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Ulrich is a Germanic given name derived from Old High German Uodalrich, Odalric. It is composed of the elements uodal- meaning "heritage" and -rih meaning "king, ruler". Attested from the 8th century as the name of Alamannic nobility, the name is popularly given from the high medieval period in reference to Saint Ulrich of Augsburg.
Article
Ulrich (German pronunciation: [ˈʊl.ʁɪç]) is a Germanic given name derived from Old High German Uodalrich, Odalric. It is composed of the elements uodal- meaning "heritage" and -rih meaning "king, ruler". Attested from the 8th century as the name of Alamannic nobility, the name is popularly given from the high medieval period in reference to Saint Ulrich of Augsburg (canonized 993).
Ulrich is also a surname. It is most prevalent in Germany and has the highest density in Switzerland. This last name was found in the United States in the year 1727 when Christof Ulrich landed in Pennsylvania. Most Americans with the last name were concentrated in Pennsylvania, which was home to many German immigrant communities. Nowadays in the United States, the name is distributed largely in the Pennsylvania-Ohio region.
Contents
History
Documents record the Old High German name Oadalrich or Uodalrich from the later 8th century in Alamannia.
The related name Adalric (Anglo-Saxon cognate Æthelric) is attested from the 6th century (Athalaric King of the Ostrogoths; Æthelric of Bernicia).
The name of Agilolfing duke Odilo (fl. 709–748) may represent a short form of the name.
Count Udalrich I (fl. 778–814), a son of Gerold of Anglachgau, founded the Alamannic Udalriching dynasty, ancestral to the counts of Bregenz.
The given name occurred frequently in the Alamannic Hunfriding dynasty in the 9th to 10th centuries; examples include Odalric, Count of Barcelona (fl. 850s) and Odalric, Count of Thurgau (fl. 920s).
The name is recorded in an Icelandic form as Óðalríkr only in the later medieval period.
In the Middle High German period, the name generally commemorated Saint Ulrich, Bishop of Augsburg (c. 890 – 4 July 973), who twice defended Augsburg from attacks by Magyars.
The Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli etymologized his given name as Huldrych (Huldricus, Huldaricus), i.e. "rich in grace".
In the wake of Zwingli, during the 16th century and well into the 18th century, it became a fashion -
especially for Protestant writers - to Latinise the given name Ulrich as Huldricus.
The name was popularly given in 20th-century Switzerland, especially from the 1940s to the 1960s,
peaking at rank 16 in 1947, but dropping below rank 100 in 1972.
In Czechoslovakia, Oldřich was popularly given in the 1940s to 1950s, peaking at rank 18 during 1946–1951.
Variants
The Germanic given name was adopted in Czech and Slovak as Oldřich and Oldrich, respectively, and in Scandinavian languages as Ulrik, in Slovenian as Urh, in Polish as Ulryk[pl], in Latvian as Uldis.
Common German hypocoristics are Uli or Ulli (Swiss Ueli) and historically Utz. Czech/Slovak hypocorisms are Olda, Oldík, and Volek, and a Polish one Ryczek.
Feminine forms Ulrikke and Ulrika have been recorded from the early modern period. A Czech form is Oldřiška.
In Italian, there are also many forms, as surnames, such as Orrico, D'Orrico, D'oricchio, Ulrico, Urrico, Orrigo, Origo, Orrigoni, Orrici, and Ulrici.
