COSTAIN
Costain is a surname of English origin, derived from the Old French word coste, meaning “rib” or “side.” The name originally denoted a topographic feature, describing a person who resided on the side of a hill or a prominent ridge. This usage is reflected in early medieval records, in which the name appears in various spellings, including Costain, Costen, Costin, and Costing.
The earliest known instance of the surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire in 1182, where a man named Hen Costen is recorded during the reign of King Henry XI. This evidence establishes the presence of the name in England by the late twelfth century.
A second, widely supported derivation links the surname to the medieval male given name Costen or Costin, itself a diminutive of the Latin Constantinus (“Constantine”). This connection derives from the Latin word constans, meaning “steadfast” or “faithful.” The name was popular throughout Europe because of its association with Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of the Roman Empire, and was introduced into England by the Normans. In the Domesday Book of 1086 a record of Willelmus Filius Constantini appears, as do later entries such as Herbert Filius Constantini in the Curia Regis Rolls of Norfolk in 1207.
In the Isle of Man the surname developed as a contraction of Mac Austeyn, or Mac Augustin, meaning “son of Augustin.” The Latin root augere signifies “to increase.” Forms such as Mac Coisten and Mac Costen were recorded in 1511, demonstrating the surname’s adaptation to local naming conventions.
Throughout the modern era, individuals bearing the surname Costain have been primarily located in the United Kingdom, with a significant diaspora in Canada. The surname remains a recognised element of British genealogical records, featuring in parish registers such as the marriage of Simon Costan and Bridget Carr in Hillingdon, London, on 16 February 1624, and the union of Thomas Costain and Katie Birch at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on 31 May 1846.
Typical given names associated with the Costain surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- George
- James
- Jason
- John
- Michael
- Nick
- Nigel
- Peter
- Richard
- William
Female
- Alison
- Anita
- Claire
- Emily
- Jayne
- Karen
- Letitia
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Pauline
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Costin
- Costen
- Coston
- Castain
- Costa
- Castan
- Castaing
- Costakis
- Castano
- Costaine
- Costian
- Caiston
- Casdan
- Castagna
- Castagne
- Castagni
- Castagno
- Castanie
- Casten
- Castian
- Castin
- Castine
- Castino
- Caston
- Castone
- Causten
- Caustin
- Causton
- Cawsten
- Cawston
- Cawstone
- Coaston
- Costalin
- Costan
- Costandi
- Costante
- Costanti
- Costantin
- Costantine
- Costantini
- Costantino
- Costantinou
- Costanza
- Costanzi
- Costanzo
- Costas
- Costea
- Costine
- Costins
- Costioni
- Cousden
- Coustan
- Coustin
- Couston
- Cowston
- Coysden
- Coysten
- Coyston
- Cusden
- Cusdin
- Cusition
- Custain
- Custan
- Custen
- Custin
- Custon
- Gasdden
- Gasden
- Gasston
- Gastan
- Gasteen
- Gasten
- Gastin
- Gastineau
- Gaston
- Gausden
- Gausten
- Gosden
- Gosdin
- Gosdon
- Gostin
- Goston
- Gostyn
- Goustan
- Guesdon
- Gusden
- Gustin
- Gustine
- Guston
- Gustyn
- Kastan
- Kastein
- Kasten
- Kaston
- Keeston
- Keestone
- Kesten
- Kestin
- Keston
- Keyston
- Keystone
- Kistan
- Kisten
- Kistin
- Koiston
- Kostan
- Kosten
- Kostin
- Kostina
- Koston
- Kostyn
- Kozdon
- Kustan
- Kuston
- Queston
- Costeanu
- Costinas
- Costner
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Costain in...
Braille
⠉⠕⠎⠞⠁⠊⠝
Morse
-.-.---...-.-..-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 255 people named Costain in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around four in a million people in Britain are named Costain.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Costain
- Albert Costain - Politician (1910 to 1987)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.