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

Ulrey, 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 Ulrey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ulrey in America

Ulrey is the 21940th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ulrey surname appeared 1,183 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 Ulrey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ulrey 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 Ulrey

The surname Ulrey has its origins in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have derived from the Old German words "ul," meaning "owl," and "rih," meaning "ruler" or "leader." This combination suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with characteristics associated with an owl, such as wisdom, vigilance, or a nocturnal nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ulrey can be found in the German city of Augsburg in the 14th century. An entry in a local registry from 1367 mentions a certain "Hans Ulrey," indicating that the name was already in use during that time period. The spelling variations "Ulrey," "Ulrei," and "Ulrigh" were also documented in various records from the region.

In the 16th century, the Ulrey name appeared in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a well-preserved medieval city in Bavaria. A document from 1542 references a "Konrad Ulrey," who was a local landowner and craftsman. This suggests that the name had spread across different parts of southern Germany by that point.

As the centuries progressed, the Ulrey surname continued to be present in various German communities. One notable figure bearing the name was Johann Ulrey, born in 1692 in the village of Kirchheim unter Teck. He was a respected scholar and theologian who authored several influential works on religious philosophy during the Age of Enlightenment.

In the 19th century, the Ulrey name made its way to other parts of Europe and beyond. In 1832, a man named Wilhelm Ulrey was born in the town of Mühlhausen, Thuringia. He later emigrated to the United States and settled in the state of Pennsylvania, becoming one of the earliest known Ulreys to establish roots in North America.

Another notable figure with the Ulrey surname was Katharina Ulrey, born in 1879 in the German city of Freiburg. She was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, founding several schools and organizations dedicated to promoting educational opportunities for girls and women in the early 20th century.

While the Ulrey name has its roots firmly planted in German soil, it has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals and families who have left their mark on various communities and cultures throughout history. From scholars and landowners to educators and pioneers, the Ulrey surname has a rich and diverse legacy that spans centuries and continents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ulrey

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

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

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

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