NameCensus.

UK surname

Ulrich

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements odal "heritage" and ric "power."

In the 1881 census there were 64 people recorded with the Ulrich surname, ranking it #24,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 167, ranked #22,055, up from #24,561 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Wandsworth and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural and Arun.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ulrich is 173 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 160.9%.

1881 census count

64

Ranked #24,561

Modern count

167

2016, ranked #22,055

Peak year

2014

173 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ulrich had 64 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,561 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016, ranked #22,055.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 127 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Ulrich surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ulrich surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ulrich 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 18 #30,094
1861 historical 33 #29,814
1881 historical 64 #24,561
1891 historical 103 #23,558
1901 historical 102 #22,596
1911 historical 127 #19,749
1997 modern 134 #22,608
1998 modern 143 #22,317
1999 modern 141 #22,702
2000 modern 138 #22,960
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 135 #23,398
2003 modern 128 #23,890
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 136 #23,378
2007 modern 146 #22,596
2008 modern 151 #22,323
2009 modern 148 #23,141
2010 modern 153 #23,175
2011 modern 151 #23,204
2012 modern 161 #22,157
2013 modern 169 #21,826
2014 modern 173 #21,639
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 167 #22,055

Geography

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Where Ulrichs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Wandsworth, Battersea and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural, Arun, Chichester and Sutton. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Wandsworth London (South Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 010 Wrexham
2 Northern and Irvine Valley Rural East Ayrshire
3 Arun 016 Arun
4 Chichester 008 Chichester
5 Sutton 021 Sutton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ulrich

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ulrich

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ulrich, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Ulrich surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Ulrich household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ulrich is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ulrich is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ulrich falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ulrich is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ulrich

The surname Ulrich originated in Germany and can be traced back to the 8th century AD. It derives from the Old German words "uodal" meaning "ancestral heritage" and "ric" meaning "ruler". The name was likely used to denote someone who owned land or property inherited from their ancestors.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ulrich comes from the Cartularium Prumiense, a medieval cartulary from the Prüm Abbey in present-day Germany, which mentions an "Uodalricus" in the year 816. The name also appears in the Codex Traditionum of the Benedictine abbey of Reichenau, dating back to the 9th century.

During the Middle Ages, variations of the name such as Ulricus, Odalricus, and Udalricus were common across Germanic regions. The name was particularly popular among the nobility and aristocracy, with notable bearers including Ulrich von Hutten (1488-1523), a German knight, scholar, and prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation.

Another significant historical figure with the surname Ulrich was Johann Jakob Ulrich (1732-1800), a Swiss theologian and philologist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient languages and literature. He is known for his work on the translation and interpretation of the Bible.

In the 19th century, the name Ulrich gained prominence in the field of science with the birth of Adolf Ulrich (1849-1925), a German chemist who made important discoveries in the field of organic chemistry, particularly in the synthesis of indigo dye.

Other notable individuals with the surname Ulrich include Laurel Thatcher Ulrich (born 1938), an American historian and author known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning book "A Midwife's Tale", and Robert Ulrich (1905-1965), an American actor and film director who appeared in numerous westerns and war films during the 1930s and 1940s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ulrich families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ulrich 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. Middlesex leads with 24 Ulrichs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.57x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 24 3.57x
Surrey 18 5.49x
Ayrshire 6 11.91x
Kent 6 2.61x
Lancashire 5 0.63x
Channel Islands 4 20.05x
Berkshire 1 1.98x
Cheshire 1 0.67x
Glamorgan 1 0.85x
Inverness-shire 1 4.98x
Royal Navy 1 12.47x
Yorkshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 15 Ulrichs recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.56x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 15 60.56x
Bow London 8 93.35x
Kilmarnock 6 100.00x
Deptford St Paul 4 22.59x
Hackney London 4 10.60x
Kensington London 4 10.69x
Kirkdale 4 29.76x
Islington London 3 4.60x
St Helier 3 46.23x
Chelsfield 2 909.09x
Clapham 2 23.78x
Boleskine Abertarff 1 303.03x
Camberwell 1 2.33x
Cardiff St Mary 1 15.48x
Clerkenwell London 1 6.29x
Liverpool 1 2.06x
Middlesbrough 1 11.51x
St George Hanover 1 11.38x
St George In East 1 21.83x
St Pancras London 1 1.85x
St Saviour 1 90.91x
Tranmere 1 18.32x
Whitechapel London 1 15.08x
Winkfield 1 119.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 3
Jane 3
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Sarah 2
Alexendrine 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Elise 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Louise 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Charles 3
Henry 3
William 3
Frederick 2
George 2
Adolphus 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Carl 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Eska 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Heinrick 1
Jacob 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Marrad 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Ulrich surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ulrich surname in 1881?

In 1881, 64 people were recorded with the Ulrich surname. That placed it at #24,561 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ulrich surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016. That gives Ulrich a modern rank of #22,055.

What does the Ulrich surname mean?

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements odal "heritage" and ric "power."

What does the Ulrich map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ulrich 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.