2000
#25,242
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 921
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.34
Rare Last name
Ulysse
A surname derived from the ancient Greek hero Odysseus, renowned for his intelligence and travels.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,015 Americans carry the last name Ulysse. That puts it at #15,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.59 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 170,101 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ulysse surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.0K
1 in 170,101
Census rank
#15,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,757 bearers of the surname Ulysse in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.59 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ulysse, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ulysse
The surname Ulysse is of French origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Greek name Odysseus, the legendary hero of Homer's Odyssey. The name Odysseus was latinized to Ulysses and subsequently adopted into French as Ulysse.
In France, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ulysse can be found in the parish records of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris, dating back to the late 16th century. During this period, the name was primarily concentrated in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy and Picardy.
The surname Ulysse gained prominence in the 18th century when Jacques-André Ulysse (1670-1724), a French playwright and actor, achieved success with his comedic plays. His works were widely popular and contributed to the recognition of the surname.
Another notable individual bearing the surname Ulysse was Louis-Henri Ulysse (1783-1856), a French general who served under Napoleon Bonaparte. He distinguished himself in several battles, including the Battle of Waterloo, and was awarded the prestigious Légion d'Honneur.
In the literary realm, Marie-René Ulysse (1793-1865), a French author and poet, gained acclaim for his works exploring themes of nature and spirituality. His collection of poems, "Les Harmonies de la Nature," published in 1838, was particularly well-received.
The surname Ulysse also found its way into the world of politics. Joseph Ulysse Lafontaine (1807-1864), a Canadian lawyer and politician, played a pivotal role in the establishment of responsible government in Canada and served as the co-premier of the Province of Canada from 1842 to 1843.
Another notable figure was Pauline Ulysse (1817-1888), a French novelist and playwright. Her works often explored the struggles and societal constraints faced by women during her time, making her a pioneering voice in the early feminist movement.
While the surname Ulysse has its origins in France, it has since spread to other regions, including Canada, the United States, and various parts of the Caribbean, particularly Haiti, where it has a significant presence.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ulysse
Among Census respondents with the surname Ulysse, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Ulysse bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ulysse surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American92.4% · 1,624
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 48
- Two or more races2.7% · 48
- White1.6% · 28
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ulysse
Ulysse appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#18,928
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,442
+521 bearers (+56.6%)
Per 100,000 0.49
Rank movement Up 6,314 places
2020
#15,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,757
+315 bearers (+21.8%)
Per 100,000 0.59
Rank movement Up 2,974 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #25,242 | 921 | 0.34 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #18,928 | 1,442 | 0.49 | +521 bearers (+56.6%) | Up 6,314 places |
| 2020 | #15,954 | 1,757 | 0.59 | +315 bearers (+21.8%) | Up 2,974 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ulysse surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,928 | #15,954 | 15.7% |
| Count | 1,442 | 1,757 | 21.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.49 | 0.59 | 20.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ulysse bearers went from 1,442 to 1,757 (+21.8% change). The surname moved up 2,974 positions in the national ranking, going from #18,928 to #15,954.
FAQ
Ulysse surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ulysse?
Name Census estimates that about 2,015 living Americans carry the surname Ulysse. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 170,101 residents.
How common is Ulysse?
Ulysse ranks #15,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.59 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,757 people with the surname Ulysse. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,015), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.59 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.59 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ulysse.
Has Ulysse become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ulysse went from 1,442 recorded bearers to 1,757. That is an increase of 315 (+21.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #18,928 to #15,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Ulysse?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ulysse, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ulysse in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (1,624 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ulysse appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (92.4%), Hispanic (2.7%), Two or More Races (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ulysse (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ulysse mean?
A surname derived from the ancient Greek hero Odysseus, renowned for his intelligence and travels. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ulysse (0.59 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Ulysse?
Find out how many people have the surname Ulysse on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.