Caithness is the most northern county in mainland Britain. Closely linked with Orkney, the area has Pictish, Norse and Gaelic roots. Surrounded by water to the North and East, and by the County of Sutherland to the South and West, the area is one of outstanding natural beauty. Although Caithness is the ancestral home of the Sinclairs, Earls of Caithness, many notable families have roots in the area. Caithness was also home to many families who settled in Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Local surnames include: Gunn, Sutherland, Bain, Munro, Coghill, Groat and Swanson. | 
