The first recorded use of last names in Benin was in the 15th century, when the Portuguese began colonizing the country. Prior to that, most people simply had one name. However, as the Portuguese colony grew, so did the need for last names.
The early Portuguese colonists were not particularly concerned with recording Benin names, and as a result, many of the first last names were simply the Portuguese version of whatever the person's given name was. For example, if someone's given name was João, their last name would likely be João as well. This changed in the late 16th century when the Dutch began colonizing Benin. The Dutch were much more meticulous in their record-keeping, and as a result, we have a more complete record of early Benin last names. Many of these names were still based on given names, but others were based on occupation or geographic origin.
For example, Van der Meer (of the sea) was a common Dutch last name that was adopted by many Benin families. Other common Dutch last names included Janssen (son of Jan), Bakker (baker), and Visser (fisher).
As Benin became increasingly integrated into the global economy, many families began adopting last names from other cultures. This process was most common among the merchant class.
Here is a list of Benin family names: