Ross

Where Ross comes from

* As a Scottish surname, from several places such as Roose in Cumbria or Roos in Yorkshire, both from Scottish Gaelic ros (“promontory”) or a Brythonic parallel of its source such as Welsh rhos (“moor, heath”). There were also several Norman families in Scotland who took their name from Rots in Calvados. Compare Rose, Rhodes. * As an English surname, from Wrose in Shipley, with loss of initial w. * As an English and German surname, from derivatives of the old Germanic root common in names *hrōþi (“fame”). Compare Rossell. * As a Cornish surname, from several places in Cornwall deriving from ros (“heathland”), related to the above Celtic word meaning "heath" or "promontory." See Rouse. * As a Jewish and German occupational surname for a breeder of horses, from the regional/poetic noun Ross (“horse”). Doublet of horse. * Also as a Jewish surname, Americanized from Rose.
— Wiktionary's entry for Ross
  • 1 syllable
Along the way
  1. 1880
    First SSA year
    Already #184 among boys — 69 babies in the first year on record.
  2. 1889
    Peak, #122
    115 babies named Ross — more than any year before or since.
  3. 1930
    Ross Perot born
    American businessman and politician
  4. 1993
    Ross Barkley born
    English association football player
In the dictionary
  • A male given name transferred from the surname, of early 19th century and later usage.
Namesakes
  • Ross Barkley · English association football player, born 1993
  • Ross Perot · American businessman and politician, 1930–2019
  • Ross Lynch · American actor and singer, born 1995
  • Ross Brawn · British automotive engineer, born 1954
  • Ross Turnbull · English footballer, born 1985

Sources: the origin note and dictionary entry are quoted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); the namesakes come from Wikidata (CC0); the milestones are worked out from the SSA record.