Show ContentsGostelow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Gostelow

What does the name Gostelow mean?

The Gostelow surname came to Ireland with the Anglo-Norman invasion of the 12th century. They were originally from the Norman family Nangles, or de Angulos, and descended in Ireland from Gilbert de Nangle. Costello and associated variations come from the personal name of a son of Gilbert, Oisdealbhach, whose name consists of the elements "os," which means "deer or fawn", and "dealbhadh," which means "in the form of" or "resembling." The Gaelic form of the surname Gostelow, which predated the Anglicized version of the name, is Mac Oisdealbhaigh. This is the earliest recorded example of a Norman family assuming a Mac surname. The prefix O or Ó has sometimes been erroneously assumed. 1

Early Origins of the Gostelow family

The surname Gostelow was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they were granted lands by the Earl of Pembroke in the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1172.

Early History of the Gostelow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gostelow research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1500, 1531, 1567, 1571, 1579, 1606, 1803 and 1865 are included under the topic Early Gostelow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gostelow Spelling Variations

Church officials and medieval scribes spelled names as they sounded; therefore, single person, could have his name spelt many different ways during their lifetime. While investigating the origins of the name Gostelow, many spelling variations were encountered, including: Costello, MacCostello, Costillo, Costallo, Kostello, McCostello, Caustello, Costellow and many more.

Early Notables of the Gostelow family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Guillauame Costeley (1531-1606), Scottish organist and 'valet du chambre du roy' to Henry II and Charles IX of France. 2 Arthur Dudley Costello (1803-1865), was an English-born Irish novelist and travel writer.William Costeley was a Scottish musician, born 1531, settled in France, and was organist to Henri II and Charles IX. Author of a treatise called...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gostelow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gostelow family

Ireland went through one of the most devastating periods in its history with the arrival of the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. Many also lost their lives from typhus, fever and dysentery. And poverty was the general rule as tenant farmers were often evicted because they could not pay the high rents. Emigration to North America gave hundreds of families a chance at a life where work, freedom, and land ownership were all possible. For those who made the long journey, it meant hope and survival. The Irish emigration to British North America and the United States opened up the gates of industry, commerce, education and the arts. Early immigration and passenger lists have shown many Irish people bearing the name Gostelow: Honor Costello who landed in America in 1756; Bernard, Cornelius, Edward, Hugh, J.B. James, John, John B. Lawrence, Mark, Michael, Neal, Patrick, Peter, Philip, Thomas, Timothy, and William Costello, all landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1833 and 1874.


Contemporary Notables of the name Gostelow (post 1700) +

  • Spurgeon D. Gostelow, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 6th District, 1932; Prohibition Candidate for University of Michigan Board of Regents, 1933 3
  • Ebenezer Edward "E. E." Gostelow (1866-1944), Australian painter of flowers, birds and butterflies
  • Reginald Gostelow (1900-1984), Australian cricketer who played three first-class matches for New South Wales between 1920 and 1925
  • Tia Gostelow (b. 1999), Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter from Mackay, Queensland
  • Gordon Massey Gostelow (1925-2007), New Zealand-born, Australian actor, known for his work in Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow (1963), The Idol (1966), Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) and others


The Gostelow Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ne te quaesiveris extra
Motto Translation: Seek nothing beyond your sphere.


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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