O'Trasy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of O'Trasy

What does the name O'Trasy mean?

The oldest instances of the O'Trasy 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 O'Trasy 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 O'Trasy family

The surname O'Trasy 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 O'Trasy family

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

O'Trasy Spelling Variations

Since church officials and medieval scribes spelt each name as it sounded to them; as a result, a single person could accumulate many different versions of his name within official records. A close examination of the origins of the name O'Trasy revealed the following spelling variations: Tracey, Tracy, Treacy, Trassey, Trasey, O'Tracy, O'Trasey, Tracye and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Trasy family

Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Trasy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the O'Trasy family

During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name O'Trasy: Catherine Tracey, a bonded passenger, who arrived in Maryland in 1733; David Tracey, who came to Nova Scotia in 1750; Dorothy Tracey, who came to Maryland in 1749.