Brief Life History of George McKay
When George McKay Ross was born in 1891, in Masterton, Wellington, New Zealand, his father, George McKay Ross, was 42 and his mother, Mary McKinnon, was 34. He had at least 2 daughters with Annie Elizabeth McKay. He registered for military service in 1. He died in December 1963, in his hometown, at the age of 72.
Photos and Memories (0)
Do you know George McKay? Do you have a story about him that you would like to share? Sign In or Create a FREE Account
Family Time Line
Sources (2)
- George McKay Ross, "New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1865-1957"
- George Mackay Ross, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966"
Spouse and Children
Parents and Siblings
Siblings (10)
+5 More Children
World Events (8)
1893
New Zealand becomes world's first country to give women the vote.
1896 · National Council of Women
The National Council of Women of New Zealand was created as an organization after women won the right to vote. Today works to help achieve gender equality in New Zealand and in 2017 introduced Gender Equal NZ, which is fighting for Zealanders to have the freedom and opportunity to determine their own future no matter which gender they are.
1914
Egypt becomes a British protectorate. Egypt becomes a British protectorate.
Name Meaning
Scottish: habitational name from one or other of a number of Scottish and English places called Ross or Roos(e), especially Roose (Lancashire) and Roos (East Yorkshire). The placenames derive from a British ancestor of Welsh rhos ‘moor, heath, plain’, which is the sense of the cognate Gaelic word ros. The Scottish surname has at least three origins. First, the Anglo-Norman family from Roos (East Yorkshire) was introduced to Scotland when Robert of Roos, lord of Wark Castle (Northumberland), married Isabella, an illegitimate daughter of King William the Lion. Second, various families took the name from the province of Ross in northern Scotland and other places of that name. Third, there were Norman families in Scotland by the 13th century who probably derived their name from Rots in Normandy (see 2 below). The descendants of Godfrey de Ros, tenant of the de Morville lords of Cunninghame, were major landholders in Ayrshire, and almost certainly took their name from Rots. The Rose family of Kilravock (Nairnshire) may take their name from either of these three (see Rose ). The lairds of Balnagown adopted the surname Ross after the earldom of Ross (to which they considered themselves rightful heirs) had passed into other hands through the female line.
English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Rots in Calvados (France), probably named with the ancient Germanic element rod ‘clearing’ (compare Rhodes ). This was the original home of a family de Ros, who were established in Kent in 1130 and had major estates in Kent until well into the 13th century.
English: habitational name from Wrose, in Shipley, near Bradford (Yorkshire), with re-spelling of Wr- as R- due to the loss of /w/ before /r/ in early modern English pronunciation. The spelling Wrose is no longer current. The placename derives from Old English wrāse ‘knot, something twisted’, referring to the steep-sided hill on which the settlement stands, with the sense ‘broken or twisting hill’.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
Possible Related Names
Discover Even More
As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story.