The Scottish Royal House is a dynasty of Scottish monarchs that began in the late 14th century and lasted until the union of the crowns in 1603. The most prominent members of this royal house are the Stewart and Stuart families. The Stewart family ruled Scotland from 1371 to 1603, while the Stuart family ruled England and Scotland from 1603 to 1714. The surname Stewart is derived from the Old English word stigweard, which means 'house STEWARD'. The surname Stuart is derived from the French word estuarde, which means 'STEWARD'.