Ross is a region and former earldom of northern Scotland. Its name means "headland" in Gaelic, and the Picts occupied the region during and after the Roman era and were converted to Christianity from the 6th to 7th centuries. Norwegian Viking raiders harassed the natives during the Viking invasions of Scotland, founding towns such as Dingwall and Tain. By the 16th century, Ross was inhabited by the Clans Ross, Munro, MacLeod, MacDonald, and MacKenzie.