Find out how popular the last name Trace is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Trace.

Trace, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Trace surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Trace in America

Trace is the 25226th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Trace surname appeared 982 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Trace.

We can also compare 2010 data for Trace to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Trace

Trace is a surname of English origin, derived from the Old French word "trace" meaning a track or path. It first appeared in England in the 14th century, originating from the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.

The name is thought to have been an occupational name for a tracker or pathfinder, someone skilled in following trails and paths through the wilderness. It may have also referred to a surveyor or cartographer, responsible for mapping out new territories and trade routes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Trace can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which lists a Richard le Trace. The Domesday Book of 1086 does not feature the surname, as it was not in use at that time.

In the 16th century, the surname was sometimes spelled as Trass or Trase, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that period. Notable individuals with the surname Trace from this era include John Trace (1535-1592), an English merchant and explorer who traveled to the West Indies and South America.

The 17th century saw the surname spread to other parts of England, as well as to the American colonies. Robert Trace (1621-1677) was an early settler in Virginia, arriving in the colony in 1635. His descendants would go on to establish themselves in various parts of the United States.

Other notable individuals with the surname Trace include:

1. Sir Thomas Trace (1785-1862), a British naval officer and explorer who surveyed the coastlines of Australia and New Zealand.
2. Ellsworth Trace (1876-1949), an American businessman and co-founder of the Trace Fork Mining Company in West Virginia.
3. Cyrus Trace (1892-1975), an American poet and writer, best known for his collection of poems titled "Appalachian Ballads".
4. Marianne Trace (1923-2008), a British actress and singer who appeared in numerous stage productions and television shows.
5. Robert Trace (born 1943), a former professional baseball player who spent seven seasons in the Major Leagues, primarily with the Chicago Cubs.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Trace

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Trace.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Trace was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Trace has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Trace was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Trace, please contact us.

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