This interesting Scottish name means "son of Robb" from the diminutive of Robert. Some bearers of this name are ranked as a sept of Stewarts, descended from a natural son of Robert, son of Dugald, first of Appin (Sliochd Ailein "ic Rob"). The lands occupied by them were Glenduror, Lettermore and Acharn in Duror, but they may also be descended from Robert a member of the family Buchanan of Leny and residing mainly in the parishes of Callander and Kilmadock. One Archibald McRobb married Jannet McArthur in Argyll in 1731. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry McRob, who was "Mair" (assistant to an excutioner) which was dated Menteith 1458, Blacks Surnames of Scotland, during the reign of King James II, of Scotland 1437 - 1460. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.