Hi guys. I'm new to this forum and I'm from the UK. My mother is English and my father is Nigerian. My father doesn't really know much about his roots like that. He is an Ishan man from Edo State, Uromi and his surname is Jatto. His father's parents died when he was a child so his father doesn't know much about the generation above him. They don't really know much about where they are from because they grew up in Lagos. When I search up the surname Jatto on Facebook, mostly people from Kwara State, Kogi State and Auchi appear, and they are all Muslims. Jatto also comes up as a name in the Ebira tribe. I also try to find the origin of the surname and it says it's from IRAN. This confuses me also because British records have documents of Jatto people living in the UK as early as 1800s as well as a few Eastern European countries.

This is irrelevant but my father's parents are light skinned and when I delved more into the history of Ishan or Eshan people - they seem to be associated with Portuguese people; could this be why my father's parents are light skinned? I also researched about the Nupe invasion on the Esanland so maybe my father's relatives where from that tribe and settled down there? I'm just wondering if anyone could help me? Thanks.

Names like badmos kuti momoh and jatto makes no sense and have no meaning. People just bear the names just for the sake of the sound

Redoil:
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JBoleynJatto:
Hi guys. I'm new to this forum and I'm from the UK. My mother is English and my father is Nigerian. My father doesn't really know much about his roots like that. He is an Ishan man from Edo State, Uromi and his surname is Jatto. His father's parents died when he was a child so his father doesn't know much about the generation above him. They don't really know much about where they are from because they grew up in Lagos. When I search up the surname Jatto on Facebook, mostly people from Kwara State, Kogi State and Auchi appear, and they are all Muslims. Jatto also comes up as a name in the Ebira tribe. I also try to find the origin of the surname and it says it's from IRAN. This confuses me also because British records have documents of Jatto people living in the UK as early as 1800s as well as a few Eastern European countries.

This is irrelevant but my father's parents are light skinned and when I delved more into the history of Ishan or Eshan people - they seem to be associated with Portuguese people; could this be why my father's parents are light skinned? I also researched about the Nupe invasion on the Esanland so maybe my father's relatives where from that tribe and settled down there? I'm just wondering if anyone could help me? Thanks.

Take a DNA test half of your issues will be solved.

scholes0:


Take a DNA test half of your issues will be solved.

I'm planning on taking African Ancestry DNA, but I wanted to know if anybody had an idea on where the surname was from and if anyone using this surname had an idea.

JBoleynJatto:


I'm planning on taking African Ancestry DNA, but I wanted to know if anybody had an idea on where the surname was from and if anyone using this surname had an idea.

Most likely Nupe.

JBoleynJatto:


I'm planning on taking African Ancestry DNA, but I wanted to know if anybody had an idea on where the surname was from and if anyone using this surname had an idea.

I know a guy who bears jatto as his last name and he's from kogi.

scholes0:


Most likely Nupe.

Ah right. I was thinking this too since the surname is mostly associated with people around the area of Kogi State. Thanks for your help, I now know the kind of results I will be expecting from the DNA test.

drips8:



I know a guy who bears jatto as his last name and he's from kogi.

Having looked on Facebook I noticed some sort of correlation between people named Jatto and the area of Kogi. Thanks for your helps!

Jos.

Most people who bear Jatto as surname are either from Edo state or Yoruba. Especially the northern part of Edo. Your Grandfather might have Uncles or Aunties still in Nigeria who might be of help. Do let us know when you find answers

The name has a strong Fulani ring to it. But I cannot be sure; Fulaman can help.

In any case it is definitely of northern Nigerian origin. Its presence in northern Edo and parts of Yoruba is a direct consequence of the jihad. The same way Bello (another name of Fulani origin) is now also used in Northern Edo and parts of Yoruba largely as a result of the Fulani-inspired Jihad.

indeed an apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Jatto for me I think belongs to the Ebira tribe of Kogi state and their most likely neighbours are those in northern Edo's so if they also bear the name it's okay and just not new.

You are not close to the Nupe tribe because they are not light skinned.

However, the Ebira people are mostly light skinned and this could explain your curiosity I really don't know much about the Ishan people of Edo state.

I have friends who bear the surname Jatto and are from Kogi state Ebira land to be precise.

It could prolly be that your paternal parent relocated from Kogi and lost track of their origin this is very common.
I wish you well.

RedboneSmith:
The name has a strong Fulani ring to it. But I cannot be sure; Fulaman can help.

In any case it is definitely of northern Nigerian origin. Its presence in northern Edo and parts of Yoruba is a direct consequence of the jihad. The same way Bello (another name of Fulani origin) is now also used in Northern Edo and parts of Yoruba largely as a result of the Fulani-inspired Jihad.

Sorry for the late reply but that is very interesting I never knew this. I've ordered the kit so it's possible I might get Fulani results.

