NameCensus.

UK surname

Trace

A surname derived from the French word meaning to follow a trail or path.

In the 1881 census there were 261 people recorded with the Trace surname, ranking it #10,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 403, ranked #11,815, down from #10,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Moretonhampstead and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Cardiff and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Trace is 443 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.4%.

1881 census count

261

Ranked #10,752

Modern count

403

2016, ranked #11,815

Peak year

2002

443 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Trace had 261 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016, ranked #11,815.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 418 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Trace surname distribution map

The map shows where the Trace surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Trace surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Trace over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 184 #11,120
1861 historical 247 #9,977
1881 historical 261 #10,752
1891 historical 304 #11,005
1901 historical 352 #10,394
1911 historical 418 #9,006
1997 modern 402 #10,974
1998 modern 419 #10,992
1999 modern 424 #10,969
2000 modern 433 #10,750
2001 modern 428 #10,653
2002 modern 443 #10,577
2003 modern 411 #11,044
2004 modern 406 #11,155
2005 modern 384 #11,538
2006 modern 382 #11,626
2007 modern 384 #11,726
2008 modern 389 #11,723
2009 modern 384 #12,100
2010 modern 397 #12,068
2011 modern 390 #12,089
2012 modern 385 #12,061
2013 modern 393 #12,085
2014 modern 398 #12,048
2015 modern 403 #11,835
2016 modern 403 #11,815

Geography

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Where Traces are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Moretonhampstead, London parishes, Petrockstow and Torbryan, Denbury, Highweek. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Cardiff, Cornwall, Torridge and Plymouth. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Moretonhampstead Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Petrockstow Devon
5 Torbryan, Denbury, Highweek Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 005 Caerphilly
2 Cardiff 007 Cardiff
3 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
4 Torridge 009 Torridge
5 Plymouth 025 Plymouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Trace

These lists show first names that appear often with the Trace surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Trace

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Trace, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Trace surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Trace household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Trace is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Trace is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Trace falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Trace is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Trace, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of 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.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Trace families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Trace surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 149 Traces recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.11x.

County Total Index
Devon 149 28.11x
Monmouthshire 28 15.21x
Middlesex 24 0.94x
Gloucestershire 18 3.60x
Surrey 15 1.21x
Cornwall 10 3.47x
Lancashire 5 0.17x
Glamorgan 4 0.90x
Essex 2 0.40x
Hampshire 1 0.19x
Northamptonshire 1 0.42x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.29x
Perthshire 1 0.88x
Renfrewshire 1 0.51x
Worcestershire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Petrockstow in Devon leads with 16 Traces recorded in 1881 and an index of 3555.56x.

Place Total Index
Petrockstow 16 3555.56x
Tormoham 14 62.44x
Honiton 12 409.56x
St Woollos 12 58.42x
Bedwellty 9 27.69x
Bishops Tawton 9 545.45x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 19.14x
Holsworthy 9 600.00x
Clifton 8 31.70x
East Stonehouse 8 76.63x
Islington London 8 3.24x
Moreton Hampstead 7 510.95x
Stoke Damerel 7 18.87x
Torbrian 7 3888.89x
Lambeth 6 2.70x
Monkleigh 6 1276.60x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 41.19x
Hammersmith London 5 7.97x
Kenn 5 602.41x
South Tawton 5 458.72x
Ashprington 4 1025.64x
Bideford 4 70.42x
Camberwell 4 2.46x
Holy Trinity 4 360.36x
Liskeard 4 82.99x
Newington 4 4.25x
Swansea Town 4 11.00x
West Derby 4 4.53x
Caerleon 3 312.50x
East Teignmouth 3 138.25x
Ilfracombe 3 54.95x
Launcells 3 625.00x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 3 85.47x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 7.35x
Shebbear 3 375.00x
Stoke Newington London 3 15.13x
Twickenham 3 27.47x
Barnstaple 2 24.04x
Exminster 2 104.71x
Little Torrington 2 425.53x
Wear Gifford 2 512.82x
West Ham 2 1.80x
Accrington 1 3.64x
Andover 1 20.28x
Brixham 1 16.29x
Budock 1 46.08x
Bulwick 1 357.14x
Callington 1 59.52x
Croydon 1 1.45x
Exeter St Leonard 1 68.97x
Exeter St Thomas The 1 18.52x
Greenock Oldor West 1 185.19x
Hackney London 1 0.70x
Kensington London 1 0.71x
Mathon 1 102.04x
Newport 1 11.39x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.13x
Pilton 1 57.14x
Rattray 1 37.59x
Spreyton 1 303.03x
St George In East 1 5.77x
St Giles In Fields 1 11.39x
St Gluvias Penryn 1 43.29x
St Pancras London 1 0.49x
Stonehouse 1 35.21x
West Teignmouth 1 24.69x
Wolborough 1 14.93x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Trace surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Trace surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 25
John 21
Thomas 10
George 9
James 9
Alfred 5
Richard 5
Frank 4
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Robert 3
Charles 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Samuel 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Archibald 1
Auther 1
Bengamin 1
David 1
Eli 1
Fredrick 1
Henry 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Jon 1
Josheph 1
Michael 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Richd.Jno. 1
Roland 1
Ted 1
Thos 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wm.G. 1

FAQ

Trace surname: questions and answers

How common was the Trace surname in 1881?

In 1881, 261 people were recorded with the Trace surname. That placed it at #10,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Trace surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016. That gives Trace a modern rank of #11,815.

What does the Trace surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word meaning to follow a trail or path.

What does the Trace map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Trace bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.