Show ContentsOstendorf History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Ostendorf is of uncertain origin, but there are several possibilities for its source. It may have derived from the Gothic word "ostan" meaning "the direction of the rising sun," and may have been initially born by someone from the east. Alternatively, Ostendorf may have come from the Middle High German word "Oster," meaning "Easter," and the name would have likely belonged to someone born or baptized during the festival of Easter. Oster is an element in many compound names, such as Osterbrock, Osterfeld, and Osterkamp.

Early Origins of the Ostendorf family

The surname Ostendorf was first found in Saxony. The earliest record of this surname dates back to the twelfth century when one Fridericus Osterman was recorded in 1150. In 1159, Gerardus Osterman was a citizen of Cologne. Lippold von der Oesten was recorded in 1254, and Hinricus de Osten appeared in 1302. Radeke Osterlo was listed in 1423, Berchtold Österli in Oberhausen, Wurttemberg in 1485, and Jurgen Ostermann in Goettingen in 1563. Veit Ostermann was a citizen of Passau in 1623 and in 1680, Matthias Ostermann was residing in Erding. Michael Ahasverus Ostermaier served as mayor of the town of Ratzeburg in the seventeenth century, and his son Johann (1678-1733) was a pastor in Crumesse.

Early History of the Ostendorf family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ostendorf research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1678, 1686, 1711, 1730, 1747, 1808 and 1855 are included under the topic Early Ostendorf History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ostendorf Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Oster, Ost, Oest, Öst, Osten, Östing, Österle, Österlen, Osterloh, Ostermann, Östermann, Ostermaier, Ostermayer, Ostermeier, Osterer, Osterling, Osterbrock, Osterbrauk, Osterbrink, Osterfeld, Osterhues, Osterkamp, Osterholt, Osterwiesch, Ostersehlte, Osterwind, Osterberg and many more.

Early Notables of the Ostendorf family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ostendorf Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Ostendorf migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ostendorf Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Wilhelmina Ostendorf, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1794 [1]
Ostendorf Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Gerh Herm Ostendorf, who landed in America in 1813-1820 [1]
  • Engelbert Ostendorf, who arrived in America in 1844 [1]
  • M Dina Ostendorf, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1846 [1]
  • John G Ostendorf, aged 27, who landed in Missouri in 1848 [1]
  • Henry Ostendorf, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1876 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Ostendorf (post 1700) +

  • Dr. David W. Ostendorf P.E., American professor at the College of Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Mari Ostendorf, American professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Washington
  • Frederick K. "Fred" Ostendorf (1892-1965), American Major League Baseball player who played in one game for the Indianapolis Hoosiers in the 1914 season
  • John A. Ostendorf, American politician, Member of Maryland State House of Delegates from Baltimore city 2nd District, 1882 [2]
  • Dr. Bertram Ostendorf, Australian Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Adelaide


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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