Ross History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland/England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Ross

What does the name Ross mean?

In the mountains of Scotland's west coast and on the Hebrides islands, the ancestors of the Ross family were born. Their name comes from the given name Andrew, which is derived from Anrias, a progenitor of both the Ross Clan and the MacKenzies. Anrias was descended from the O'Beolans, an Irish Gaelic tribe of the sixth and seventh centuries who first brought Christianity to Scotland. The name may also be a nickname derived from the Old English word rouse, which means red or red-haired.

Ross Coat of Arms Creation

In the Ross shield there are three lions, to show that they are of Scottish descent. One branch also had a bend charged with buckles, to show that at one time there must have been an alliance with the Leslies.

The crest most commonly used by the Ross Clan is a hand holding a garland of laurel, and the motto, " Spem successus alit " (Success nourishes hope). 1

Early Origins of the Ross family

The surname Ross was first found in the old monastery of Applecross founded by St. Maelrubha where they were hereditary abbots who later created the Earls of Ross. Their territory was Faster Ross and the first documented Chief was Fearchar Mac ant-Saqairt (a Farquhar), the priest's son, who helped King Alexander II against the old Celtic dynasty. Farquhar joined forces with the King to crush a rebellion in the province of Moray in 1215. Even though he was a direct descendent of the Irish King Niall of the Nine Hostages, he was granted a Norman knighthood by King Alexander and, a few years later, the Earldom of Ross (1234).

At this time, Tain, an early shrine created by St. Dutlac, was the capital of Ross. Now a ruin, it played an important role in Scotland's religious history during the Middle Ages. In the late 15th and early 16th century King James IV made annual pilgrimages there. However, battered by its enemies, and many of its relics destroyed by changing religious influences, the capital was transferred to the town of Dingwall.

Early History of the Ross family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ross research. Another 287 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1372, 1390, 1400, 1600, 1656, 1682, 1715, 1745 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Ross History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ross Spelling Variations

Spelling variations are a very common occurrence in records of early Scottish names. They result from the repeated and inaccurate translations that many names went through in the course of various English occupations of Scotland. Ross has been spelled Ros, Roose, Ross, Ruse and others.

Early Notables of the Ross family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

William, 5th Earl of Ross (died 1372)
Sir Andrew Leslie, though before that event, the Chiefship of the Clan passed to Hugh Ross of Rariches who was the progenitor of the Rosses of Balnagowan
William Ross, 10th Lord Ross of Halkhead (died 1656), a Scottish nobleman

Ross World Ranking

In the United States, the name Ross is the 80^th most popular surname with an estimated 238,752 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Ross is ranked the 38^th most popular surname with an estimated 43,175 people with that name. 3 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Ross is the 309^th popular surname. 4 Australia ranks Ross as 64^th with 35,042 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Ross as 68^th with 4,908 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Ross as 106^th with 44,509 people. 7 South Africa ranks Ross as 708^th with 9,639 people. 8

Migration of the Ross family to Ireland

Some of the Ross family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ross migration to the United States +

Scottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to England re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Rosss to arrive on North American shores:

Ross Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Daniel Ross, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1651 9
Alester Ross, who landed in America in 1652 9

Ross Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Andreas Ross, who landed in New York in 1710 9
Charles Ross, who arrived in South Carolina in 1716 9
Christopher Ross, aged 55, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1738 9
Jean Ross, who landed in New York, NY in 1738 9
Anneal Ross, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1740-1741 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ross Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Casper Ross, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1802 9
Gerret Ross, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1802 9
Anna Ross, aged 50, who arrived in New York in 1807 9
John Ross, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1810 9
Eleanor Ross, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1811 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ross migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ross Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Catherine Ross, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1773
Christina Ross, who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1773
Donald Ross, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1773
Janet Ross, who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1773
Mr. Donald Ross U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1776 he served in the Royal Regiment of New York 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ross Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Ross, aged 30, Scottish labourer who landed in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1815-1816 with his wife and 3 children 9
James Ross, aged 51, Scottish labourer who landed in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1815-1816 with his wife and 9 children 9
Alexander Ross, aged 60, Scottish milwright who landed in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1815-1816 with his wife and 5 children 9
John Ross, aged 70, Scottish farmer who landed in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1815-1816 with his wife and 3 children 9
Donald Ross, aged 60, Scottish labourer who landed in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1815-1816 with his wife and 1 child 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ross migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ross Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Ross, (b. 1785), aged 22, English weaver who was convicted in Shropshire, England for life for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1834 11
Mr. James Ross, Scottish labourer who was convicted in Aberdeen, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. John Ross, British Convict who was convicted in Inverness, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Batavia" in October 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr.Thomas Ross, (b. 1798), aged 21, Irish shoe maker who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Bencoolen" on 24th April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia before being transferred to Tasmania via the "Admiral Cockburn" 14
Mr. Charles Ross, (Aledander), (b. 1801), aged 19, British clerk who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years for passing forged notes, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1848 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ross migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Ross Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

