Show ContentsUlrich History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Ulrich surname comes from the old German personal name Uodal-rich. Literally the name means "noble heritage" + "rich, powerful." The name became popular in the Middle Ages in part due to Saint Ulrich (893-973), Bishop of Augsburg, Germany. He was the first saint to be canonized not by a local authority but by the Pope.

Early Origins of the Ulrich family

The surname Ulrich was first found in Bavaria, in the city of Nuremburg, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

The name as a first name was associated with many notable figures of the mediaeval period, such as St. Ulrich, Bishop of Augsburg, and Count Udalrich I (fl. 778-814), a son of Gerold of Vinzgau. His sister Hildegard, (b. 754), married King Charlemagne in 771 and his father, Gerold was a count in Kraichgau and Anglachgau.

Ulric Manfred II of Turin (c. 975-1033) was one of the first to coin the name in the personal form. Early records include: Ulric I of Carniola (d. 1070), the Margrave of Carniola and Carinthia; Ulric II of Carniola (d. 1112), the Margrave of Istria; Ulrich I, Bishop of Passau (c. 1027 - 1121); Ulrich of Zell (1029-1093), abbot and saint; Ulrich I Bishop of Eichstatt (r. 1075-1099); Ulrich of Bamberg (fl. 1100), priest and chronicler; and Ulrich von Lichtenstein (1200-1276,) a poet of some note. By the 14th century the name was firmly grounded as a prominent surname.

Early History of the Ulrich family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ulrich research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1612, 1623, 1633, 1685, 1701, 1702 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Ulrich History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ulrich Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ulrich, Ulrichs, Ullrich, Ulrick, Ulrik, Ullrik, Ullrick, Urich and many more.

Early Notables of the Ulrich family

Prominent among members of the name Ulrich in this period include

  • Anthony Ulrich (1633-1714), Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruled over the Wolfenbüttel subdivision of the duchy from 1685 until 1702

Ulrich Ranking

In the United States, the name Ulrich is the 2,169th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Ulrich is ranked the 3,068th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 2


Ulrich migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ulrich Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Elias and Cristof Ulrich, who emigrated with their families to America in 1709
  • Johann Elias Ulrich, who landed in New York, NY in 1710 3
  • Philip Ulrich, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1732
  • Hans Michael Ulrich, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1737 3
  • Adam Ulrich, aged 24, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Ulrich Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Dorothea Ulrich, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803 3
  • August L Ulrich, who landed in New York in 1820 3
  • Ignacio Ulrich, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1840 3
  • Catherina Ulrich, who arrived in Galveston, Tex in 1845 3
  • Christina Ulrich, who settled in Texas in 1846
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ulrich migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Ulrich Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. August Ulrich, (b. 1832), aged 32, British Labourer travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 4
  • Mrs. Charlotte Ulrich, (b. 1838), aged 26, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Ulrich (post 1700) +

  • Henry G. Ulrich III, United States Navy admiral who retired in 2007
  • William M. Ulrich (b. 1956), American management consultant at Cutter Consortium
  • Tracy Ulrich (b. 1966), aka Tracii Guns, guitarist and musician
  • Skeet Ulrich (b. 1970), born Bryan Ray Trout, American actor
  • Laurel Thatcher Ulrich (b. 1938), American historian and writer
  • Joe Ulrich (b. 1961), American former soccer player
  • Eric Ulrich (b. 1985), American politician from New York City, Member of the New York City Council
  • Edward Oscar Ulrich (1857-1944), American invertebrate paleontologist specializing in the study of Paleozoic fossils
  • Frank W. "Dutch" Ulrich (1899-1929), American baseball player who played from 1925 to 1927 for the Philadelphia Phillies
  • Donald Ulrich (1941-1974), aka Don Rich, an American country music musician, member of The Buckaroos, the backing band of country singer Buck Owens
  • ... (Another 30 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bismarck
  • Gerhard Ulrich (1921-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5


Suggested Readings for the name Ulrich +

  • Uhrich, A History and Genealogy by Thomas Vincent Uhrich.
  • The Family History of Frederich H. Ulrich by Esther Urich Bender.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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