COSTIGAN
Costigan is a surname with origins in the Gaelic language of Ireland. It derives from the Irish clan name Mac Oisdealbhaigh, which is itself a composite of the elements os meaning “deer” and dealbhach meaning “like”. The literal translation of the name is therefore “son of Oisdealbhach”, or more loosely, “son of the deer‑like one”. This etymology suggests that the original bearer may have been admired for qualities reminiscent of a deer, such as speed or headiness.
The surname first appeared in records in the mid‑sixteenth century, with the spelling MacCostykyn recorded for Patrick in Naas in 1540. Subsequent entries include Donal MacCostigane of Queens County in 1562 and John MacCostygyn, rector of Durrow, in 1566. Over the following centuries the spelling evolved through variations such as Mac Oistigain, Mac Costagain, Mac Costigan and even O' Costigan.
Although traditionally regarded as an Irish surname, some scholarship suggests a Norman influence, because the form Oistigin can be recognised as a Gaelic rendering of the Norman personal name Roger. This form would have entered Ireland following the Norman invasion of 1170, led by Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke. The name was once widespread in Counties Leix (now Laois) and Kildare, but the defeat of the main clan from Grange, County Leix at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 led to dispossession and a gradual decline of influence.
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the surname spread beyond its Leinster heartland. During the Great Famine the great majority of Irish emigrants with the name Costigan came from County Clare, Galway and Limerick. Records of passenger lists and church registers show the occurrence of Costigan in the United States from the 1840s onwards. Today the name can be found across the United States in states such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Illinois, Texas, California, Washington D.C. and Oregon. Canadian provinces with notable concentrations include Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario and Alberta. In the United Kingdom the surname is mainly situated in Devon, England, and in Australia it is most common in New South Wales and Victoria.
Variants of the surname are numerous. These include Costegan, Costegen, Costigane, Cochstigane, Kostigan, Kostegen and others. The name can also appear in forms derived from the Irish Ó Ciosagáin, which means “descendant of Ciosagán”, itself relating to the Old Irish words for foot soldier. Such derivatives are found in spelling families such as Cosson, Cussen, Coash, Coashane, Guessane, Gissane and Kassion. In other languages the surname is anglicised or adapted as Kostegen in German, Costigan in French, Kostige in Dutch and Costigán in Spanish.
Overall, the surname Costigan reflects a distinct Gaelic heritage that has been recorded across centuries, regions and languages. It remains a marker of a proud and enduring Irish identity that is celebrated by families around the world today.
Typical given names associated with the Costigan surname
Male
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Kevin
- Michael
- Paul
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Barbara
- Carole
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Helen
- Jane
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sara
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Costigan in...
Braille
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Morse
-.-.---...-..--..--.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Costigan are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Custard Cream.
There are approximately 791 people named Costigan in the UK. That makes it roughly the 8,858th most common surname in Britain. Around 12 in a million people in Britain are named Costigan.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Costigan
- George Costigan - Actor
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.