George Ross, aged 21, a blacksmith, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blenheim" in 1840
Robert Ross, aged 23, a baker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
Mary Ross, aged 21, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
James Ross, aged 37, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
Catherine Ross, aged 36, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ross (post 1700) +

Diana Ross (b. 1944), American singer, songwriter, and actress, founding member and lead singer of the vocal group The Supremes, inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Dorothy Ross (1936-2024), American historian, Arthur O. Lovejoy Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University, known for her books G. Stanley Hall: The Psychologist as Prophet (1972) and The Origins of American Social Science (1991), eponym of the Dorothy Ross Prize
Douglas George "Doug" Ross (1951-2022), American college ice hockey player, 1976 USA Olympic hockey player and former college ice hockey head coach
Donald Kemp Ross (1943-2022), American public interest lawyer who proposed the model of Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGS) with Ralph Nader
Lee David Ross (1942-2021), Canadian-born, American Stanford Federal Credit Union Professor of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University
Annabelle Allan "Annie" Ross (1930-2020), British-American singer and actress, best known as a member of the jazz vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
Lillian Ross (1918-2017), born Lillian Rosovsky, an American journalist and author, staff writer at The New Yorker from 1945
Arthur Ross (1910-2007), American businessman and philanthropist
Jerry Jan Ross (1933-2017), American songwriter, best known for his song "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
Wilbur Louis Ross Jr. (b. 1937), American investor, and former banker, 39th United States Secretary of Commerce (2017-)
... (Another 34 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Ross family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. William Ross (d. 1914), British Greaser from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 16
Mr. Thomas Ross (1889-1914), American Third Class Passenger from Detroit, Michigan, United States who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 16

Halifax Explosion

Miss Eileen Ross (1910-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17
Master Clifford Ross (1917-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17
Master Freddie Ross (1912-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17
Miss Maggie Carey Ross (1917-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17
Miss Doris Ross (1914-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17
... (Another 2 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Donald Ross (1899-1941), Australian Petty Officer Steward from Earlwood, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 18
Mr. James Thompson Ross (1913-1941), Australian Supply Petty Officer from Manly, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 18

HMS Royal Oak

John Ross, British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy Reserve aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 19
James Ross, British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy Reserve aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 19
Theodore William Ross (1917-1939), British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 19
Gordon Ian McLeod Ross (1899-1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 19

North Sea Flood

Allan Ross, British worker aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
John G. Ross, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" who survived the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Henry Ross, English Barkeeper from Aintree, Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 20
Mr. E. W. Ross, Irish Fireman from Wexford, Ireland, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 20

RMS Titanic

Mr. Horace Leopold Ross, aged 36, English Scullion from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 13 21
Mr. John Hugo Ross (d. 1912), aged 36, Canadian First Class passenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 21

Senghenydd colliery

Mr. Peter Ronald Ross (b. 1893), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 22
Mr. Robert Ross (b. 1882), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 22
Mr. William John Ross (b. 1891), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 22
Mr. William Ross (b. 1868), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 22

USS Arizona

Mr. Deane Lundy Ross, American Seaman Second Class from New York, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 23
Mr. William Fraser Ross, American Gunner's Mate Third Class from New York, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 23

USS Indianapolis

Glen Eugene Ross, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 24

Vimy Ridge

Harold Osborne Ross (1890-1917), Canadian clerk, Lieutenant in the 44th Battalion from Manitoba who died at Vimy Ridge May 1917

The Ross 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: Spem successus alit
Motto Translation: Success nourishes hope

Citations +

Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bencoolen
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
Universal Colliery Senghenydd 1913 disaster retrieved 21st September 2019, retrieved from http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/deathrolls/SenghenyddDead1913.htm
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew