E. Rossoni proposes two etymological hypotheses. The first links it with the ancient Greek term tracelos ("neck"), suggesting that the nickname would have alluded to a robust neck of the surname's founder. The second connects it with the Calabrian Greek term traclòs ("crippled"), indicating a physical defect. Rossoni considers it very rare and places it in the Reggio Calabria area.

G. Rohlfs, a specialist in Greek-Calabrian dialectology, specifies that the surname is of Greek-Byzantine origin and derives from the Grecanic dialect of the Bova area: traklò, meaning "bent, curved", a form that in turn comes from the Greek traklòs. Rohlfs documents its presence in the city of Reggio Calabria and in various points of its province —Bova, Gàlatro, Mèlito and Siderno—, as well as in the province of Catanzaro, in the locality of Vibo, and also in Sicily.

Both authors agree on the Greek origin of the surname and on its rooting in the Reggio Calabria area, though Rohlfs offers a more detailed localization and specifies the meaning as "bent" rather than "crippled", which suggests a more specific postural defect than the one noted by Rossoni.