبيد

Father of Abid; Salé family
Bouazza بوعزة

Father of Azza; after saint Moulay Bouazza
Bouazzaoui البوعزاوي

Follower of Moulay Bouazza
Boufal بوفال

Father of good omen
Boukhari البخاري

Of Bukhari lineage; also the Abid al-Bukhari guard
Bounou بونو

Moroccan family name
Boussoufa بوصوفة

Father of wool
Boutaleb بوطالب

Father of Taleb, the student
Boutayeb بوطيب

Father of Tayeb, the good
Bouzidi البوزيدي

Of Bouzid, father of Zaid

C

Chafik شفيق

Compassionate, kind (Arabic)
Chakir شاكر

Grateful, thankful (Arabic)
Chamakh الشماخ

The proud or lofty
Chaoui الشاوي

From the Chaouia plain
Chaouni الشاوني

Place-based name: from Chefchaouen
Cherkaoui الشرقاوي

Of the Cherkaoua of Boujad, Sufi lineage
Chetrit الشتريت

Moroccan Jewish family name
Chraibi الشرايبي

Fassi family; possibly from sherbet seller

D

Dahan دهان

The painter or oil seller; Jewish family
Dahbi الذهبي

Golden; of gold
Daoudi الداودي

Of Daoud (David)
Diouri الديوري

Moroccan family name
Doukkali الدكالي

From the Doukkala region
Drissi الدريسي

Variant of Idrissi; descendant of Idris

E

El Alami العلمي

Of Jebel Alam; sharifs of Moulay Abdessalam
El Amrani العمراني

Of the Amrani sharifian lineage
El Fassi Fihri الفاسي الفهري

Fassi descendants of the Fihri family
El Gharbi الغربي

The westerner; from the Gharb
El Ghazi الغازي

The warrior (Arabic)
El Glaoui الكلاوي

Of the Glaoua; Pasha family of Marrakesh
El Guerrouj الكروج

Moroccan family name
El Hachimi الهاشمي

Descendant of Hashim, the Prophet's clan
El Hajji الحجي

The pilgrim who went to Mecca
El Jadidi الجديدي

Place-based name: from El Jadida
El Kaabi الكعبي

Of the Bani Kaab tribe
El Kadiri القادري

Of the Qadiri sharifs or Sufi order
El Khattabi الخطابي

Of the Khattab lineage; Rif family
El Mansouri المنصوري

Of Mansour, the victorious
El Mokri المقري

The Quran reciter; Makhzen family
El Moutawakil المتوكل

One who trusts in God
El Omari العمري

Descendant of Omar
El Othmani العثماني

Of Othman (Uthman)
El Ouafi الوافي

The faithful, loyal one
El Ouardi الوردي

Of roses; rose seller
El Yacoubi اليعقوبي

Of Yacoub (Jacob)
El Yazami اليزمي

Moroccan family name
Elbaz الباز

The falcon; Moroccan Jewish family
Elmaleh المالح

The salty or handsome; Jewish family
En-Nesyri النصيري

Of Nusayr, little helper
Ennaji الناجي

The saved one
Essaidi السعيدي

Of Said, the happy

F

Fassi الفاسي

Place-based name: from Fez
Figuigui الفكيكي

From Figuig oasis
Fikri فكري

Intellectual, thoughtful (Arabic)
Filali الفيلالي

From Tafilalet, homeland of the Alaouites

G

Guennoun كنون

Fassi family name
Guessous كسوس

Fassi family name

H

Habibi الحبيبي

Of Habib, beloved
Hakimi حكيمي

Of Hakim, wise
Hamdaoui الحمداوي

Of the Hamdaoua
Hamidi الحميدي

Of Hamid, praiseworthy
Haouzi الحوزي

From the Haouz plain around Marrakesh
Hassani الحسني

Descendant of Hassan
Hazan حزان

Cantor; Jewish family
Hilali الهلالي

Of the Banu Hilal

I

Idrissi الإدريسي

Descendant of Idris I, founder of Morocco's first dynasty
Ifergan إفركان

Moroccan Jewish family of Amazigh origin

J

Jamai الجامعي

Of the mosque; Fez Makhzen family
Jebli الجبلي

From the Jbala mountains
Jettou جطو

Moroccan family name
Jirari الجراري

Of the Jrara tribe

K

Kabbaj القباج

Fassi family; possibly partridge seller
Karimi الكريمي

Of Karim, generous
Kasri القصري

From Ksar el-Kebir; of the fortress
