Show ContentsOst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Ost

What does the name Ost mean?

The surname Ost 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, Ost 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. 1 Oster is an element in many compound names, such as Osterbrock, Osterfeld, and Osterkamp.

Early Origins of the Ost family

The surname Ost 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 Ost family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ost 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 Ost History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ost 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 Ost family

Notables of the time included

  • John van Ost (d.circa...
  • 1711), a Flemish sculptor, who settled in England around 1678, and the powerful Russian statesman, Count Andrei Ivanovich Osterman (1686-1747), who was born Heinrich Johann Friedrich Ostermann in Germ...


Ost migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ost Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Georg Ost, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 2
  • Johan Philip Ost, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 2
Ost Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Phillip Ost, who arrived in New York in 1844 2
  • Wilhelm Ost, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 2
Ost Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Anna Ost, aged 16, who landed in America in 1900 2
  • Carolina Ost, aged 60, who arrived in America in 1900 2
  • Christian Ost, aged 60, who landed in America in 1900 2

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 3


  1. Bahlow, Hans, Dictionary of German Names. translated by Edda Gentry, Wisconsin: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-924119-35-7)
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook