Celestine
A name from Latin meaning “heavenly,” used as a surname in some cases from an underlying given name.
The #7,145 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 65,971 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Celestine ultimately comes from Latin *caelestis*, meaning “heavenly” or “of the sky.” It entered European naming through French and other Romance-language forms, especially as a personal name for both men and women. As a surname, it is usually best understood as deriving from an ancestor’s given name rather than from a separate occupational or place-name source.
History
The historical excerpts mainly show Celestine as a forename, and one source explicitly notes its French form meaning “heavenly.” The surname use is therefore likely secondary, arising from the common practice of turning a personal name into a family name. In English-speaking records it is relatively uncommon and may also reflect French, Caribbean, or other Francophone naming traditions.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same Latin root produced several related names across Europe, including Celeste, Celine, Celestino, and Celestine.
From the historical record
“Clementine, Rosaline, Rosalie, Rosamond, Rosabelle, Cath- arine, Caroline, Albertine, Edwardine, Adaliene, Adeline, Er- nestine, Eveline, Geraldine, Victorine, Celestine, Madaline,”
— A Grammar of American Surnames