Ulis last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Ulis

Historically a Croatian, Serbian, or Slovenian surname possibly derived from the personal name Ulises or a location name.

Ulis, 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 Ulis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ulis in America

Ulis is the 98099th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ulis surname appeared 185 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 Ulis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ulis 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 98099 100663 -2.58%
Count 185 166 10.83%
Proportion per 100k 0.06 0.06 0.00%

The history of the last name Ulis

The surname ULIS is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "ulis," which meant "owl" or "night bird." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone who was known for being active or seen frequently at night.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ULIS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, which date back to the late 12th century. These records include entries for individuals with the name, such as Robert Ulis and William Ulis, who were landowners or tenants in the region.

In the 14th century, the surname ULIS appeared in various legal documents and court rolls, including the Plea Rolls of Yorkshire and the Assize Rolls of Lincolnshire. This indicates that the name had become more widespread and established during this time period.

An interesting historical figure bearing the surname ULIS was Sir John Ulis (c. 1380-1442), a prominent English knight and landowner who served as a member of the King's Council during the reign of Henry VI. He was also known for his military service in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another notable individual with the ULIS surname was Thomas Ulis (c. 1520-1585), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral during the latter part of the 16th century. He was known for his theological writings and contributions to the field of education.

In the 17th century, the surname ULIS was found in various parish records and church registers across England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. This suggests that the name had spread and become more widely distributed by this time.

One example from this period is Robert Ulis (c. 1620-1678), a prosperous merchant and landowner who lived in the city of York. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a alderman and mayor of York during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the ULIS surname continued to be represented in various records, including legal documents, wills, and census records. One notable figure from this era was William Ulis (1735-1812), a successful businessman and industrialist who owned several mills and factories in the Yorkshire region.

Throughout history, the surname ULIS has been associated with various occupations and social classes, ranging from landowners and nobility to merchants, clergymen, and industrialists. While not an extremely common surname, it has maintained a presence in England for several centuries and has been carried by individuals who have left their mark in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ulis

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

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 Ulis was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 56.76% 105
Non-Hispanic Black Only 36.22% 67
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 4.32% 8

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 Ulis has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 56.76% 59.04% -3.94%
Black 36.22% 37.35% -3.07%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 4.32% (S)% (S)%

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 Ulis was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Ulis last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/ulis-surname-popularity/.

"Ulis last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/ulis-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025

Ulis last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/ulis-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.