Firmjudge:
indeed an apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Jatto for me I think belongs to the Ebira tribe of Kogi state and their most likely neighbours are those in northern Edo's so if they also bear the name it's okay and just not new.

You are not close to the Nupe tribe because they are not light skinned.

However, the Ebira people are mostly light skinned and this could explain your curiosity I really don't know much about the Ishan people of Edo state.

I have friends who bear the surname Jatto and are from Kogi state Ebira land to be precise.

It could prolly be that your paternal parent relocated from Kogi and lost track of their origin this is very common.
I wish you well.

This is what I was thinking before because I saw a lot of Jatto's from Kogi, Edo, Kwara and a few times from the Nasarawa area. So I think I'll be expecting results from Kogi/Nasarawa because they are from the Ebira tribe or Fulani. To add - my grandmother is Ishan and she is fair-skinned but my grandfather is not to fair but not too dark; he's in the middle.

JBoleynJatto:


This is what I was thinking before because I saw a lot of Jatto's from Kogi, Edo, Kwara and a few times from the Nasarawa area. So I think I'll be expecting results from Kogi/Nasarawa because they are from the Ebira tribe or Fulani. To add - my grandmother is Ishan and she is fair-skinned but my grandfather is not to fair but not too dark; he's in the middle.

Trully the middle belt is riddled with the name Jatto even southern Kaduna pips bear the name Jato.

But the key is in the spelling.. the Ebira prefers with a double T which makes their own spelling outstanding and unique the Nasarawa Egon tribe and southern Kaduna prefers the variance with a single T.

Your search is narrowed down to a double TT making it easier to search..
I am from the middlebelt and this is the little I have noticed..
Good luck

Redoil:
Names like badmos kuti momoh and jatto makes no sense and have no meaning. People just bear the names just for the sake of the sound

I think Jatto is actually Jatau. I could be wrong though.

Gbadamosi is what was changed to Badmos/Badmus.

Momoh is Mohammed.

Firmjudge:


Trully the middle belt is riddled with the name Jatto even southern Kaduna pips bear the name Jato.

But the key is in the spelling.. the Ebira prefers with a double T which makes their own spelling outstanding and unique the Nasarawa Egon tribe and southern Kaduna prefers the variance with a single T.

Your search is narrowed down to a double TT making it easier to search..
I am from the middlebelt and this is the little I have noticed..
Good luck

That's interesting. Thank you.

ImperialYoruba:


I think Jatto is actually Jatau. I could be wrong though.

Gbadamosi is what was changed to Badmos/Badmus.

Momoh is Mohammed.

This is also interesting too. This is just a theory, but maybe, my paternal ancestors had the surname Jatau and were part of a jihad (as mentioned by a poster above) and gradually settled down around the Okene/Kogi region where their surname was changed to Jatto, as there wasn't an official dictionary on how names were spelt then and maybe they copied the style of the Ebira. They then may have traveled further south to Uromi. Well I have ordered the DNA kit which is coming on Wednesday, so until then I'll just have to guess!

Jatto sounds fulani.

JikanBaura:
Jatto sounds fulani.

Another poster above has said the same thing as well. Quite interesting really because I've never expected to hear anything Fulani. So from most comments, it's quite clear now that the surname Jatto is definitely from the north at least. My DNA kit came this morning, so I'm going to take my test later today when I get home from work.

My surname is Jatto and I am Ebira from Kogi state.
However, I was born and bred outside the state and have scarcely been there.
My Father and grandfather were also raised outside the state but when I asked, I was told it's a term used for light skinned people, especially when being compared with the white, e.g what many Nigerians call "Oyinbo".
I don't have much information asides this, but will make more enquiries.
I hope this helps and invite everyone who has some information to enlighten us on the quest of our roots.

JBoleynJatto:


Another poster above has said the same thing as well. Quite interesting really because I've never expected to hear anything Fulani. So from most comments, it's quite clear now that the surname Jatto is definitely from the north at least. My DNA kit came this morning, so I'm going to take my test later today when I get home from work.

Hope you don't mind sharing the result of your test here?

Yes, please let us know. I am from the UK and my my parents also don’t know the origin of our surname

Jatto is the corrupt version of hausa name for a red(white)man=jatau

ymgiremawa:
Jatto is the corrupt version of hausa name for a red(white)man=jatau

Do you have a reference to back up this claim?

My surname is Jatto and I am Ebira from Kogi state.
However, I was born and bred outside the state and have scarcely been there.
My Father and grandfather were also raised outside the state but when I asked, I was told it's a term used for light skinned people, especially when being compared with the white, e.g what many Nigerians call "Oyinbo".
I don't have much information asides this, but will make more enquiries.
I hope this helps and invite everyone who has some information to enlighten us on the quest of our roots.

You are absolutely correct...I am Jatto as well from Kogi state an Ebira dude.

The name simply means "to be Fair in complexion"