Find out how popular the last name Uhlig is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Uhlig.

Uhlig, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Uhlig surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Uhlig in America

Uhlig is the 21413th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Uhlig surname appeared 1,221 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Uhlig.

We can also compare 2010 data for Uhlig to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Uhlig

The surname UHLIG originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded examples dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "Uhle," which means "owl." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname or occupation title for someone who worked with or had some association with owls.

The name UHLIG was primarily concentrated in the regions of Saxony and Silesia in eastern Germany, although it also spread to other parts of the country over time. In its earliest forms, the name was spelled in various ways, including "Uhle," "Ule," and "Uhlig."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the UHLIG surname can be found in a document from the town of Chemnitz, Saxony, dated 1301. This document references a person named "Heinricus Uhle," likely an early bearer of the name.

Throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, the UHLIG name appears in various historical records across eastern Germany. Notable individuals with this surname include Johann Uhlig (1501-1567), a Protestant reformer and theologian from Saxony, and Hans Uhlig (1556-1621), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Nuremberg.

In the 18th century, the UHLIG name gained further prominence with the birth of Philipp Uhlig (1735-1810), a German composer and organist from Dresden. Another notable figure was Johann Friedrich Uhlig (1763-1835), a German theologian and philosopher who taught at the University of Leipzig.

Moving into the 19th century, Carl Benjamin Uhlig (1824-1887) was a prominent German classical pianist and composer, known for his interpretations of works by Beethoven and Chopin. Additionally, Gustav Uhlig (1838-1914) was a German historian and educator who served as the director of the Görlitz Gymnasium.

As the UHLIG surname spread across Germany and into neighboring regions, it also appeared in various place names and geographical locations. For example, the village of Uhligen in Saxony is believed to have derived its name from the UHLIG surname or its variants.

While the UHLIG name has been well-documented throughout German history, it is important to note that this overview is based on historical records and does not include recent census data or modern information, which may be subject to change or inaccuracies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Uhlig

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Uhlig.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Uhlig was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Uhlig has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Uhlig was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Uhlig, please contact us.

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