People with the given name
Medieval to early modern
Ordered chronologically
Udalrich I, count in Alamannia (fl. 778–814), son of Gerold of Anglachgau
Udalrich II, son of Udalrich I, count in Alamannia (fl. 800/803)
Ulrich of Augsburg (c. 890–973), bishop and saint
Ulric Manfred II of Turin (died 1034), Count of Turin and Margrave of Susa
Ulric I of Carniola (died 1070), the Margrave of Carniola and Carinthia
Ulric II of Carniola (died 1112), the Margrave of Istria
Ulrich I, Bishop of Passau (c. 1027–1121)
Ulrich of Zell (1029–1093), abbot and saint
Ulrich I Bishop of Eichstätt (r. 1075–1099)
Ulrich of Bamberg (fl. 1100), priest and chronicler
Ulrich II von Bogen, Bishop of Eichstätt (r. 1112–1125)
Oldřich of Olomouc (died 1177), duke in Bohemia
Ulrich von Zatzikhoven, late 12th century author of the Arthurian romance Lanzelet
Ulrich II (bishop of Passau) (died 1221)
Ulrich von Liechtenstein (1200–1275), medieval writer, poet and knight
Ulrich III, Duke of Carinthia (c. 1220–1269)
Late modern era
Ulrich, 10th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau (1893–1938), titular pretender
Ulrich Braukmann (born 1959), German economics professor
Ulrich Daldrup (born 1947), German scientist and mayor of Aachen
Ulrich Eberl (born 1962), German science and technology journalist
Ulrich Ellis (1904–1981), Australian writer
Ulrich Graf (1878–1950), member of Hitler's inner circle
Ulrich Herbert (born 1951), German historian
Ulrich Leyendecker (1946–2018), German composer of contemporary classical music
Ulrich Marida, Central African Republic basketball coach
Ulrich Matthes (born 1959), German actor
Ueli Maurer (born 1950), Swiss politician
Ulrich Mühe (1953–2007), German actor and director
Ulrich Noethen (born 1959), German actor
Ulrich Ochsenbein (1811–1890), Swiss politician
Ulrich Salchow (1877–1949), German figure skater and inventor of the salchow jump
Ulrich Schindel (1935–2025), German classical philologist
Ulrich Schmid-Maybach, philanthropist, real estate developer and entrepreneur
People with the surname
Alexander Ulrich (born 1971), German politician
Anne Ulrich (born 1966), German biochemist
Barbara Ulrich (born 1945), Canadian actress and filmmaker
Benjamin Ulrich (born 1988), German rugby union international
Bob Ulrich (born 1944), American businessman
Bob Ulrich (mayor) (born 1933), American politician
Brian Ulrich (born 1971), American photographer
Bror Ludvig Ulrich (1818–1887), Swedish military and colonial governor
Carl Ulrich (1853–1933), German politician
Caroline Ulrich (born 2002), Swiss ski mountaineer
Carolyn F. Ulrich (1881–1969), American librarian
Celeste Ulrich (1924–2011), American educator
Charles Frederic Ulrich (1858–1908), American painter
Christian Ulrich (1836–1909), Austrian architect
Christin Ulrich (born 1990), German weightlifter
Chuck Ulrich (1929–2006), American football player
Cornelia Ulrich (born 1967), German-American epidemiologist
Fictional characters
Ulrich Stern, on the French animated TV series Code Lyoko
Ulrich von Bek, the hero of The War Hound and the World's Pain and other novels by Michael Moorcock
Article from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), where it is maintained by volunteer editors.
Ulrich II, Count of Württemberg (c. 1254–1279)
Ulrich III, Count of Württemberg (after 1286–1392)
Ulrich II von Graben (before 1300–c. 1361), Austrian nobleman
Ulrich III, Lord of Hanau (c. 1310–1369 or 1370)
Ulrich IV, Count of Württemberg (after 1315–1366)
Ulrich von Jungingen (1360–1410), 26th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights
Ulrich II, Count of Celje (1406–1456)
Ulrich I, Count of East Frisia (1408–1466)
Ulrich III von Nussdorf, Bishop of Passau (r. 1451–1479)
Ulrich V, Count of Württemberg (1413–1480)
Ulrich II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Stargard (probably before 1428–1471)
Ulrich Fugger the Elder (1441–1510), German businessman and member of the Fugger family
Ulrich Rülein von Calw (1465–1523), mayor of Freiberg, Saxony
Ulrich of Hardegg (after 1483–1535), Count of Hardegg
Ulrich Zwingli (1484–1535), leader of the Reformation in Switzerland
Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg (1487–1550)
Ulrich von Hutten (1488–1523), German knight, scholar, poet and reformer during the Knights' War
Ulrich Hugwald (1496–1571), Swiss reformer
Ulrich, Duke of Mecklenburg (1527–1603)
Ulrik of Denmark (1578–1624), administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin
