NameCensus.

UK surname

Costello

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Oisdealbhaigh," meaning "descendant of Oisdealbhach" (a personal name of uncertain origin).

In the 1881 census there were 1,819 people recorded with the Costello surname, ranking it #2,392 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,896, ranked #979, up from #2,392 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Salford, Cheshire East and The Glens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Costello is 7,030 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 279.1%.

1881 census count

1,819

Ranked #2,392

Modern count

6,896

2016, ranked #979

Peak year

2010

7,030 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Costello had 1,819 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,392 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,896 in 2016, ranked #979.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,565 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Costello surname distribution map

The map shows where the Costello surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Costello surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Costello over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 368 #6,459
1861 historical 416 #6,176
1881 historical 1,819 #2,392
1891 historical 1,480 #2,976
1901 historical 2,565 #2,142
1911 historical 2,354 #2,172
1997 modern 6,476 #1,003
1998 modern 6,622 #1,024
1999 modern 6,688 #1,023
2000 modern 6,637 #1,026
2001 modern 6,486 #1,026
2002 modern 6,676 #1,015
2003 modern 6,550 #1,013
2004 modern 6,540 #1,016
2005 modern 6,456 #1,011
2006 modern 6,468 #1,011
2007 modern 6,548 #1,008
2008 modern 6,615 #1,003
2009 modern 6,853 #994
2010 modern 7,030 #986
2011 modern 6,770 #1,008
2012 modern 6,764 #988
2013 modern 6,947 #980
2014 modern 6,988 #982
2015 modern 6,928 #980
2016 modern 6,896 #979

Geography

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Where Costellos are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Salford, Cheshire East, The Glens and County Durham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Salford 021 Salford
2 Cheshire East 016 Cheshire East
3 The Glens Dundee City
4 County Durham 059 County Durham
5 Salford 016 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Costello

These lists show first names that appear often with the Costello surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Costello

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Costello, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Costello surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Costello household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Costello is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Costello is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Costello falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Costello is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Costello, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Costello

The surname Costello originated in Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic words "Cos" meaning victory and "Talamh" meaning land or territory. It is an anglicized version of the Irish name "O'Costalaimh" or "O'Costello."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 12th century, with the O'Costello clan being based in County Mayo, Ireland. They were a prominent family and held significant influence in the region during the medieval period.

One of the earliest references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The text mentions the O'Costello clan and their involvement in various battles and conflicts.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in the Pipe Roll of Cloyne, an administrative record from County Cork. This document lists individuals with the surname Costello living in the area during that time.

Notable historical figures with the surname Costello include:

1. Ambrose Costello (c. 1590 - 1637), an Irish Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh in the early 17th century.

2. Thomas Costello (1766 - 1853), an Irish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in the early exploration of eastern Australia.

3. John Costello (1835 - 1916), an Irish-American politician who served as the 17th Mayor of Syracuse, New York, from 1893 to 1895.

4. John Austin Costello (1891 - 1976), an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland from 1948 to 1951.

5. Elvis Costello (born 1954), an English singer-songwriter and record producer, known for his influential contributions to the punk and new wave genres.

