Show ContentsMacCostigen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

While the Anglicized versions of Irish names are familiar to most people, many Irish names have a long and proud Gaelic heritage that is often unknown. The original Gaelic form of the name MacCostigen is Mac Oistigin which is probably derived from the pet form of the English name Roger, which is Hodgkin. 1

Early Origins of the MacCostigen family

The surname MacCostigen was first found in Leix (Irish: Laois) formerly known as Queen's County, located in central Ireland, in Leinster Province, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

The family descend through the Fitzpatrick, Princes of Ossary, line and are listed 121st in that genealogy.

"Geoffrey Baccach: his son, had a brother named Ostagan: ("osda:" Irish a host; "gan" without), a quo "Clan Ostagain," Anglicised Costigan." 2

Early History of the MacCostigen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacCostigen research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1039 is included under the topic Early MacCostigen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacCostigen Spelling Variations

The spelling of names in Ireland during the Middle Ages was rarely consistent. This inconsistency was due to the scribes and church officials' attempts to record orally defined names in writing. The common practice of recording names as they sounded resulted in spelling variations such as Costigan, Costigen, Costigin, McCostigan and others.

Early Notables of the MacCostigen family

More information is included under the topic Early MacCostigen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacCostigen family

In the late 18th century, Irish families began emigrating to North America in the search of a plot of land to call their own. This pattern of emigration grew steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s cause thousands of Irish to flee the death and disease that accompanied the disaster. Those that made it alive to the shores of the United States and British North America (later to become Canada) were, however, instrumental in the development of those two powerful nations. Many of these Irish immigrants proudly bore the name of MacCostigen: Michael, James, Joseph, Lawrence, Patt, Thomas (three of this name), and William Costigan, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1850 and 1870.



  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
  2. O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)


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