{{short description, Surname list The Ofori-Atta family is composed of the bearers of an

Akan language Akan () is a Central Tano language and the principal native language of the Akan people of Ghana, spoken over much of the southern half of Ghana. About 80% of Ghana's population can speak Akan, and about 44% of Ghanaians are native speakers. I ...

patronymic surname A patronymic surname is a surname originated from the given name of the father or a patrilineal ancestor. Different cultures have different ways of producing patronymic surnames. For example, early patronymic Welsh surnames were the result of th ...

and their relatives. The family is of royal

Akyem The Akyem are an Akan people. The term Akyem (Akem, Akim or Aki) is used to describe a group of four states: Asante Akyem, Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku and Akyem Bosome. These nations are located primarily in the eastern region in south Ghana. ...

origins and has been active in business, politics, law and government in Ghana.

Origin of the surname

The name ''Ofori-Atta'' is derived from the

regnal name A regnal name, or regnant name or reign name, is the name used by monarchs and popes during their reigns and, subsequently, historically. Since ancient times, some monarchs have chosen to use a different name from their original name when they ac ...

of the family's founder,

Nana Nana, Nanna, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana ( ...

Sir

Ofori Atta I Nana Sir Ofori Atta I, KBE (11 October 1881 – 21 August 1943) was the Okyenhene or King of the Akyem people and of Akyem Abuakwa, a traditional kingdom that stretches back to the thirteenth century and was one of the most influential kingdoms ...

. Although

matrilineality Matrilineality is the tracing of kinship through the female line. It may also correlate with a social system in which each person is identified with their matriline – their mother's lineage – and which can involve the inheritance of ...

dictated that his progeny be denied the royal succession, their inheritance of the surname highlights the fact that they are direct descendants of the king of that name.

Notable members of the family

Notable members of the Ghanaian

political dynasty A political family (also referred to as political dynasty) is a family in which multiple members are involved in politics — particularly electoral politics. Members may be related by blood or marriage; often several generations or multiple sibli ...

include: *

(1881 – 1943), who was the

Okyenhene Okyenhene is the title of the Tribal King of Akyem Abuakwa Akyem Abuakwa is one of the four states of Akyem in 14th century Africa. Currently, it is part of Ghana. Historically, the Akyem were part of the Adansi Kingdom, which was the first nat ...

or King of

Akyem Abuakwa Akyem Abuakwa is one of the four states of Akyem in 14th century Africa. Currently, it is part of Ghana. Historically, the Akyem were part of the Adansi Kingdom, which was the first nation to build buildings out of mud. They were therefore were ...

J. B. Danquah Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah (18 December 1895 – 4 February 1965) was a Ghanaian politician, scholar, lawyer, and one of the founding fathers of Ghana. He played a significant role in pre- and post-colonial Ghana, which was former ...

(1895 – 1965), member of "

The Big Six ''The Big Six'' is the ninth book of Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series of children's books, published in 1940. The book returns Dick and Dorothea Callum, known as the Ds, to the Norfolk Broads where they renew their friendship with ...

", politician and writer, famous for helping to name Ghana *

Paul Danquah Paul Danquah, born Joseph Paul Walcott (25 May 1925 – 13 August 2015), was a British film actor, known particularly for his role in the film '' A Taste of Honey'' (1961), adapted from the 1958 play of the same name written by Shelagh Delan ...

, (born Joseph Paul Walcott; 1925 – 2015), British film actor *

William Ofori Atta William Ofori Atta (10 October 1910 – 14 July 1988), popularly called "Paa Willie", was a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and one of the founding fathers of Ghana, as one of "The Big Six" detained by the British col ...

(1910 – 1988), a founding member of the

United Gold Coast Convention The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was a political party founded in 1947 whose aim was to bring about Ghanaian independence from their British colonial masters after the Second World War. The United Gold Coast Convention appointed its leade ...

, one of "

" detained by the

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

colonial government after the 1948 Accra riots and later

foreign minister A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...

(1971 – 1972) *

Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta Aaron Eugene Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta, (12 December 1912 – July 1978) was a Ghanaian educator, lawyer and politician who served as the fourth Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana. Early life and education He was born on 12 December 1912 at Kyebi ...

(1912 – 1978), politician and the fourth

Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana The Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana is the presiding officer of the Parliament of Ghana. The current speaker is Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin. He was elected on 7 January 2021. History The first speaker of the Parliament of Ghana was Sir ...

* Susan Ofori-Atta (1917 – 1985), first woman

medical doctor A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

of the

Adeline Akufo-Addo Adeline Sylvia Eugenia Ama Yeboakua Akufo-Addo (née Nana Yeboakua Ofori-Atta; 17 December 1917 – 21 March 2004) was a First Lady in the second republic of Ghana as the wife of Edward Akufo-Addo and mother of Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo. ...

, née Nana Yeboakua Ofori-Atta (1917 – 2004), daughter of Ofori-Atta I, wife of second republic president of Ghana Edward Akufo-Addo, and mother of Nana Akufo-Addo *

Jones Ofori Atta Akwasi Andrews Jones Amoako Atta Ofori Atta (7 December 1937 – 30 November 2020) was a Ghanaian economist and politician. He was an academic in economics at the University of Ghana and served as ministerial secretary (deputy minister) fo ...

(1937– 2020), economist and politician, Deputy Minister of Finance, 1969–1972 *

Nana Akufo-Addo Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ( ; born 29 March 1944) is a Ghanaian politician who has served as the president of Ghana since 7 January 2017. In 2020, he was re-elected for his second term, which will end on 6 January 2025. Akufo-Addo previously ...

(born 1944), politician and current

President of Ghana The president of the Republic of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana, as well as commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. The current president of Ghana is Nana Akufo-Addo, who won the 2020 presidential elec ...

Ken Ofori-Atta Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta (born 7 November 1958), is a Ghanaian investment banker who serves as the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning in the cabinet of Nana Akufo-Addo. He was a co-founder of Databank Group, a Ghanaian financial ser ...

(born 1959),

investment banker Investment banking pertains to certain activities of a financial services company or a corporate division that consist in advisory-based financial transactions on behalf of individuals, corporations, and governments. Traditionally associated with ...

, co-founder of Databank in Ghana and current

finance minister A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

Nana Oforiatta Ayim Nana Oforiatta Ayim is a Ghanaian writer, art historian and filmmaker. Background Nana Ofosuaa Oforiatta Ayim was raised in Germany, England, and her ancestral homeland in Ghana. She studied Russian and Politics at the University of Bristol and ...

, award-winning writer, art historian and filmmaker *

Kwesi Amoako-Atta Kwesi Amoako-Atta (18 December 1920 – 1983) was a Ghanaian banker and politician. During the First Republic, he served as the Minister for Finance from 1964 to 1966. He also served as a member of parliament for the Akim Abuakwa West constitue ...

(1920-1963), Minister of Finance (1964-1966), Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana (1960-1964), son of Ofori-Atta I

Origin of the surname

Notable members of the family

See also