Born in Latheron, Caithness in Scotland, Sutherland qualified as a doctor at King's College in Aberdeen in 1847 but within a few years turned to geology and survey work with various voyages of discovery, giving his name to Sutherland Island off Greenland. In 1853 he came to Natal to participate in a geological survey, marking time as a medical practitioner before being appointed government geologist in 1854; in 1855 taking over the position of surveyor-general of Natal on the death of William STANGER, a position he held until he retired in 1887.