Kettani الكتاني

Linen merchant; Fez sharifian family
Khalfi الخلفي

Of Khalaf, successor
Kharja خرجة

Moroccan family name
Knafo كنافو

Moroccan Jewish family name

L

Lahbabi الحبابي

Fassi family name
Lahlou لحلو

The sweet one; Fassi family
Lamrani لمراني

Variant of Amrani; sharifian lineage
Laraki العراقي

The Iraqi; Fassi family
Lazrak لزرق

The blue one; blue-eyed
Lyazidi اليزيدي

Of Yazid, he increases

M

Marrakchi المراكشي

Place-based name: from Marrakesh
Mazraoui مزراوي

Of Mazraa, farm; Rif family
Mekki المكي

Place-based name: from Mecca
Meknassi المكناسي

Place-based name: from Meknes
Mekouar مكوار

Fassi family name
Mernissi المرنيسي

Of the Marnissa tribe
Mezouar مزوار

Chief, leader of a sharifian house
Mouline مولين

Rabat family name
Moussaoui الموساوي

Of Moussa; Rif family

N

Naciri الناصري

Of Nasir; Tamegroute Sufi lineage
Nejjar النجار

The carpenter; occupational name

O

Ohayon أوحيون

Moroccan Jewish family, possibly from Hebrew haim, life
Ouahbi وهبي

Of Wahb, gift
Ouaknine وكنين

Moroccan Jewish family name
Ouazzani الوزاني

From Ouazzane; sharifian Sufi family
Oubrahim أوبراهيم

Amazigh: son of Brahim
Ouchen أوشن

Amazigh for jackal or wolf
Oudghiri الودغيري

From Oudghir in Tafilalet; Fassi family
Oufkir أوفقير

Amazigh: son of the poor or the faqir
Ouhammou أوحمو

Amazigh: son of Hammou (Muhammad)
Oujdi الوجدي

Place-based name: from Oujda
Oulhaj أولحاج

Amazigh: son of the pilgrim
Ounahi أوناحي

Amazigh: son of Nahi
Ouzzine أوزين

Amazigh family name of the Middle Atlas

R

Rachidi الرشيدي

Of Rachid, rightly guided
Raji الراجي

The hopeful one
Rbati الرباطي

Place-based name: from Rabat
Regragui الركراكي

Of the Regraga tribe
Rifi الريفي

From the Rif mountains

S

Saadi السعدي

Of the Saadian lineage; fortunate
Sabri صبري

Patient, enduring (Arabic)
Sahraoui الصحراوي

From the Sahara
Saiss سايس

Possibly from the Saiss plain near Fez
Sbai السباعي

Of the Oulad Sbaa; lion-like
Sbihi الصبيحي

Of the Sbih; Salé family
Sebag صباغ

The dyer; Moroccan Jewish family
Sebti السبتي

From Ceuta (Sebta)
Sefrioui الصفريوي

Place-based name: from Sefrou
Semlali السملالي

Of the Semlala tribe of the Souss
Serfaty السرفاتي

The Frenchman; Sephardic Jewish family
Slaoui السلاوي

Place-based name: from Salé
Slimani سليماني

Of Slimane (Solomon)
Soussi السوسي

From the Souss region
Sqalli الصقلي

The Sicilian; old Fassi family

T

Tadlaoui التادلاوي

From the Tadla region
Tahiri الطاهري

Of Tahir, the pure
Talbi الطالبي

Of the student or scholar
Tanjaoui الطنجاوي

Place-based name: from Tangier
Tazi التازي

Place-based name: from Taza
Tetouani التطواني

Place-based name: from Tetouan
Tijani التجاني

Of the Tijaniyya Sufi order
Toledano طليدانو

From Toledo; Sephardic family of Meknes
Tordjman ترجمان

The interpreter; Moroccan Jewish family
Toufiq توفيق

Success granted by God
Tounsi التونسي

The Tunisian; of Tunisian origin
Touzani التوزاني

Moroccan family name; possibly place-based

Z

Zafrani الزعفراني

Saffron seller; Moroccan Jewish family
Zayani الزياني

Of the Zayane Amazigh confederation
Zemmouri الزموري

Of the Zemmour Amazigh tribe
Zerhouni الزرهوني

From Zerhoun near Meknes
Ziyech زياش

Moroccan family name of Amazigh origin
Zniber زنيبر

Salé family name

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Results (6)

