Explore the Family Name Ulrich

The meaning of Ulrich

German: from the personal name Ulrich, Old High German Odalrīc, composed of the elements odal ‘inherited property, fortune’ + rīc ‘power’. The name was borne by a 10th-century Christian saint, bishop of Augsburg, whose fame contributed greatly to the popularity of the personal name in German- and Slavic-speaking areas in the Middle Ages. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Otto, Erwin, Hans, Gerhard, Klaus, Frieda, Fritz, Reinhard, Alfons, Alois, Bernd.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Ulrich in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Ulrich saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 2006th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 2180th position, representing an 8.67% decrease. However, the total count of people with the Ulrich surname increased marginally from 16,575 in 2000 to 16,668 in 2010, marking a 0.56% increase. The proportion per 100k also fell from 6.14 to 5.65, denoting a 7.98% drop.

20002010Change
Rank#2,006#2,180-8.67%
Count16,57516,6680.56%
Proportion per 100k6.145.65-7.98%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ulrich

The ethnicity associated with the surname Ulrich experienced some shifts according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The majority of individuals with this surname identify as White, although this percentage decreased slightly from 96.51% in 2000 to 95.12% in 2010. There was a notable increase in the percentage identifying as Hispanic, growing from 1.37% in 2000 to 2.38% in 2010, a 73.72% increase. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native all saw increases as well, ranging from 4.88% to 26.09%.

20002010Change
White96.51%95.12%-1.44%
Hispanic1.37%2.38%73.72%
Two or More Races0.92%1.15%25%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.46%0.58%26.09%
Black0.41%0.43%4.88%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.33%0.35%6.06%

Ulrich ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Ulrich is French & German, which comprises 38.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (33.5%) and Eastern European (9.0%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
French & German38.4%
British & Irish33.5%
Eastern European9.0%
Other19.2%
Ulrich

Possible origins of the surname Ulrich

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Ulrich have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom73.60%
Merseyside, United Kingdom73.40%
West Midlands, United Kingdom73.40%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom73.40%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom73.20%

What Ulrich haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Ulrich is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and E-V13, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Weber, Vogel, Bauer, Schneider, Wagner, Mueller, Meyers, Schmidt, Kaiser, Mayer.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ulrich surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

ulrichPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Ulrich have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Ulrich

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Ulrich" Surname 44.9%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Ulrich

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Ulrich" Surname 23.8%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Ulrich

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Ulrich" Surname 15.3%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Ulrich

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Ulrich" Surname 14.5%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Ulrich?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Ulrich are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

French & German 60.8%

23andMe Users 57.2%