Sutherland origin?

Question:

Sutherland origin?

Does the last name Sutherland have nobility, or is more than likely a surname that my family used because that is where they were from?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Among the misconceptions in genealogy...
"my name has a coat of arms". SOMEONE of the name might have had a coat of arms...but they belong technically to a person, not to a family or name. And surnames originated in many different ways- some from occupation, physical appearance, village they came from, clerks who didn't know how to spell the original...etc. You would be extremely fortunate to find proven records to tie you to the actual person who first started using the name, since it likely would be in the 1300's or so.
Researching a NAME is not researching a family history. They are completely distinct. YOUR ancestor who has/had the name is an individual, and you can work to learn who each of those ancestors were and where they came from. Almost immediately, you will realize that your father carries the name, and your mother's maiden name comes from her history. One generation back from there, you have 4 grandparents, and 4 family names, each with their own history. An alternative way is to "pick" one ancestor ie gr gr grandfather Sutherland and his wife, and find any descendent coming down from them. TAKE MY WORD FOR THIS... that gets overwhelming, since them darn kids keep growing up and having their own kids. Been there/done that/ gave up. I stick to working backwards, they stay put, unless some county wants to build a lake and they move the cemetery.
www.cyndislist.com is a wonderful place to find resources, including beginner tutorials. She has thousands of links (free ones).