Earl of Sutherland is a title in the

Peerage of Scotland The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, ...

. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is also the chief of

Clan Sutherland Clan Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland, however in the early 16th century this title passed ...

. The original line of earls of Sutherland had the surname "de Moravia" although they sometimes used the surname "Sutherland", taken from their hereditary title. The name de Moravia meant "of Moray" or "of Murray". The de Moravias who were earls of Sutherland and chiefs of Clan Sutherland, arguably shared their early paternal ancestry with the chiefs of

Clan Murray Clan Murray () is a Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Clan Murray holds the title of Duke of Atholl. Their ancestors were the Morays of Bothwell who established the family in Scotland in the 12th century. In the 16th century, descendants ...

through their shared progenitor Freskin de Moravia. Various branches of the Murray Clan claim descent from Freskin, including those who were earls and later

dukes of Atholl Duke of Atholl, named for Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray. It was created by Queen Anne in 1703 for John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, with a special remainder to the heir male of ...

. Current research is underway via male-line Y-DNA studies in collaboration with both branches of these clans in order to determine if any modern branches share an early medieval ancestor. From Robert, 6th Earl (d. 1444) onward the surname Sutherland was used. Elizabeth Sutherland, 10th Countess of Sutherland, married Adam Gordon, a younger son of

George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly (died 8 June 1501) was a Scottish nobleman and Chancellor of Scotland from 1498 to 1501. Life George was the son of Alexander (Seton) Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly and his second wife Elizabeth Crichton, daughter ...

, chief of

Clan Gordon Clan Gordon is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated at Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire ...

. Their first son is Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland, whose descendants were several of the next earls of Sutherland, who all used the surname Gordon. The title was again held by a long string of men, until the death of William Gordon, 18th earl, without sons, when the title passed to his daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth, 19th countess of Sutherland, then married

George Granville Leveson-Gower Sir George Granville Leveson-Gower KBE (19 May 1858 – 18 July 1951), was a British civil servant and Liberal politician from the Leveson-Gower family. He held political office as Comptroller of the Household between 1892 and 1895 and later s ...

in 1785; he inherited the title of Marquess of Stafford from his father in 1803. The marquess held vast lands and wealth, having inherited from his father, the first marquess of Stafford, from his maternal uncle, the second duke of Bridgewater, and also holding much property associated with the Earldom of Sutherland, which belonged to his wife. He was made

Duke of Sutherland Duke of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom which was created by William IV in 1833 for George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of Stafford. A series of marriages to heiresses by members of the Leveson-Gower family made th ...

in 1833. The duke's son, also named George, inherited the Earldom of Sutherland from his mother and the Dukedom of Sutherland from his father. The two titles continued united until the death of the fifth duke in 1963. The earldom passed to his niece Elizabeth, while the dukedom had to pass to a male heir. The subsidiary title associated with the earldom is Lord Strathnaver (created 1230), which is used as a

courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but rather is used through custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some co ...

by the earl's or countess's eldest son and heir. The family seat is

Dunrobin Castle Dunrobin Castle (mostly 1835–1845 — present) is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland, as well as the family seat of the Earl of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie and approximatel ...

, near

Golspie Golspie ( , gd, Goillspidh) is a village and parish in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland, which lies on the North Sea coast in the shadow of Ben Bhraggie. It has a population of around 1,350. History The name derives from the Norse for "gull ...

Sutherland Sutherland ( gd, Cataibh) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the Highlands of Scotland. Its county town is Dornoch. Sutherland borders Caithness and Moray Firth to the east, Ross-shire and Cromartyshire (later ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Ancestors of the earls of Sutherland

Different sources give different accounts of the ancestors of the earls of Sutherland. The generally accepted ancestry is that William de Moravia (William Sutherland), 1st Earl of Sutherland in the peerage of Scotland (died 1248) was the son of Hugh de Moravia, who in turn was a grandson of

Freskin Freskin (died before 1171) was a Flemish nobleman who settled in Scotland during the reign of King David I, becoming the progenitor of the Murray and Sutherland families, and possibly others. Origins Freskin was said to have come to the Lowlands ...

, a Flemish knight. William Fraser, writing in the 19th century gives a similar account but states that Hugh was actually the son of Freskin, rather than his grandson. Sir Robert Gordon (1580-1656), the 17th century historian of the House of Sutherland, and a younger son of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland, stated that William de Moravia (William Sutherland), 1st Earl of Sutherland (died 1248) was the son of Hugh, Earl of Sutherland who was nicknamed ''Hugh Freskin'', who was in turn son of Robert Sutherland (Earl of Sutherland and founder of Dunrobin Castle), who was son of Walter Southerland (Earl of Sutherland), who was son of Alane Southerland, Thane of Sutherland.

Earls of Sutherland

Although the original line of earls had the surname "de Moravia" in the direct male line, historian

Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun (14 May 1580 – 1656) was a Scottish politician and courtier, known as the historian of the noble house of Sutherland. Early life Born at Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, Sutherland, on 14 May 1580, he was the fourth ...

, who was a younger son of

Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland (died 1594) was a Scottish landowner. Early life He was the son of John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland and Marion Seton. When he was about fifteen years old in 1567, his parents were poisoned at Helm ...

