Snodgrass means "Smooth Grassy Place" in Scots Gaelic.
The family name Snodgrass is said to originate from lands in the parish of Irvine, Ayrshire, known as Snodgrasse, or Snodgers, at a bend in the River Garnock at 55º 38' north, 4º 42' west, which were rented out in plots. Both forms are recorded in Ayrshire and in Glasgow between the 13th and 16th centuries. In 1528 a charter from the King lists the lands of 'Snotgerss' as being one of the confirmed possessions of Hugh, third Earl of Eglinton;[1] the next record seen of the name is in the late 17th century.