Oufkir

أوفقير

Amazigh: son of the poor or the faqir
Slaoui

السلاوي

Place-based name: from Salé
Zerhouni

الزرهوني

From Zerhoun near Meknes
Aherdane

أحرضان

Amazigh family of the Middle Atlas
El Fassi Fihri

الفاسي الفهري

Fassi descendants of the Fihri family
Amsellem

أمسلم

Moroccan Jewish family name

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Moroccan last names tied to cities and regions

The -i ending turns a place into a family name. Fassi means from Fez, Slaoui from Salé, Tazi from Taza, Marrakchi from Marrakesh, Tetouani from Tetouan and Meknassi from Meknes. Regional names work the same way: Soussi is from the Sous valley, Rifi from the Rif mountains, Sahraoui from the Sahara and Doukkali from the Doukkala plain. These names help you place a family on the map even if they have lived elsewhere for generations.

Some city names reach beyond Morocco. Families called Andaloussi or with names such as Bennis and Guessous are often linked to Muslims and Jews who left al-Andalus for Moroccan cities, especially Fez, Rabat, Salé and Tetouan. Others, like El Iraki, meaning the Iraqi, recall an ancestor who arrived from further east. Reading the place inside the name is one of the easiest ways to start understanding a Moroccan surname.

Common names you will meet in Morocco

Some names turn up constantly in Moroccan life. Alaoui and Idrissi refer to sharifian lineages, the descendants of the Prophet through different lines, and the Alaoui line is also the royal family. El Amrani, Benali, Bennani, Berrada, Benjelloun, Chraibi, Lahlou, Kettani, Tazi, Naciri, Ouazzani and Hajji are all widely known. Several, such as Bennani, Benjelloun, Lahlou and Berrada, are associated with long established merchant families of Fez.

Religious and honorific words also appear. Hajji marks a family whose ancestor made the pilgrimage, and Fquih can recall a scholar or teacher of the Quran. Names built on Ben, meaning son of, record an ancestor, as in Benali, son of Ali. Because many of these names are shared across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, the same surname may appear in all three countries with slightly different spellings.

Prefixes, honorifics and researching a family

Several prefixes are worth knowing. El is the Arabic article, as in El Fassi. Ben and Bel mean son of, and Ould or Oulad means son or sons of, especially in the south. In Amazigh names, Ait means sons of or people of and often refers to a tribe or village, as in Ait Ali, while Ou means son of, as in Ouhmad. Titles such as Moulay, Sidi and Lalla are honorifics used before a given name and are not surnames.

Many Moroccan families registered a fixed surname only in the twentieth century, when civil registration spread under the protectorate and after independence. Before then, a person was usually known by a given name, a father's name and a nickname or place. As a result, relatives sometimes registered different surnames. If you are researching a Moroccan family, local civil status offices, family papers and the memory of older relatives are often the best starting points.

Frequently asked questions

Why do many Moroccan last names end in -i?

The -i ending, called a nisba, turns a place or group into a description meaning from or belonging to. Fassi means from Fez and Soussi from the Sous region. Over time these descriptions became fixed family names and stayed with families after they moved.

What does Ait mean at the start of a name?

Ait is an Amazigh word meaning sons of or people of. It usually names a tribe, clan or village, as in Ait Ali or Ait Baha. Families from these communities often kept the tribal name as their surname when civil registration became standard.

Is Moulay part of a surname?

No. Moulay, like Sidi and Lalla, is an honorific used before a given name. Moulay is traditionally used by men from sharifian families, including the royal family, and appears in names like Moulay Hassan. It is not passed on as a surname.

How can I research a Moroccan family name?

Start by collecting every spelling the name has been written in, since French, Spanish and English versions differ. Then look for the place or lineage inside the name. Civil status records, family documents and older relatives usually hold the key details.