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

Akan language Akan (), or Twi-Fante, is the most populous language of Ghana, and the principal native language of the Akan people, spoken over much of the southern half of Ghana. About 80% of Ghana's population speak Akan as a first or second language, and ...

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 A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based o ...

and their relatives. The family is of royal

Akyem The Akyem Kingdoms (also known as Greater Akyem, Akim, Great Akim, or Akan Grande) were prominent Akan people, Akan kingdoms in precolonial Ghana, consisting of the three related states of Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku, and Akyem Bosome. Located in ...

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, 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 accede ...

of the family's founder,

Nana Nana, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People * 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 (chief) (died 1896), Mimbreño Ap ...

Sir Ofori Atta I. Although

matrilineality Matrilineality, at times called matriliny, is the tracing of kinship through the female line. It may also correlate with a social system in which people identify with their matriline, their mother's lineage, and which can involve the inheritan ...

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 sibl ...

include: * Ofori Atta I (1881 – 1943),

Okyenhene Okyenhene is the title of the Tribal King of Akyem Abuakwa (also styled Okyeman), an old traditional kingdom in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The Okyenhene is also referred to as the Kwaebibiremhene as his traditional territory is an area of a dens ...

or King of

Akyem Abuakwa Akyem Abuakwa is a traditional kingdom in Ghana. It dates from at least the 16th century. Its capital is and was Kibi, Ghana, Kyebi. Currently, it is a non-sovereign monarchy and part of Ghana, one of the three Akyem states, the others being Akye ...

J. B. Danquah Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah (18 December 1895 – 4 February 1965) was a Ghanaian politician, scholar, anglophile, lawyer and statesman. He was a politician in pre and post-colonial Ghana, which was formerly the Gold Coast. Durin ...

(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 ...

" detained by the Gold Coast colonial government after the

1948 Accra riots The Accra riots started on 28 February 1948 in Accra, the capital of the then British colony of the Gold Coast (British colony), Gold Coast (present-day Ghana). A protest march by unarmed ex-servicemen who were agitating for their benefits as vet ...

, politician and writer, famous for helping to name Ghana * Paul Danquah, (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 Ghanaian 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 ...

(1910 – 1988), a founding member of the

United Gold Coast Convention The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was an early nationalist movement British colony of the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana) that sought independence after the Second World War. It was founded in August 1947 with the aim of self-government "i ...

, one of "

" and later

foreign minister In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...

(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.Ernest Nee Pobee Sowah''Report of the Sowah Commission...'' Volum ...

(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, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, was sworn-in for a second term as Speaker of the Ninth Parliament of Ghana after his reelection on ...

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

medical doctor A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the study, diagnosis, prognosis ...

of the Gold Coast *

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 of the second republic of Ghana as the wife of president Edward Akufo-Addo. She was the mother of president Nana A ...

, 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 a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Ghana and served as ministerial secretary (deputy mini ...

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

Nana Akufo-Addo William Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ( ; born 29 March 1944) is a Ghanaian politician who served as the 13th president of Ghana from January 2017 to January 2025. He previously served as Attorney General of Ghana, Attorney General from 2001 to 20 ...

(born 1944), politician and 13th

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 John Mahama, who won the 2024 presidential elect ...

Ken Ofori-Atta Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta (born 7 November 1958), is a Ghanaian investment banker who served as the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning in the cabinet of Nana Akufo-Addo from 2017 to 2024. He is co-founder of Databank Group, a Ghanaian f ...

(born 1959),

investment banker Investment banking is an advisory-based financial service for institutional investors, corporations, governments, and similar clients. Traditionally associated with corporate finance, such a bank might assist in raising financial capital by unde ...

, co-founder of Databank in Ghana and

finance minister A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfoli ...

in the Akufo-Addo administration * Nana Oforiatta Ayim,

Dan David Prize The Dan David Prize is an international group of awards that recognize and support outstanding contributions to the study of history and other disciplines that shed light on the human past. Nine prizes of $300,000 are awarded each year to outstand ...

-winning writer, art historian and filmmaker * Kwesi Amoako-Atta (1920–1963), Minister of Finance (1964–1966), Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana (1960–1964), son of Ofori-Atta I * Meri Nana-Ama Danquah,

Caine Prize The Caine Prize for African Writing is an annual literary award for the best short story by an African writer, whether in Africa or elsewhere, published in the English language. Founded in the United Kingdom in 2000, the £10,000 prize was named ...

-nominated writer, editor and academic

Origin of the surname

Notable members of the family

See also