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Costello (surname)

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Costello
Pronunciation/kəˈstɛl/ or (especially in Ireland) /ˈkɒstəl/
Italian: [koˈstɛllo]
Language(s)English
Origin
Language(s)Irish and Latin
Word/nameMac Oisdealbhaigh and Castellum
Meaning"son of Oisdealbhach (Os-shaped, shaped like the god Os or shaped like god cf. os)" and "small Roman detached fort or fortlet used as a watch tower or signal station"
Other names
Cognate(s)Mac Oisdealbh, Mac Goisdelbh, Mac Coisdealbhaigh
See alsoMac Coisteala and Castrum

Costello is an Irish surname.

History

The Irish surnames Costello, Costelloe, and Costellow are anglicized forms of the Gaelic surname Mac Oisdealbhaigh, itself a Gaelicized form of an Anglo-Norman name. This was the first example of a Norman family assuming a Gaelic name.[1]

This surname has been mainly borne by a notable Irish family who claimed descent from Jocelyn de Angulo, an Anglo-Norman mercenary who accompanied Richard de Clare to Ireland in 1170 during the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland.

An early record of the name in Ireland appears in the 17th century Annals of the Four Masters where the name is mentioned in the entry for the year in 1193: Inis Clothrann do orgain la macaibh Oisdealb, & la macaibh Conchobhair Maonmaighe. (Inishcloghbran was plundered by the sons of Oisdealb, and the sons of Conor Moinmoy.)[2] The descendants of Oisdealb then became referred to by the family name Mac Oisdealbhaigh (son of Oisdealb).

Oisdealb or Ostealv is sometimes erroneously explained[citation needed] as a Gaelicization of “Jocelyn”, i.e. Jocelyn d'Angulo. But “Ostealv” is more obviously a Gaelic rendering of “Hostilo”, the name of Jocelyn's brother (also known as Hostilio).[citation needed] It is Hostilo's descendants who would bear the surname Mac Oisdealbhaigh (son of Oisdealb).[3]

Costello has also occasionally has been adopted as a pseudonym or stage name by famous people of Italian descent, including Al Costello ( Giacomo Costa), Frank Costello ( Francesco Castiglia), and Lou Costello ( Louis Francis Cristillo). Also, Elvis Costello's real name was actually Declan Patrick Aloysius Macmanus. It is also an Italian verb form of costellare: to adorn with stars.

According to the Ellis Island official passenger search, some people came from Italy and Spain to the U. S. as Costello.[original research?]

People

Fictional characters with the surname

See also

References

  1. ^ Edward MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland, under “Costello”.
  2. ^ "Annals of the Four Masters". ucc.ie. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  3. ^ Gilbert d'Angulo is also sometimes listed as the son of Jocelyn d'Angulo in error. Gilbert d'Angulo is the father of both Jocelyn and Hostilo.[citation needed]