Lords Duffus (1650)

1^st Lord Duffus, Alexander Sutherland, b.1622, a.1650, d.1674

Duffus near Elgin has a name taken from the Gaelic dubh and uisg, meaning dark water. Alexander Sutherland of Duffus was descended from Nicholas Sutherland, a younger brother of William de Moravia, 5^th Earl of Sutherland. While young he attended with the earl of Sutherland at the arrival of Charles I in Edinburgh, and accompanied Charles II in France and Holland and during his return to Scotland in 1650. He was fined during Cromwell’s Act of Grace and invested a a Privy Counsellor at the Restoration.

2^nd Lord Duffus, James Sutherland, b.?, a.1674, d.1705

Son of the 1^st Lord and Margaret Stuart (b.?, d.1667), daughter of James Stuart, 4^th Earl of Moray. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1686. He later killed a creditor and fled to England, where he received immunity.

3^rd Lord Duffus, Kenneth Sutherland, b.?, a.1705, d.1733-1734

Son of the 2^nd Lord and Lady Margaret Mackenzie (b.?, d.1706), daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, 3^rd Earl of Seaforth. He served in the Royal Navy and reached the rank of Captain, being badly wounded in action against the French. He joined the Jacobite Uprising of 1715 and was afterwards attainted. He gave himself up and was released after a short imprisonment in the Tower of London. He later joined the Russian Navy.

4^th Lord Duffus, Eric Sutherland, b.1710, a.1733-1734, d.1768

Son of the 3^rd Earl and Charlotta Christina Sioblade (b.?, d.1771), daughter of the Governor of Gottenburg. He served in the Navy and later in the Sutherland Regiment of the British Army which fought for King George against the Jacobites in 1745. He laid claim to the lordship during his life but without success.

5^th Lord Duffus, James Sutherland, b.1747, a.1768, d.1827

Son of the 4^th Lord and Elizabeth Dunbar (b.?, d.1800), daughter of Sir James Dunbar, 1^st Baronet Dunbar of Hempriggs, of Caithness, who was the 3^rd Lord’s younger brother. He obtained a restoration of the title by Act of Parliament in 1826, but died soon after. The title became dormant as it was not clear what the original remainder had been due to the documents being lost during the Civil Wars.

The title was then claimed by the 5^th Lord’s cousin, the 3^rd Baronet Dunbar of Hempriggs, who was related through both parents. This claim was never legitimised and the title remains dormant, although there are numerous distant relations in existence. It is convenient however to list the Baronets Dunbar here.

Baronets Dunbar of Hempriggs (1706)

1^st Baronet Dunbar, James Dunbar, b.?, a.1706, d.1724

Son of James Sutherland, 2^nd Lord Duffus. He married Elizabeth Dunbar (b.c.1677, d.1756), daughter of Sir William Dunbar, 1^st Baronet Dunbar of Northfield. He changed his name when it became clear that he would inherit his father-in-laws estates, and was raised to the baronetage to suit.

2^nd Baronet Dunbar, William Dunbar, b.?, a.1724, d.1793

Son of the 1^st Baronet and Elizabeth Dunbar. He married three times, including to another Elizabeth Dunbar.

3^rd Baronet Dunbar, Benjamin Dunbar, b.1761, a.1793, d.1843

Son of the 2^nd Baronet and his third wife Henrietta Rose (b.?, d.1795), daughter of Hugh Rose of Kilvarock. He claimed to the House of Lords for the title of 6^th Lord Duffus but nothing came of it.

4^th Baronet Dunbar, George Sutherland Dunbar, b.1799, a.1843, d.1875

Son of the 3^rd Baronet and Janet Mackay (b.c.1768, d.1857). He died unmarried and the baronetcy, and any claim to the lordship of Duffus, became extinct.

(Last updated: 19/03/2010)