Home › Clan names › Xhosa › Hintsa
Hintsa Clan — History & Meaning
Xhosa clan · isiXhosa
History & origin
Hintsa kaKhawuta (c.1789-1835) was paramount king of the amaGcaleka and, by seniority, the recognised paramount of the Xhosa nation, ruling from about 1820. His reign coincided with intensifying colonial pressure on the eastern frontier. During the Sixth Frontier War, Hintsa was taken by British forces under Sir Benjamin D'Urban in 1835 while negotiating; he was killed while attempting to escape, and his body was mutilated by colonial soldiers, an event that became a lasting symbol of colonial brutality in Xhosa memory.
Notable figures & facts
King Hintsa, killed and mutilated by colonial forces in 1835; father of King Sarhili.
Associated surnames
Surnames that share this clan: Gcaleka, Sarhili, Phalo.
We publish the full iziduko (clan praises) only once we can verify them against documented tradition — for this clan they are still being confirmed. If you can share an authoritative version, corrections are warmly welcomed.