Botha (pronounced in non-rhotic dialects of English, ) is a common

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gr ...

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

, derived from the Friso-Saxon ''

Both Both may refer to: Common English word * ''both'', a determiner or indefinite pronoun denoting two of something * ''both... and'', a correlative conjunction People * Both (surname) Music * The Both, an American musical duo consisting of Ai ...

''. It was brought to

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

in 1678 by Frederich Botha. The progenitors of the extended clan were Maria Kickers, her first partner Ferdinandùs Appel, and her later husband Frederich Botha.

Descendants of Ferdinandùs Appel

Prior to her marriage to Frederich Botha, Maria Kickers had an out-of-wedlock child fathered by Ferdinandùs Appel, another Hollander from an Amsterdam family. This child, a son named Theunis, was later adopted by the Bothas. His descendants include: *

Louis Botha Louis Botha (; 27 September 1862 – 27 August 1919) was a South African politician who was the first prime minister of the Union of South Africa – the forerunner of the modern South African state. A Boer war hero during the Second Boer Wa ...

(1862–1919), first Prime Minister of South Africa, often referred to as "General Botha" * Pieter Willem "P.W." Botha (1916–2006), South African prime minister from 1978 to 1984 and state president from 1984 to 1989

Descendants of Frederich Botha

Married in 1714, Kickers and Botha later farmed for a living between

Stellenbosch Stellenbosch (; )A Universal Pronounc ...

and

Somerset West Somerset West ( af, Somerset-Wes) is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa. Organisationally and administratively it is included in the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality as a suburb of the Helderberg region (formerly called Hottent ...

. Today, their legal descendants number around 76,125 people, and include:

Artists, artisans and businesspeople

* Danila Botha, South African-born Canadian novelist * Hannah Botha, South African actress * Johan Botha (tenor) (1965–2016), opera singer *

Leon Botha Leon Botha (4 June 1985 – 5 June 2011) was a South African painter and disk jockey. He was known for his close association with the hip hop group Die Antwoord, as well as for being one of the world's longest-lived persons with progeria. Biog ...

, South African artist and progeria victim *

Mike Botha Mike Botha is a master diamond cutter, with more than five decades in the profession. His training and subsequent career began in South Africa and has led him to Mauritius, Russia and Canada and from Vancouver to the Northwest Territories and Saskat ...

, South African-born master diamond cutter * Piet Botha, South African rock musician *

Roelof Botha Roelof F. Botha (born 19 September 1973) is a South African actuary, venture capitalist and company director. Botha is a partner at Sequoia Capital and as of 2022 sits on the boards of MongoDB, Evernote, Bird, Ethos, Natera, Square, Unity, and ...

, South African actuary, former PayPal chief financial officer *

Willem Botha Willem () is a Dutch and West FrisianRienk de Haan, ''Fryske Foarnammen'', Leeuwarden, 2002 (Friese Pers Boekerij), , p. 158. masculine given name. The name is Germanic, and can be seen as the Dutch equivalent of the name William in English, ...

, South African singer and actor

Politicians, civil servants, and activists

Andries Botha Andries Botha may refer to: * Andries Botha (politician) * Andries Botha (artist) Andries Johannes Botha (born 22 September 1952) is an artist and political activist who lives and works in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He is known for his ...

, Khoikhoi leader in the Cape Colony *

Annie Botha Annie Botha ( Emmett; 3 July 1864 – 20 May 1937) was a South African civic leader and political hostess. She was the wife of Louis Botha, who served as the first Prime Minister of South Africa. She established an orphanage in South Africa an ...

, wife of the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa * Cornelius Botha, South African politician * Roelof Frederik "Pik" Botha (1932–2018), South African politician and diplomat *

Sandra Botha Celia-Sandra Botha (born 25 February 1945) is a South African politician, who served as South Africa's Ambassador to the Czech Republic. She is the former Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, on behalf of the Democratic Alliance an ...

, South African diplomat and ambassador *

Stoffel Botha Jan Christoffel Greyling "Stoffel" Botha (1929–1998) was a South African politician, a member of the National Party, served as member of Parliament (elected representative of the Eshowe constituency in 1974), administrator of Natal Province ...

, South African politician * Theo Botha, South African shareholder activist * Thozamile Botha, South African politician

Rugby players

Arno Botha Arnoldus Francois Botha (born 26 October 1991) is a South African rugby union footballer for the and . He can operate either as a flanker or number 8. School and early career Botha began primary school at Laerskool Messina before movin ...

, South African rugby player *

Bernado Botha Bernado Carl Botha (born 4 July 1988) is a South African professional rugby union player who last played for the in the Currie Cup. He has been playing first class rugby since 2009 and was a regular member of the South Africa Sevens team betw ...

, South African rugby player * Brendon James Botha, South African rugby player * Chrysander Botha, Namibian rugby player *

Gary Botha Gary van Ginkel Botha (born 12 October 1981 in Pretoria, South Africa) is a former rugby union player, that professionally played as a hooker between 2002 and 2013. He spent the majority of his career at his home-town team the and their affi ...

