Posted on: Ross Family Query Forum Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/FamilyAssoc/Ross/619 Surname: ------------------------- Hi, Dan, Here is the info.about how and where most of Ross's come from and how they got their name. Maybe someone else would like to see this and respond. "The Ross took their name from the county of Ross,of which their chiefs' forefathers were the Earls from about 1226. Their first chief, Ferchar, styled Macc in t' sacairt(the son of the Priest')already held by inheritance the vast district of Applecross in Wester Ross as heir of the O'Beolain hereditary abbots of Applecross. They probably came of the same stock as the O'beolain hereditary abbots of Drumcliff in Ireland, who descended from Cairbre,son of King Niall of the Nine Hostages. The immediate progenitor of the Clan was Hugh of Ross, the son, by a second marriage, of Hugh, 4th Earl of Ross. This High founded the house of Balnagown, the only cadet branch descending from these Earls. Thus the family of Balnagown,with its tenants,dependants and followers,formed the historic Clan Ross. The name Ross",which in Old Gaelic is the equivalent of "promontory", was originally applied to the eastern portion of the modern county,jutting out into the North Sea,and bounded on the south by the Cromarty Firth and on the north by the Dornoch Firth,and stretching inland to the central watershed. It was from this promontory the Earls took their designation. We find Ross's serving in the ministry far from their native heath. Members of the family of Eye were ministers in the Reformed Church of the Netherlands, and became the ancestors of the Courts Von Ross of Prussia, The Rev. George Ross, 5th of the family of Balblair, emigrated to America at the beggining of the 18th century, and was an Episcopal minister in Pennsylvania. He was followed by his son,Aeneas, in the same charge. The latter son, Colonel George Ross, was a signatory of the American Declaration. of Independence and was afterwards Chief Justice of Delaware. His brother, John was killed in the cause of American Independence. The cadet Branch of Little Tarrell is passed over, because its progenitor Alexander, the reputed son of Walter, 8th of Balnagown, was legitimated after his (Walter) died. The last members of the Eastern Fern family were John(son of the 6th of the line). He was living unmarried in 1793, but nothing further is known of him,and his cousin, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Ross, who died without male issue. The family of Priesthill, descended from Donald, Dean of Caithness, second son of John, 5th of Balnagown, expired in 1652 on the death of Thomas Ross of Priesthill. The main line of Shandwick is still extant. The last to hold the estate of Andrew, 7th of the famiy, and he died in 1733, survived by a large family. It is often stated that the Clan Ross is Clann Aindreis or Siol Aindreis(the children or offspring of Andrew) in Gaelic, but this is incorrect. The 1467 MS. shows clearly that the Clann Aindreis, descended from the Gillanders, was a distinct clan, and was not connected with the Clan Ross,except perhaps by marriage. Sir Robert Gordon, in his Genealogy History of the Earldom of Sutherland, distinguishes the two clans. The name"Ross" as pointed out at the beginning is Gaelic, and in Gaelic literature Clan Ross is Clann Rois, never Clann Aindreis. The Ross's are always Na Rosaich. A Ross is either Rosach or Ros. I have more info. than this, but I will have to break it up.My fingers began to get click-itis. I hope someone may be able to use this to help them out, as for me, it hasn't, but I will keep on searching for our Ross. There is and was so many out there today, in different parts of the world. Will keep you posted. If you want to know more about this famiy history, let me know. HAPPY HOLIDAY'S Debra Cheater.