NameCensus.

UK surname

Ross

A surname of Scottish origin meaning "headland" or "promontory," likely referring to someone who lived on a peninsula.

In the 1881 census there were 32,788 people recorded with the Ross surname, ranking it #98 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 44,759, ranked #112, down from #98 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kincardine, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sutherland South, Seaboard and Invergordon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ross is 45,068 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.5%.

1881 census count

32,788

Ranked #98

Modern count

44,759

2016, ranked #112

Peak year

2010

45,068 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ross had 32,788 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #98 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 44,759 in 2016, ranked #112.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38,731 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ross surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ross surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ross 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 26,370 #75
1861 historical 25,629 #78
1881 historical 32,788 #98
1891 historical 35,060 #95
1901 historical 38,731 #103
1911 historical 14,748 #333
1997 modern 41,511 #106
1998 modern 43,138 #106
1999 modern 43,391 #108
2000 modern 43,595 #108
2001 modern 42,307 #108
2002 modern 43,284 #110
2003 modern 42,160 #111
2004 modern 42,158 #111
2005 modern 41,916 #112
2006 modern 42,182 #112
2007 modern 42,529 #112
2008 modern 42,901 #112
2009 modern 44,085 #112
2010 modern 45,068 #111
2011 modern 44,223 #113
2012 modern 43,513 #112
2013 modern 44,387 #112
2014 modern 44,873 #112
2015 modern 44,694 #112
2016 modern 44,759 #112

Geography

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Where Ross' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kincardine, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sutherland South, Seaboard, Invergordon, Tain and Alness. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kincardine Ross And Cromarty
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sutherland South Highland
2 Seaboard Highland
3 Invergordon Highland
4 Tain Highland
5 Alness Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ross

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ross

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ross, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Ross surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Ross household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ross 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

Ross is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ross falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ross is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ross

The surname Ross has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, emerging in the 13th century as a territorial name for those residing in the district of Ross in northern Scotland. It is derived from the Gaelic word "ros," meaning a promontory or headland.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Ross can be traced back to a charter from 1263, which mentions "Hugo de Ross" as a witness. This suggests that the name was already well-established by that time in the region.

In the 14th century, the Ross clan played a prominent role in Scottish history, with the Earl of Ross being a powerful figure in the region. The clan's stronghold was the Rosemarkie Castle, located near the town of Fortrose in Ross-shire.

The surname Ross is also found in historical records such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals with the name who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. This includes names like Adam de Ros and William de Ross.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Ross include William Ross (c. 1370-1424), a Scottish nobleman and the 5th Earl of Ross, and Sir John Ross (1777-1856), a British naval officer and Arctic explorer who led expeditions to the Arctic in search of the Northwest Passage.

Another significant figure was Alexander Ross (1590-1654), a Scottish philosopher and writer who authored several works on philosophy, religion, and poetry. He is particularly known for his book "Virgilius Evangelizans" (1634), which sought to interpret Virgil's works from a Christian perspective.

In the world of literature, Sinclair Ross (1908-1996) was a Canadian novelist and short story writer, best known for his novel "As for Me and My House" (1941), which depicted the struggles of a prairie family during the Great Depression.

The surname Ross has also been associated with several place names, such as Rosshire, Rosemarkie, and Rosskeen, all located in the Scottish Highlands, reflecting the territorial origins of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ross families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ross 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. Ross-shire leads with 4,484 Ross' recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.14x.