, South African rugby player * Hendrik Egnatius "Naas" Botha, South African rugby player * John Philip "Bakkies" Botha, South African rugby player *

Mouritz Botha Mouritz Botha (born 29 January 1982) is a former rugby union player who played for the Saracens and Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership. He joined English club Bedford Blues in 2006 and made 73 appearances before moving to Saracens in 20 ...

, South African rugby player *

Ruan Botha Ruan Botha (born 10 January 1992) is a South African rugby union player. He plays as a lock for Kubota Spears in the Japanese Top League. He made his provincial debut on 31 March 2012 as the Golden Lions thrashed the Griffons 71–25 in Johann ...

, South African rugby player * Tom Botha, South African rugby player

Cricketers

Andre Botha (cricketer) Andre Cornelius Botha (born 12 September 1975) is a former Irish cricketer. He played 55 times in all for Ireland, including the 2005 ICC Trophy and the European Championship in 2004 and 2006. Botha retired in May 2011. Domestic career A le ...

(born 1975), South African-born Irish cricketer * Anthony Greyvensteyn Botha, South African cricketer * Beverly Botha, South African female cricketer * Dewald Botha, South African cricketer * Dawid Botha, Namibian cricketer * Johan Botha (cricketer) (born 1982), South African born Australian cricketer

Other sportspersons

* Adriaan Botha, South African sprinter *

Andre Botha (bodyboarder) Andre Botha is a South African bodyboarder. Born in Cape Town in 1981, he left school at the age of 15 to become a professional bodyboarder and won his first world title at the age of 17 and his second at 18, winning both the World GOB Tour Seri ...

(born 1980), South African bodyboarder * Francois Botha, South African boxer * Heidi Botha, South African fencer *

Johan Botha (athlete) Johan Botha (born 10 January 1974) is a South African middle-distance runner who won the gold medal over 800 metres at the World Indoor Championships in Athletics in Maebashi in 1999. In the course of the race he defeated world record ...

(born 1974), South African middle distance runner * Lukas "Luki" Botha, South African Formula One driver *

Riaan Botha Riaan Botha (born 8 November 1970 in Pretoria) is a retired South African pole vaulter. His personal best is 5.91 metres, achieved in April 1997 in Pretoria. This places him second on the African all-time performers list, behind fellow South Afri ...

, South African pole vaulter * Tyler Botha, South African skeleton racer *

Wendy Botha Wendy Botha (born 22 August 1965) is a four-time world surfing champion. She won her first title as a South African citizen in 1987, then she became an Australian citizen and won three more titles in 1989, 1991, and 1992. She also posed nude ...

, South African-born Australian surfer

Other uses

*Botha, village in the Lundazi district in Eastern Province, Zambia * 1354 Botha, asteroid * Anna Elizabeth Botha (née ''Rossouw''), former South African first lady *

Blackburn Botha The Blackburn B.26 Botha was a four-seat reconnaissance and torpedo bomber. It was produced by the British aviation company Blackburn Aircraft at its factories at Brough and Dumbarton. The Botha was developed during the mid 1930s in response t ...

, Royal Air Force reconnaissance aircraft * Botha, Alberta, Canadian settlement in Alberta *

Botha Sigcau King Botha Sigcau (died 1 December 1978) was a King in Eastern Pondoland, Transkei, South Africa (1939–1976) and later the figurehead President of Transkei from 1976 to 1978. A graduate of University of Fort Hare, Sigcau was an early supporter ...

, former President of Transkei *

Botha's Hill Botha's Hill (locally , ) is a small town outside Hillcrest in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It remains a peaceful beautiful hill where regular country style food and craft markets are held. It is the gateway to the Valley of a Thousand Hills. Kea ...

, South African settlement in KwaZulu-Natal *

Botha's lark Botha's lark (''Spizocorys fringillaris'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is endemic to South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and pastureland. It is threatened by habitat loss. T ...

(''Spizocorys fringillaris''), a South African lark *Gunther Botha, South African mercenary in Matthew Reilly's '' Area 7'' *Jaapie Botha, fictional South African Police officer in the film '' The Power of One'' *Karl Botha, fictional counterfeiter from

Pepetela Artur Carlos Maurício Pestana dos Santos (born 1941) is a major Angolan writer of fiction. He writes under the name Pepetela. A Portuguese Angolan, Pepetela was born in Benguela, Portuguese Angola, and fought as a member of the MPLA in the long ...

's novels *

Louis Botha Avenue Louis Botha Avenue (part of Johannesburg Metropolitan Route '' M11'') is a major street in Johannesburg, South Africa. Originally part of the main road between central Johannesburg and Pretoria, it runs along through the north-eastern parts of ...

, Johannesburg street *Mutro Botha, assassin in the television series ''

Batman Beyond ''Batman Beyond'' (known as ''Batman of the Future'' outside the United States) is an American superhero animated television series developed by Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, and Alan Burnett. It was produced by Warner Bros. Animation in collaborati ...

'' * Regiment Botha, South African Army unit *SATS ''General Botha'', South African warship

References

{{surname Surnames Afrikaans-language surnames Surnames of Frisian origin South African families