Gracie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancient Dalriadan people were the ancestors of the first to use the name Gracie. It was a name for a shoemaker. The Scottish surname is derived from the Gaelic word greusaich or griasaich, which originally meant a decorator or embroiderer but later came to mean a shoemaker.
Early Origins of the Gracie family
The surname Gracie was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
The English Gracy or Grancey variant is Norman in origin as "Grancey is on the confines of Champagne and Burgundy, an gave its name to a great Burgundian family, several times Constables of the province, that ended in the fourteenth century with Eudo de Grancey. The feudal castle of Grancey, dating from this time, was only pulled down at the beginning of the last century. [(1700's)] The first trace I could find of the family in England was at Warford in Cheshire; the seat of the Grascys, Grasties, or Greestys, for many successive generations." 1
Early History of the Gracie family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gracie research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1613, 1639, 1651, 1653 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gracie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gracie Spelling Variations
Spelling variations are a very common occurrence in records of early Scottish names. They result from the repeated and inaccurate translations that many names went through in the course of various English occupations of Scotland. Gracie has been spelled Gracie, Gracey, Grassy, Greacey and others.
Early Notables of the Gracie family
Notable amongst the Clan from early times was
Migration of the Gracie family to Ireland
Some of the Gracie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 102 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gracie migration to the United States +
Settlers from Scotland put down roots in communities all along the east coast of North America. Some moved north from the American colonies to Canada as United Empire Loyalists during the American War of Independence. As Clan societies and highland games started in North America in the 20th century many Scots rediscovered parts of their heritage. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Gracie were among those contributors:
Gracie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Archibald Gracie, who landed in America in 1800 2
- A. Gracie, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1821
- Wm. Gracie, who settled in New York in 1821
- William Gracie, who arrived in New York in 1830 2
- Michael Gracie, who arrived in Arkansas in 1856 2
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Gracie 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:
Gracie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- William Gracie, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Scottish Prince" in 1880
Contemporary Notables of the name Gracie (post 1700) +
- Archibald Gracie III (1832-1864), United States Army officer, businessman, Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War who died during the Siege of Petersburg
- Archibald Gracie (1755-1829), Scottish-born shipping magnate and early American businessman and merchant
- Charlie Gracie (b. 1936), American rock pioneer and singer
- Thomas "Tom" Gracie (1889-1915), Scottish professional footballer
- Carlos Robson Gracie Sr. (1935-2023), Brazilian martial artist, son of Carlos Gracie, Gracie, the 9th degree red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- David Gracie (1927-2020), British hurdler who competed in the men's 400 metres hurdles at the 1952 Summer Olympics
- Hélio Gracie (1913-2009), Brazilian martial artist, co-founder of the martial art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- Carlos Gracie Jr. (b. 1956), known as "Carlinhos", founder of the Gracie Barra Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Carlos Gracie (1902-1994), co-founder of the martial art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- John Gracie, Canadian folk music artist
- ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Gracie family +
- Mr. John Philip De Gracie (1919-1941), Australian Ordinary Seaman from North Perth, Western Australia, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 3
- Colonel Archibald Gracie IV (1859-1912), aged 53, American First Class passenger,writer, amateur historian, real estate investor from Washington, D.C. who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat B, the last survivor to leave the ship 4
Citations +
- Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
- 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)
- HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
- Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html