County Total Index
Ross-shire 4,484 51.14x
Lanarkshire 3,130 3.03x
Midlothian 2,252 5.27x
Aberdeenshire 2,234 7.56x
Middlesex 1,662 0.52x
Lancashire 1,481 0.39x
Inverness-shire 1,240 13.01x
Yorkshire 1,236 0.39x
Angus 1,203 4.07x
Sutherland 1,184 48.23x
Morayshire 1,111 22.40x
Durham 789 0.83x
Ayrshire 732 3.06x
Surrey 687 0.44x
Renfrewshire 612 2.47x
Fife 592 3.13x
Northumberland 591 1.24x
Caithness 542 12.40x
Banffshire 478 7.22x
Perthshire 453 3.16x
Kincardineshire 375 9.65x
Kent 336 0.31x
Staffordshire 311 0.29x
Warwickshire 305 0.38x
Hampshire 288 0.44x
Stirlingshire 255 2.17x
Dunbartonshire 245 2.86x
Leicestershire 224 0.63x
Nairnshire 218 22.37x
Cheshire 215 0.31x
Wigtownshire 189 4.46x
Lincolnshire 186 0.36x
East Lothian 173 4.09x
Essex 167 0.27x
Argyllshire 158 1.78x
Dumfriesshire 153 2.17x
Devon 133 0.20x
Worcestershire 122 0.29x
Cumberland 120 0.44x
Nottinghamshire 111 0.26x
Sussex 107 0.20x
Orkney 98 2.79x
Roxburghshire 98 1.69x
Glamorgan 97 0.17x
Derbyshire 94 0.19x
Kirkcudbrightshire 87 1.88x
West Lothian 83 1.73x
Dorset 73 0.35x
Gloucestershire 72 0.12x
Somerset 59 0.11x
Northamptonshire 58 0.19x
Herefordshire 48 0.37x
Berwickshire 43 1.11x
Monmouthshire 42 0.18x
Norfolk 41 0.08x
Selkirkshire 39 1.35x
Hertfordshire 37 0.17x
Channel Islands 36 0.38x
Peeblesshire 36 2.40x
Royal Navy 35 0.92x
Shropshire 35 0.13x
Berkshire 33 0.14x
Buteshire 33 1.71x
Clackmannanshire 32 1.21x
Suffolk 32 0.08x
Isle of Man 31 0.52x
Caernarfonshire 29 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 26 0.13x
Wiltshire 24 0.09x
Kinross-shire 23 2.85x
Oxfordshire 23 0.12x
Shetland 19 0.58x
Carmarthenshire 16 0.12x
Cornwall 16 0.04x
Bedfordshire 13 0.08x
Cambridgeshire 12 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 10 0.16x
Westmorland 10 0.14x
Flintshire 9 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 7 0.07x
Radnorshire 7 0.27x
Brecknockshire 6 0.09x
Anglesey 4 0.07x
Merionethshire 4 0.07x
Denbighshire 3 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.04x
Rutland 2 0.09x
Cardiganshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 1,087 Ross' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.32x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1,087 6.32x
Govan 867 3.40x
Barony 865 3.31x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 658 11.89x
Rosskeen 648 157.03x
Glasgow 618 3.37x
Tain 616 185.48x
Aberdeen Old Machar 525 8.50x
Inverness 493 20.56x
Dundee 474 4.29x
Kincardine 449 278.35x
Fearn 370 158.42x
Tarbat 320 154.43x
Creich 299 122.25x
South Leith 294 6.11x
Forres 261 50.06x
Edderton 252 291.50x
Dornoch 236 85.32x
Logie Easter 208 226.58x
Nigg 207 188.47x
Liverpool 193 0.84x
Kilmuir Easter 189 150.65x
Elgin 177 18.34x
Islington London 172 0.56x
Lairg 159 106.43x
Alness 158 139.42x
Wick 155 10.98x
Liff Benvie 149 3.32x
Nairn 148 25.03x
Camberwell 147 0.72x
Montrose 145 8.09x
Cromarty 138 58.81x
Bishopwearmouth 137 1.68x
Lambeth 128 0.46x
Banchory Ternan 125 37.18x
Duffus 117 26.76x
St Marylebone London 109 0.64x
Kensington London 107 0.60x
St Pancras London 105 0.41x
East Greenock 102 4.37x
Walsall Foreign 100 1.80x
Latheron 99 13.54x
Old Monkland 97 2.37x
West Ham 97 0.70x
Leeds 95 0.53x
Rogart 95 70.10x
North Leith 94 4.75x
Thurso 94 13.79x
Dingwall 92 37.30x
Stornoway 92 8.05x
Leicester St Margaret 90 1.04x
Everton 88 0.73x
Maryhill 85 4.21x
Westoe 85 1.58x
Gateshead 84 1.18x
Lochbroom 84 18.35x
Paddington London 84 0.72x
Rathven 84 6.75x
Birmingham 82 0.31x
West Greenock 80 1.80x
Dunfermline 79 2.72x
Forfar 78 4.87x
Eddrachillis 76 45.57x
Cromdale 75 18.79x
Bothwell 74 2.64x
Mile End Old Town 74 1.47x
Newington 74 0.63x
Toxteth Park 74 0.58x
Edinburgh St Stephens 73 8.67x
Gairloch 72 14.25x
Hulme 71 0.90x
Bramley In Bramley 70 5.78x
Falkirk 70 2.54x
St George Hanover 70 1.68x
West Derby 69 0.62x
Hamilton 68 2.36x
Bethnal Green London 66 0.48x
Portsea 66 0.51x
Kildonan 65 30.58x
New Monkland 65 2.13x
Edinburgh Canongate 64 5.88x
Row 64 5.77x
Kilmorack 63 21.79x
Perth East Church 63 4.66x
Cathcart 62 4.63x
Deptford St Paul 62 0.74x
Drainie 61 13.88x
Kiltearn 61 47.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 691
Elizabeth 395
Sarah 290
Jane 233
Margaret 210
Ann 155
Annie 155
Ellen 151
Eliza 135
Emma 113
Alice 101
Isabella 100
Catherine 90
Jessie 88
Emily 80
Hannah 63
Caroline 59
Fanny 56
Louisa 56
Maria 56
Martha 56
Edith 51
Florence 48
Agnes 47
Anne 46
Ada 45
Kate 43
Lucy 40
Harriet 38
Janet 37
Charlotte 34
Clara 34
Helen 33
Frances 28
Minnie 28
Julia 24
Susan 23
Barbara 22
Elizth. 22
Amy 21
Esther 21
Grace 21
Rose 21
Sophia 21
Amelia 20
Christina 20
Harriett 18
Mabel 18
Maggie 18
Eleanor 17

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 673
William 563
James 395
George 319
Thomas 277
Charles 198
Robert 153
Henry 141
Joseph 140
Alexander 139
Edward 99
David 98
Alfred 89
Arthur 71
Walter 63
Frederick 59
Samuel 55
Albert 53
Andrew 48
Richard 46
Donald 45
Hugh 43
Wm. 40
Harry 37
Daniel 35
Francis 35
Frank 33
Peter 28
Herbert 24
Ernest 23
Benjamin 22
Thos. 22
Edwin 19
Percy 17
Archibald 14
Fred 13
Malcolm 13
Alexr. 12
Geo. 12
Matthew 12
Duncan 10
Kenneth 10
Patrick 10
Philip 10
Stephen 10
Christopher 9
Douglas 9
Fredk. 9
Lewis 9
Michael 9

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Ross households.

FAQ

Ross surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ross surname in 1881?

In 1881, 32,788 people were recorded with the Ross surname. That placed it at #98 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ross surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 44,759 in 2016. That gives Ross a modern rank of #112.

What does the Ross surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin meaning "headland" or "promontory," likely referring to someone who lived on a peninsula.

What does the Ross map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ross 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.