This book identifies many of the people of the counties of Caithness, Sutherland, and Inverness-Shure during the 17th century. The region mostly lies west and north the Great Glen apart from a portion of Inverness-shire which lies east of Lochs Lochy, Oich, and Ness. The main clans or families during the 217th century were Sinclairs, Mackays, Sutherlands, McLeods, Rosses, Stewarts, McKenzies, Munros, Urquharts, Frasers, McDonnells, Chisholms, MacPhersons, McGillivrays, Davidsons, McKinnons, MacDonalds, McLeans, Camerons, Gunns, and Roses.

Migration from the Northern Highlands was initially small-scale, apart from mercenaries who were recruited to fight for Scandinavia and the Netherlands, many of whom settled there. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1651, led to the transportation of Scottish prisoners of war, banished to the English colonies in the Caribbean, notably Barbados, or to Virginia and New England; they can be identified by their distinctive local surnames.