Montrose

Derived from the Scottish locational surname of Montrose, which takes its name from the coastal town of Montrose, which is located in the council area of Angus in eastern Scotland. The etymology of the town's name is uncertain: some believe that the name comes from Mouth Hrossay, due to the location at the outlets of the river North Esk near Rossie Island (the name of which is of Old Norse origin and means "horse island" in Old Norse). Others believe that the town derives its name from Gaelic monadh meaning "moor" and Gaelic rois or ros meaning "peninsula" or "promontory".

Meanwhile, folk etymology derives the name from Norman French mont meaning "mountain" and Norman French rose meaning "rose" (probably as in the flower, rather than the colour), which gives the name the meaning of "mountain of roses". This particular etymology is the least likely of them all, but not entirely impossible, as one of the earliest recorded forms of the town's name dates back to the 12th century, a time in which Scottish society became increasingly exposed to (and influenced by) Norman French culture.

With that said, Montrose was first used as a personal name in the 18th century by the Graham clan, who hold the title of Duke of Montrose in the Scottish peerage. Some of the best-known bearers of Montrose as a given name include the American business magnate Condé Montrose Nast (1873-1942) and the American actress Montrose Hagins (1917-2012).