While the surname originated in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to emigration and diaspora. The name has also undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Costelloe, Costellow, and Costelow.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Costello families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Costello surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 655 Costellos recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.10x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 655 3.10x
Yorkshire 206 1.17x
Middlesex 153 0.86x
Cheshire 98 2.49x
Lanarkshire 94 1.63x
Surrey 86 0.99x
Durham 71 1.34x
Staffordshire 70 1.16x
Warwickshire 68 1.51x
Kent 33 0.54x
Somerset 23 0.80x
Northumberland 22 0.83x
Angus 19 1.15x
Stirlingshire 19 2.89x
Dunbartonshire 18 3.76x
Dorset 16 1.37x
Northamptonshire 16 0.95x
Nottinghamshire 16 0.67x
Leicestershire 14 0.71x
Derbyshire 13 0.47x
Glamorgan 12 0.39x
Hampshire 12 0.33x
Midlothian 12 0.50x
Renfrewshire 12 0.87x
Gloucestershire 10 0.29x
Perthshire 10 1.25x
Worcestershire 6 0.26x
Royal Navy 5 2.35x
Ayrshire 4 0.30x
Cumberland 4 0.26x
Monmouthshire 4 0.31x
Essex 3 0.09x
Lincolnshire 3 0.11x
Westmorland 3 0.77x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.12x
Argyllshire 2 0.40x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.28x
Channel Islands 2 0.38x
Shropshire 2 0.13x
Bedfordshire 1 0.11x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Denbighshire 1 0.15x
Devon 1 0.03x
Roxburghshire 1 0.31x
Sussex 1 0.03x
West Lothian 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 93 Costellos recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.24x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 93 7.24x
Manchester 72 7.57x
Birmingham 51 3.40x
Oldham 33 4.83x
Glasgow 31 3.03x
Warrington 30 11.97x
Windle 28 23.53x
Wardleworth 24 19.86x
St Pancras London 23 1.60x
Battersea 22 3.35x
Stockport 22 10.87x
Barony 20 1.37x
Great Bolton 20 7.14x
Preston 20 3.53x
Govan 19 1.33x
Wigan 19 6.43x
Batley 18 10.72x
Dumbarton 18 27.00x
Tottenham 18 6.34x
Halifax 17 6.56x
Salford 16 2.57x
Aston 15 1.21x
Everton 15 2.23x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 15 6.53x
Little Bolton 15 5.52x
Birkenhead 14 4.46x
Horton In Bradford 14 5.08x
Leicester St Margaret 14 2.91x
Nottingham St Mary 14 2.25x
Royton 14 21.64x
Bury 13 5.38x
Clapham 13 5.83x
Dundee 13 2.11x
Halliwell 13 16.89x
Oswaldtwistle 13 17.40x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 3.62x
Dewsbury 12 6.63x
Fordington 12 47.62x
Pudsey 12 12.71x
Sheffield 12 2.13x
Wednesfield 12 13.55x
West Derby 12 1.94x
Accrington 11 5.72x
Bradford 11 2.57x
Farnworth 11 8.68x
Islington London 11 0.64x
Kinderton Cum Hulme 11 332.33x
Kirkdale 11 3.09x
Maidstone 11 6.07x
Milborne Port 11 95.82x
Peterborough 11 9.06x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 1.72x
Toxteth Park 11 1.54x
Bishop Auckland 10 14.06x
Blackburn 10 1.78x
Camberwell 10 0.88x
Lambeth 10 0.64x
Northwich 10 159.74x
St George In East London 10 5.97x
Widnes 10 6.56x
Ardwick 9 4.72x
Billinge Chapel End 9 75.82x
Chorley 9 7.58x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 8.48x
Leeds 9 0.90x
Macclesfield 9 5.15x
Perth Middle Church 9 29.92x
Runcorn 9 9.92x
Southcoates 9 9.18x
Stayley 9 20.01x
Wolverhampton 9 1.95x
Aberdare 8 3.76x
Aspull 8 16.08x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 2.38x
Darlaston 8 9.62x
Hackney London 8 0.80x
Longbenton 8 7.12x
St Marylebone London 8 0.84x
Stockton On Tees 8 3.13x
Walcot 8 5.24x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Costello surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 190
Margaret 74
Bridget 57
Ellen 51
Catherine 49
Elizabeth 41
Ann 37
Sarah 32
Annie 19
Jane 19
Maria 14
Kate 13
Alice 10
Emily 10
Martha 10
Julia 8
Emma 7
Hannah 7
Anne 6
Matilda 6
Agnes 5
Eliza 5
Esther 5
Fanny 5
Rose 5
Catharine 4
Clara 4
Frances 4
Margt. 4
Winifred 4
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Janet 3
Lizzie 3
Maggie 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Ceclia 2
Celia 2
Edith 2
Honor 2
Honoria 2
Jessie 2
Polly 2
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Catherin 1
Cathrine 1
Catrina 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Costello surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 145
Thomas 107
James 83
William 68
Patrick 63
Michael 62
Edward 28
Henry 18
Charles 13
Joseph 12
Martin 12
Peter 12
Richard 12
Daniel 7
Hugh 7
Robert 7
Walter 7
George 6
Stephen 6
Alfred 5
Anthony 4
Francis 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Miles 4
Arthur 3
Bartholomew 3
David 3
Dennis 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Andrew 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Hubert 2
Jas. 2
Jeremiah 2
Jno. 2
Lawrence 2
Mark 2
Maurice 2
Michal 2
Micheal 2
Timothy 2
Wm. 2
Bartly 1
Ed. 1
Edmund 1

FAQ

Costello surname: questions and answers

How common was the Costello surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,819 people were recorded with the Costello surname. That placed it at #2,392 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Costello surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,896 in 2016. That gives Costello a modern rank of #979.

What does the Costello surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Oisdealbhaigh," meaning "descendant of Oisdealbhach" (a personal name of uncertain origin).

What does the Costello map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Costello bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.