COSTELLO
The surname Costello originates from the Gaelic name Mac Oisdealbhaigh, which literally translates as son of Oisdealbhach. The personal name Oisdealbhach is composed of the elements os, meaning “deer,” and dealbhach, meaning “like” or “similar to.” Consequently, the surname may be interpreted to mean “son of the deer‑like one.”
Although most commonly associated with the province of Connacht, the surname is recorded across several counties in Ireland, notably in County Mayo, where the clan settled after the Norman conquest of 1169–70. In addition to the spelling Costello, variants such as Costelloe (in Counties Galway and Clare), Costellow, Costley, Cusheley and Casserly appear in historical documents. The name is linked to Norman‑French ancestry through the early family known as the de Anglos or Nangle, with the earliest surviving reference made to Gilbert de Nangle in 1193. The family, after assisting Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, in the conquest of Ireland, gradually adopted Gaelic customs and established themselves in the barony of Costello in County Mayo. The first individual recorded carrying a form of the surname is Cumumhan Mac Casarlaigh, dated to about 1252, while the name in its modern spelling is attested from Teag MacCostello, chief of the clan in 1565.
Later history records John Costello, who served as Taoiseach of Ireland in 1948 and again in 1954, illustrating the surname’s continued prominence in Irish public life. The name remains widespread in Ireland to the present day, particularly within the Catholic community, and is occasionally found among the Irish diaspora worldwide.
Typical given names associated with the Costello surname
Male
- Anthony
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Thomas
Female
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Karen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Costelloe
- Castello
- Castiello
- Castelloe
- Castellow
- Castelo
- Castell
- Castellon
- Castelow
- Castel
- Castella
- Castelli
- Castells
- Costellow
- Costell
- Costella
- Castall
- Casteel
- Castela
- Castelao
- Castele
- Castiel
- Castile
- Castill
- Castilla
- Castille
- Castillo
- Castilo
- Castle
- Castlo
- Castolo
- Casttle
- Causdale
- Causdell
- Cosiello
- Costal
- Costale
- Costales
- Costall
- Costallo
- Costalo
- Costel
- Costeletos
- Costellar
- Costelle
- Costeller
- Costelli
- Costellor
- Costells
- Costelly
- Costelo
- Costeloe
- Costelow
- Costerlow
- Costill
- Costilla
- Costillo
- Costilloe
- Costills
- Costilo
- Costiloe
- Costle
- Costlo
- Costloe
- Costlow
- Costole
- Costoll
- Costollo
- Costolo
- Costoloe
- Coustol
- Custle
- Gaisdale
- Gastall
- Gastell
- Gazdula
- Gosdale
- Gosdall
- Gostolo
- Gosztyla
- Guastella
- Gusdal
- Gustilo
- Kastel
- Kastell
- Kastl
- Kastle
- Kestall
- Kestel
- Kestell
- Kestila
- Kestill
- Kestle
- Kistell
- Kistle
- Kostal
- Kostyla
- Kusdil
- Kusztal
- Quastel
- Questel
- Casatello
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Costello in...
Braille
⠉⠕⠎⠞⠑⠇⠇⠕
Morse
-.-.---...-..-...-..---
Semaphore
There are approximately 9,355 people named Costello in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,005th most common surname in Britain. Around 144 in a million people in Britain are named Costello.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Costello
- Anthony Costello - Medical scientist
- Maria Costello - Motorcycle racer
- Joe Rankin-Costello - Football player
- Nigel Costello - Football player
- Lewis Costello - Actor and comedian
- Peter Costello - Football player
- Lee Costello - Motorcycle racer
- Tom Costello - Music hall comedian and singer (1863 to 1943)
- Leonard Costello - Politician (1881 to 1972)
- Lou Costello - (1936 to 2012)
- Cecilia Costello - Singer (1884 to 1976)
- Dudley Costello - Anglo-Irish writer (1803 to 1865)
- Matt Costello - Football player (1924 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.