(I) The first record of this surname in Scotland is in Ayrshire, a considerable portion of the northern part of which in the twelfth century was held by a family of Ros or Ross, that came from Yorkshire. Godfrey de Ros, a vassal of the de Morevilles, obtained from Richard de Moreville the lands of Stewarton in Cunningham (Chalmers I, p. 505). James de Ros, Reginald de Ros, and Peter de Ros appear about the same time as vassals of Richard de Moreville and as witnesses in his charters. Godfrey de Ros witnessed de Moreville's charter of Gillemoristun, "que antiquitus uocabatur peniacob" to Edulfus filius Utredi, a. 1189 (REG., p. 39). Sir Godfrey Rose, Arthur de Ross, and Fergus de Rosse witnessed an agreement between the burgesses of Irvine and Brice of Eglunstone, 1205 (Irvine, I, p. 3). Several of the name rendered homage, 1296 (Bain, 11). Godfrey de Roos in 1363 had a gift for life of the forfeited lands of Sir John Maxwell and of Bernard of Howdene for his services to England (Bain, IV, 88). Robert de Rooss was charter witness in Perth, 1409 (RER., I, 26), Donaldus de Ross witnessed a notarial instrument, 1413 (Pollok, I, p. 146), and John Roosse (Rosse, Roos) of Montgrenane was one of the conservators of the three years truce, 1484-86 (Bain, IV, 1505, 1520, 1521). (2) in the north the surname is derived from the district of Ross. Malcolm, earl of Ross, c. 1150, was of the G the family of O'Beolan. "There never was an earl who bore the surname of Ross, but when (he title passed to descendants in the female line, the lairds of Balnagown assumed the name as male representatives of the earls" (Sc. Ant., p. 1). Alexander Ross of Balnagown, Master William Ross, and William Ross were among those killed in the battle of Aldecherwis, 1486 (Kalendar of Feme). (3) A descriptive name, from ME. rous(e

This surname is susceptible of several explanations. 1. In some cases it is undoubtedly of foreign local origin. In Domesday we find, in Kent, a tenant called Anschitil de Ros, and, in Buckinghamshire, another named Ansgotus de Ros. These probably came from Ros, a commune in the arrondissement of Caen, in Normandy. 2. It is of British local origin. The great barons Ros, or Roos, of Hamlake, co. York, sprang from one Peter, who, in the reign of Henry I., assumed his surname from his lordship of Ros, in Holderness. Baronage. The Bosses of the South of Scotland appear to have sprung from the English family, and to have passed into Renfrewshire, as the vassals of Richard de Moreville in the XII. century, settling at Halkhead, co. Renfrew, and at Dalton, co. Dumfries. 3. There are several towns and villages in North and South Britain called Ross, and these, as well as ross. a heath or morass, and ross, a promontory, may have a claim. 4. The name seems sometimes to have had reference to the colour or complexion of the first bearer, and to have been a modification of Le Rous, Rufus, or the Red. The ancient family of Ross of Renfrew, descending from Alysandre, who flourished at Renfrew, so early as the reign of King David I., wrote themselves "the Ross of Renfrew," apparently down to the XV. century. See Knowles's Genealogy of Coulthart, p. 16. 5. Mr. Ferguson claims the name as Teutonic, deriving it from Old Saxon, hros, Old Norse, hross, &c., a horse. 6. Mr. Skene insinuates a claim on behalf of the Gaelic. "It is well known," says he, "that the surname of Ross has always been rendered in Gaelic, Clan Aurias, or Clan Gille Aurias." Scottish Highlanders, ii. 224.

Local: from the district of Ross. Robert de Ross married Isabel, daughter of William the Lion. Sir John Ross was created Lord Ross in 1489.

(Gaelic.) Local. A shire of Scotland. Bos, a peninsula, an isthmus, a promontory. Rhos, in Welsh, is a moor, a bog. Ros, in Cornish-British, is a mountain, a meadow, a common. Rose and Rosh signify a valley or dale between hills.

The Dorset name of Ross is probably a variation of Russ, a name that has characterised the adjacent county of Wilts for many centuries.

Ross is both an English and a Scottish name. As Ros, De Ros, Le Ros, Le Rus, etc., it was established over the greater part of England, from Northumberland to Wiltshire, GOO years ago (Hundred Rolls). Ross is now a Dorset name, whilst Russ has been a Wiltshire name for at least six centuries.