Ost History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The distinguished surname Ost is one of the many surnames that first came to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is derived from the Old French word "oste" or "hoste," meaning "host," and was most likely first borne by an inn-keeper. 1

Early Origins of the Ost family

The surname Ost was first found in Somerset where the earliest recorded bearer of the name was Elias le Host, who was listed in the 1254 Assize Rolls of Somerset. Later, he was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1279. In Yorkshire, Richard le Ost, Lost was listed in the 13th century. 2

Early History of the Ost family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ost research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1254, 1279, 1780 and 1828 are included under the topic Early Ost History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ost Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Host, Hoste, Ost, Hust and others.

Early Notables of the Ost family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Sir William Hoste (1780-1828), a prominent English naval commander known as "the hero of Lord Nelson's Navy...

Ost migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Ost or a variant listed above:

Ost Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Georg Ost, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 3
Johan Philip Ost, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 3

Ost Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Phillip Ost, who arrived in New York in 1844 3
Wilhelm Ost, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 3

Ost Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Anna Ost, aged 16, who landed in America in 1900 3
Carolina Ost, aged 60, who arrived in America in 1900 3
Christian Ost, aged 60, who landed in America in 1900 3

Ost migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ost Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Emelie Ost, aged 2, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
Gottfried Ost, aged 38, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
Karolina Ost, aged 8, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
Paul Ost, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
Wilhelmina Ost, aged 37, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ost (post 1700) +

L. E. Ost, American Republican politician, Member of Alaska territorial House of Representatives 2nd District, 1947-48 4

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html