The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Ness \Ness\, n. [AS. naes, ns; akin to Icel. nes, Sw. n[aum]s,
   Dan. naes, and E. nose. [root] 261. See Nose.]
   A promontory; a cape; a headland. --Hakluyt.
   [1913 Webster]

   Note: Ness is frequently used as a suffix in the names of
         places and promontories; as, Sheerness.
         [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

-ness \-ness\ [AS. -ness, -nyss, -nys; akin to OS. -nissi,
   nussi, D. -nis, OHG. -nissa, -nass[imac], -nuss[imac], G.
   -nis, -niss, Goth. -inasus.]
   A suffix used to form abstract nouns expressive of quality or
   state; as, goodness, greatness.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

ness
    n 1: a strip of land projecting into a body of water [syn:
         cape, ness]

U.S. Gazetteer Counties (2000):

Ness -- U.S. County in Kansas
   Population (2000):    3454
   Housing Units (2000): 1835
   Land area (2000):     1074.746707 sq. miles (2783.581074 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.257650 sq. miles (0.667310 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    1075.004357 sq. miles (2784.248384 sq. km)
   Located within:       Kansas (KS), FIPS 20
   Location:             38.526299 N, 99.890005 W
   Headwords:
    Ness
    Ness, KS
    Ness County
    Ness County, KS