Kouyate

Kouyate, also spelled Kouyaté or sometimes Kuyate, is a West African surname that is common among Mandé-speaking communities, particularly in Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and The Gambia. The name is frequently associated with the jeli or griot caste, traditional hereditary storytellers and musicians who preserve history and culture through song and performance. As a result, the surname is widely found among families with griot lineages and is often linked to musical and poetic traditions in the region.

Spelling variations arise from differences in orthography across languages and colonial influences, especially between French-speaking and English-speaking contexts. Common forms include Kouyaté, Kouyate, Kuyate, and related diacritic variants. The name has also spread beyond West Africa through migration and diaspora communities, including Europe and the Americas.

Notable people with the surname include Lansana Kouyaté, a Guinean politician who served as Prime Minister of Guinea from 2007 to 2010. In West Africa, the Kouyate surname is associated with many individuals in politics, music, and sports, reflecting its historical ties to griot families and cultural preservation.