SUTHERLANDS from Sutherland

[dimac]

Hi members...I'm trying from a different angle.

On IGI Individual Records
I have found the following all with the same Batch Number: 720553, Sheet: 92, Source call
No: 0820212 Type: Film. Does this mean the following are from the same family (meaning
first mentioned Sutherlands) please?

1) Katherine Sutherland married Murdock Ros 09 Apr 1818 Kildonan Sutherland Scotland.

2) Elspate Sutherland married John Sutherland 03 Mar 1819 Kildonan Sutherland Scotland

3) William Sutherland married Christian Sutherland 24 Jan 1820 Kildonan Sutherland Scotland.

Thank you,
dimac

[LesleyB]

Hi dimac

As far as I'm aware there is no way to tell from IGI batch numbers etc. if the Sutherlands mentioned are related. The batch number just indicates a group of records, as far as I understand, which was filmed of a particular parish/range of years within an area. Sometimes a batch covers several areas. There is more detailed info to be found on various web sites about batch numbers. e.g. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.anc ... umbers.htm

Sutherland is a very frequently occurring name in that area (just as Ross was the surname of over 40% of the population in Easter Ross....) so conclusions cannot be drawn from several mentions of the surname. e.g. Kildonan
Batch C110521 (Christenings) 1855-1867 gives 94 records - some of these will most likely be siblings or cousins etc. We might be able to do a parent search on IGI to round up a group of siblings, but the cousins will not be obvious at all unless you knew a bit more about the familes.

In both the cases of the marriages you mentioned and the christenings as above, the original OPR may give more info or often it may not....

Best wishes
Lesley

[dimac]

Many thanks for explaining IGI for me & also giving link. Had a fair idea it was as you say
but wanted to check for sure. Should know after all this time too.

Much appreciated,
Di

[LesleyB]

Hi Di

Had it been a more unusual surname for that area e.g. Smith (honest!! Smiths are a rarer breed altogether up there....! ) you may have been onto something. If you try a search at: http://www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk/Surnames.aspx choosing 1881 as the year, you will see that the Sutherland surname is pretty concentrated up that way. It can be quite a handy tool to get a rough idea of the areas where a surname is concentrated. (although lots may have changed for example between the late 1700s/early 1800s and 1881 which is the data that site uses)

Best wishes
Lesley

[dimac]

Hello Lesley,

I am amazed to see most of the Sutherlands in 1881 are in Caithness & Orkney with Sutherland
& Shetland next highest. Good site to get an idea. No wonder I & so many others with
Sutherlands get so frustrated. I have a generous researcher who lives in Edinburgh who is
very knowledgeable ans has been trying to help me find my Christina's parents & siblings
but from his last email may not be able to.

Funny thing is I know a reasonable amount about another Wm Sutherland from Achngorde??
Latheron who married Janet Sinclair whose children came to New Zealand,
who my Christina & her husband were in close contact with, even taking in
one of their sons, when both parents died aged 40yrs. Might try Wick FHS in 2010, all
going well. Ever the optomist.

Many thanks for you advice. It is very much appreciated.
regards,
Di NZ