1. West Africa: This region is considered to be the largest source of African Americans. Countries such as Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon were some of the major areas from which people were taken during the transatlantic slave trade.
2. Central Africa: Countries in Central Africa, including Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, and Chad, also contributed to the African American population.
3. Southern Africa: Although to a lesser extent compared to West and Central Africa, some regions in Southern Africa were involved in the transatlantic slave trade. These include areas such as Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
4. East Africa: Countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique also played a role, albeit to a smaller extent, in the slave trade that led to the arrival of African Americans.
It's important to note that the transatlantic slave trade was a complex and multifaceted process involving multiple European nations and African kingdoms and polities. The specific countries and regions from which African Americans descended can vary depending on individual ancestry and historical context.