, states in his book ''A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland'' that the original line in fact used the surname "Sutherland". According to modern historians of the

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press A university press is an academic publishing hou ...

, from Robert, 6th Earl onward they used the surname Sutherland. *

William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland William de Moravia (William Sutherland) (c. 1210–1248) was a Scottish nobleman, Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. Ancestry Different sources give different accounts of the ancestor ...

(William Sutherland) (c. 1210–1248) *

William de Moravia, 2nd Earl of Sutherland William de Moravia, (William Sutherland) (c. 1235–1307) was a Scottish nobleman, 2nd Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. Ancestry William de Moravia, 2nd Earl of Sutherland was the on ...

(William Sutherland) (c. 1235–1307) *

William de Moravia, 3rd Earl of Sutherland William de Moravia (also known as William Sutherland) (fl. early 14th century) was the 3rd Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. Early life William de Moravia, 3rd Earl of Sutherland was ...

(William Sutherland) (died 1330) *

Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland Kenneth de Moravia (also known as Kenneth Sutherland) (died 19 July 1333) was the 4th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. Early life Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland was the ...

(Kenneth Sutherland) (c. 1270–1333) *

William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland William de Moravia (also known as William Sutherland) (died 1370) was the 5th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. William, 5th Earl of Sutherland was a loyal supporter of David II of Sco ...

(William Sutherland) (c. 1312–1370) *

Robert Sutherland, 6th Earl of Sutherland Robert Sutherland, (died 1444) was the 6th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. Early life Robert Sutherland, 6th Earl of Sutherland was the son of William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Suthe ...

(c. 1350–1444) *

John Sutherland, 7th Earl of Sutherland John Sutherland, (died 1460) was the 7th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. Early life He was the son of Robert Sutherland, 6th Earl of Sutherland and Margaret Stewart, daughter of ...

(c. 1390–1460) *

John Sutherland, 8th Earl of Sutherland John Sutherland, (died 1508) was the 8th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. Early life He was the son of John Sutherland, 7th Earl of Sutherland and Margaret, daughter or sister of S ...

(1435–1508) * John Sutherland, 9th Earl of Sutherland (died 1514) *

Elizabeth Sutherland, 10th Countess of Sutherland Elizabeth Sutherland, (died 1535) was the 10th Countess of Sutherland having succeeded to the Earldom of Sutherland after her brother John Sutherland, 9th Earl of Sutherland died in 1514. Early life She was the daughter of John Sutherland, 8th ...

(1470-1535) (younger sister of the 9th Earl, she married Adam Gordon, younger son of

) ** Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland (son of Elizabeth) (c.1505-1530) *

John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland (1525–1567) was a Scottish magnate. John Gordon supported the chief of his family, his cousin the Earl of Huntly against the Earl of Moray. After Huntly's defeat at Corrichie, he went into exile, and shor ...

(c. 1526–1567) *

(c. 1552–1594) *

John Gordon, 13th Earl of Sutherland John Gordon, 13th Earl of Sutherland (1576–1615) was a Scottish landowner and courtier. He was the son of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland and Jean Gordon, daughter of George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly. He spent two years in France and ...

(1576–1615) *

John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland John Gordon (1609–1679) was the 14th Earl of Sutherland. He was the son of John Gordon, 13th Earl of Sutherland and Agnes Elphinstone (d. 1617), a daughter of the Lord Treasurer, Alexander Elphinstone, 4th Lord Elphinstone. Civil War A stro ...

(1609–1679) * George Gordon, 15th Earl of Sutherland (1633–1703) *

John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland (1661–1733) was a Scottish nobleman and army officer. He was the only son of George Gordon, 15th Earl of Sutherland (1633–1703), and his wife, Jean Wemmyss.

(1661–1733) (changed his surname from Gordon to Sutherland) *

William Sutherland, 17th Earl of Sutherland William Sutherland, 17th Earl of Sutherland, previously named William Gordon, 17th Earl of Sutherland,William Sutherland, 18th Earl of Sutherland William Sutherland, 18th Earl of Sutherland (1735–1766) was a Scottish hereditary peer. Life He was born on 28 May 1735 the son of William Sutherland, 17th Earl of Sutherland and his wife Lady Elizabeth Wemyss. In 1759 as a Captain in the ...

(1735–1766) * Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, 19th Countess of Sutherland (1765–1839) * George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland, 20th Earl of Sutherland (1786–1861) * George Granville William Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland, 21st Earl of Sutherland (1828–1892) * Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland, 22nd Earl of Sutherland (1851–1913) * George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland, 23rd Earl of Sutherland (1888–1963) * Elizabeth Millicent Sutherland, 24th Countess of Sutherland (1921–2019) * Alistair Charles St Clair Sutherland, 25th Earl of Sutherland (b. 1947) **Alexander Charles Robert Sutherland, Lord Strathnaver (1981–2022) The

heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question. ...

is the present holder's eldest daughter Lady Rachel Elizabeth Sutherland, Mistress of Sutherland (b. 1970)

References

External links

Family tree of the Earls of Sutherland
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sutherland Earldoms in the Peerage of Scotland * Lists of Scottish people Lists of Scottish clan chiefs * * Noble titles created in 1230

Ancestors of the earls of Sutherland

Earls of Sutherland

See also

References

External links