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Tracy History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Tracy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The oldest instances of the Tracy surname in Ireland come from an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Treasaigh, or "descendant of Treasach," a personal name meaning "warlike," "fierce." However, many of the surname Tracy come from Anglo-Norman roots, from the large category of Anglo-Norman habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Tracy family

The surname Tracy was first found in Devon, where they were Lords of Barnstaple, descended from a famous Norman family from Tracy near Vire in Carne in Normandy. William Tracey was a natural son of Henry I, and his descendant, Henry Tracey received from King Stephen the Barony of Barnstaple. His descendant, William Tracy, in 1170, was one of the murderers of Thomas A Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Early History of the Tracy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tracy research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1643 and 1648 are included under the topic Early Tracy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tracy Spelling Variations

A single person's name was often spelt simply as it sounded by medieval scribes and church officials. An investigation into the specific origins the name Tracy has revealed that such a practice has resulted in many spelling variations over the years. A few of its variants include: Tracey, Tracy, Treacy, Trassey, Trasey, O'Tracy, O'Trasey, Tracye and many more.

Early Notables of the Tracy family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was

Sir John Tracy (d. 1648), created Baron Tracy, and Viscount Tracy in the Peerage of Ireland on 12 January 1643

Tracy Ranking

In the United States, the name Tracy is the 1,082^nd most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. 1

Tracy migration to the United States +

In the 1840s, Ireland experienced a mass exodus to North America due to the Great Potato Famine. These families wanted to escape from hunger and disease that was ravaging their homeland. With the promise of work, freedom and land overseas, the Irish looked upon British North America and the United States as a means of hope and prosperity. Those that survived the journey were able to achieve this through much hard work and perseverance. Early immigration and passenger lists revealed many bearing the name Tracy:

Tracy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Stephen Tracy, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne" 2
Mrs. Tryphosa Tracy, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne" 3
Child Tracy, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne" 3
Robert Tracy, who landed in Virginia in 1653 2
Robert and Mary Tracy, who settled in Virginia in 1654
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Tracy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander Tracy, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1710-1711 2
John Tracy, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1768 2

Tracy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Margaret Tracy, aged 2, who landed in New York, NY in 1803 2
Rose Tracy, aged 32, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 2
James Tracy, aged 30, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 2
Hugh Tracy, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 2
Mary Tracy, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Tracy migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Tracy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Patrick Tracy, who arrived in Canada in 1813
Bridget Tracy, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1825
George Tracy, who arrived in Canada in 1831
Joseph Tracy, aged 20, who arrived in Quebec in 1833
Thomas Tracy, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1835
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Tracy migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Tracy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Michael Tracy, (Tracey), (b. 1780), aged 29, Irish convict who was convicted in Sligo, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he was executed in 1820 4
Miss Mary Tracy, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 21st January 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Edward Tracy, Irish convict who was convicted in County Laois (Queen's County), Ireland for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in 19th April 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1837 aboard the ship 6
Mary Tracy, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Glentanner" 7

Tracy migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Tracy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Tracy (Tracey), (b. 1839), aged 22, British farm labourer travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 10th February 1862 8
William Robert Tracy, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865
Bridget Tracy, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Tracy (post 1700) +

Benjamin Franklin Tracy (1830-1915), United States Army officer, jurist, secretary of the navy, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor
David Tracy (b. 1939), American theologian
Spencer Tracy (1900-1967), American film actor, two-time Academy Award-winner
Henry Wells Tracy (1807-1886), American politician, U.S. Representatives from Pennsylvania
Andrew Tracy (1797-1868), American lawyer and politician, U.S. Representative from Vermont
John Tracy (1783-1864), American lawyer and politician, Lieutenant Governor of New York (1833-1838)
Lee Tracy (1898-1968), American actor
Andrew W. Tracy (1846-1917), American Democratic Party politician, Physician; Mayor of Meriden, Connecticut, 1892; Defeated, 1890, 1892 9
Andrew Tracy (1797-1868), American politician, Representative from Vermont 2nd District, 1853-55 9
Alvah H. Tracy, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Allegan County 1st District, 1910 9
... (Another 68 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Tracy family +

SS Atlantic

Ellen Tracy, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
George Tracy, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
John Tracy, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Margaret Tracy, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Mrs. Mary Tracy, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
... (Another 1 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Boyd
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd June 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
South Australia Passengerlists (Retrieved 10th November 2010). Retrieved from https://archives.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/documentstore/passengerlists/1855/GRG35_48_1_55-35_Glentanner.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html