Surname reference
The Dangote surname
An independent reference on the history, distribution and notable bearers of the surname Dangote.
A rare name
Dangote is a rare surname. The genealogy database Forebears estimates that about 516 people carry it worldwide. Nearly all of them, about 504, live in Nigeria. The rest are spread across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Iceland, Russia and the United States, with no more than five recorded in any one of those countries.
The best-documented bearers are a Hausa family from Kano, in northern Nigeria. The spelling also matches a common Hausa naming pattern that starts with ɗan, “son of”. However, we have not found a published source that analyses the name Dangote itself, so that reading remains a likely explanation, not an established one.
On this site
Origin and meaning
What is documented, what is likely, and what is not yet known.
Distribution
How many people have the surname, and in which countries.
Variants and similar names
Spellings to search, and look-alike names.
Notable people
Publicly documented bearers of the name.
Family history research
Archives and record sets for tracing a Dangote family line.
Sources and methodology
Where the figures come from, and how to send a correction.
Quick answers
How many people have the surname Dangote?
About 516 worldwide, according to Forebears. See distribution for the country breakdown.
Where does the surname Dangote come from?
Nigeria. About 98% of recorded bearers live there, and the best-documented family line is from Kano. See origin and meaning.
What does Dangote mean?
It is not established. The name may begin with the Hausa ɗan, “son of”, but we have not found a reliable published source for the meaning of the name as a whole, or of -gote. Explanations circulating online are unsourced, so this site does not repeat them as fact.
Is everyone named Dangote related?
Not necessarily. The best-known bearers belong to one Kano family, but a shared surname does not prove a shared ancestor.