The Tracy surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 29,867 people carried this name — #1,180 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,870 people counted. That is up 2% from 29,316 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Tracy surname

A Norman baronial surname from places in France, derived from the Gallo-Roman given name Thracius which referred to Thrace + the Celtic suffix *-āko (place, property). As a female given name, it is also known as a diminutive of Theresa.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Tracy» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Traci-Boccage’.

An early record he cites: Henry Tracy, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 761 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

143 families named Tracy, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 865 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Tracy, Tracey, Traicy, Trasee, Trasse, Trasy, Treacy. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 58
Massachusetts 25
New York 15
Maryland 15
Vermont 12
Maine 7
Pennsylvania 4
Virginia 3
New Hampshire 2
North Carolina 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 265 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Tracy in American newspapers,
1804–1913.

Newspaper page from Jenks' Portland Gazette carrying the name Tracy
Jenks' Portland Gazette 1804-02-18
Newspaper page from The Churchill County Standard carrying the name Tracy
The Churchill County Standard 1913-07-16
Newspaper page from Oracle Post carrying the name Tracy
Oracle Post 1804-04-24

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 17,755 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Tracy in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

16,623 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Tracy. The most, 2,304, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,168
Victoria 5,695
Western Australia 1,621
Queensland 1,455
South Australia 1,075
Tasmania 366
ACT (Canberra) 139
Northern Territory 8

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Tracy.

Who carried it

People named Tracy,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Tracy d. 1770 · politician
  • Thomas Tracy d. 1621 · politician
  • William Tracy d. 1440 · politician
  • Kathleen Tracy d. 1974 · politician
  • Richard Tracy d. 1569 · politician
  • Simon Tracy d. 1863 · artist

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Tracy,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States5,378 records

5,378 records of the Tracy name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,687
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 1,173
  • Other U.S. records 2,518
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Wayne Tracy

    Born 1934; from Seminole, Oklahoma. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Gibson National Cemetery, Oklahoma.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert E. Tracy

    Born 1900 in Kansas. Enlisted 1942 at Los Angeles, California; pattern maker. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II; died 1965, buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Norah Tracy

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 19; servant. From Cork, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 5,378 records for Tracy in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia419 records

419 records of the Tracy name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 207
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 90
  • Other Australian records 122
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Michael Tracy

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Governor Ready, arriving 1829; ticket of leave 1837. Native of Tip.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Tracy

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the South Sea, aged 26; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Daniel W. Tracy

    Postal employee of Glenferrie, Victoria; died 1926.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 419 records for Tracy in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada86 records

86 records of the Tracy name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 50
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 10
  • Other Canadian records 26
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Tracy

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Peruvian, landing at Quebec, bound for Barrie, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Iva Jane Tracy

    Buried in 1982 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 74.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Winifred Tracy

    Died 1968 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 86 records for Tracy in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Tracy name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 3
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mona Innes Tracy

    Died 1959, aged 67; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Joseph Tracy

    Buried in 1991 at Buffalo Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 73.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Monica Erin Tracy

    Died 1997, aged 91; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Tracy in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom4 records

4 records of the Tracy name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  • Stirling Council burial records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Isabella Tracy

    Buried in 1910 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 61.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Walter Trewent Tracy

    Will proved in 1936; of Swansea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Tracy

    Royal Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Tracy in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France2 records

2 records of the Tracy name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record William Tracy

    Born 1960 in Saverne; died 2001 in Geudertheim (Bas-Rhin).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Tracy in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Tracy name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Helen Marie Angela Tracy

    Married in 1937 in Hammersmith.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elysabet Tracy

    Buried in 1732 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Tracy.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Tracy is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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