Tracey

Tracey, like Tracy, is the transferred use of an English surname derived from a place name borrowed from the Norman French. Originally a Norman baronial name, Trac(e)y was used in reference to the “domain belonging to Thracius” (from the classical Roman-Gallo personal name Thracius meaning “of Thracia”). Thracia was an ancient province of the Roman Empire located in present day southeastern Europe now divided between Greece and Turkey.  The Thracian tribes persisted for many centuries B.C. and were mentioned in Homer’s Iliad as allies of the Trojans against the Greeks in the epic Trojan War (in other words, we’re talking an ancient group of people!). There are two theories as to the origin of the term Tracians. One is from Thrax (Ancient Greek: Θρᾷξ) one of the reputed sons of Ares, the Greek war god. The other is from Thrace (Ancient Greek: Θρᾴκη), the heroic daughter of Oceanus and sister of Europa. In this case, the name is derived from the Greek thrāssō meaning “to trouble, stir” (apropos, Thrace was also a sorceress).  Aside from the aforementioned origins of this surname-turned-first-name, Tracey may also be considered the transferred use of an Old Irish surname as well – from the Gaelic Ó Treasaigh – meaning "the descendant of the war-like one."  

Tracy/Tracey have been around as surnames in England since the Middle Ages, however, it wasn’t until 1837 when Charles Dickens used the name Tracy for one of his central male characters in The Pickwick Papers did the name become more popular as a given name for boys. For females, Tracy was popularized by the 1940 film The Philadelphia Story in which Katherine Hepburn portrays the wealthy socialite character of Tracy Lord. (Please note: for females, Tracy is often considered a diminutive of Theresa). Although Trac(e)y is historically unisex in nature, it is a name now more commonly considered female.