Ulrich, Duke of Pomerania (1589–1622)
Ulrik of Denmark (1611–1633), administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin
Ulrich Grappler von Trappenburg, Bishop of Passau (r. 1646–1658)
Ulrich Schnauss (born 1977), German musician
Ulrich Wilhelm Graf Schwerin von Schwanenfeld (1902–1944), a key conspirator in the failed 20 July plot to assassinate Hitler in 1944
Ulrich Siegmund (born 1990), German politician
Ulrich Steinhilper (1918–2009), World War II Luftwaffe ace credited by some with the concept of word processing
Ulrich Thoden (born 1973), German politician
Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff (1848–1931), German classical philologist
Ulrich Wild (born 1969), American record producer
Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop (1893–1946), more commonly known as Joachim von Ribbentrop, Foreign Minister of Nazi Germany
Ulrich Frédéric Woldemar, Comte de Lowendal (1700–1755), German-born French soldier and statesmen
Curt von Ulrich (1876–1946), German politician
D. K. Ulrich (born 1944), American race car driver/owner
Dario Ulrich (born 1998), Swiss footballer
Dave Ulrich (born 1953), American academic and speaker
Dieter Ulrich (born 1958), Swiss musician and historian
Donald Ulrich aka Don Rich (1941–1974) American country music musician
Dutch Ulrich (1899–1929), American baseball player
Edward Oscar Ulrich (1857–1944), American invertebrate paleontologist
Einer Ulrich (1896-1969), Danish tennis player
Emilie Ulrich (1872-1952), Danish soprano
Eric Ulrich (born 1985), American politician from New York City
Erika Ulrich (born 1943), Swiss archer
Eugene Ulrich (born 1938), American Dead Sea Scrolls scholar
Ferdinand Ulrich (1931–2020), German philosopher and professor
Fernando Ulrich (born 1952), Portuguese economist and banking administrator
Fredrik Carl Ulrich (1808–1868), Swedish colonial governor
Friedrich-Wilhelm Ulrich (born 1953), East German rower
George Ulrich (American geologist) (born 1934), American geologist and volcanologist
George Ulrich (baseball) (1869–1918), American baseball player
George Henry Frederick Ulrich (1830–1900), New Zealand mineralogist and academic
Günther Ulrich (born 1936), Austrian fencer
Hans Herbert Ulrich (1886–1971), German film producer
Henry G. Ulrich III, United States Navy admiral who retired in 2007
Herbert Ulrich (1921–2002), Austrian ice hockey player
Hermiene Ulrich (1885–1956), Australian academic
Hub Ulrich (1920–1974), American football player
Hugo Ulrich (1827–1872), German composer and educator
Jack Ulrich (1890–1927), Canadian ice hockey player
Jakob Ulrich (1856–1906), Swiss romanist
Jan Ullrich (born 1973), German race cyclist
Jayden Ulrich (born 2002), American athlete
Jennifer Ulrich (born 1984), German actress
Jing Ulrich (born 1967), American banker
Jochen Ulrich (1944–2012), German choreographer and dancer
Johann Jakob Ulrich (1798–1877), Swiss painter and graphic artist
Joe Ulrich (born 1961), American former soccer player
John Ulrich, U.S. Army general
Jørgen Ulrich (1935–2010), Danish tennis player
Kim Johnston Ulrich, American actress
Kurt Ulrich (1905–1967), German film producer
Lars Ulrich (born 1963), Danish drummer for the heavy metal band Metallica
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich (born 1938), American historian and writer
Laurent Ulrich (born 1951), French Catholic archbishop
Laurin Ulrich (born 2005), German footballer
Lester J. Ulrich (1908–1991), American lawyer and politician
Lisa Ullrich (1900–1986), German politician
Ľubomír Ulrich (born 1989), Slovak footballer
Luca Ulrich (born 2003), German-American soccer goalkeeper
Mabel S. Ulrich (1876–1945), American medical doctor and health educator
Madame Ulrich (born c. 1665 – died after 1707), French playwright and writer
Marek Ulrich (born 1997), German swimmer
Maria Ulrich (1908–1988), Portuguese educationalist
Marshall Ulrich (born 1951), American ultramarathon runner
Martin Ulrich (born 1969), Austrian ice hockey player
Matt Ulrich (1981–2023), American football player
Peter Ulrich (born 1958), British songwriter and recording artist
Philippe Ulrich (born 1951), French composer and programmer
Rainer Ulrich (1949–2023), German footballer
Ray Ulrich (1898–1950), American football player
Renato Ulrich (born 1983), Swiss freestyle skier
Richard Ulrich (born 1942), German board game designer
Richard Ulrich (American football), American former football coach
Robert J. Ulrich (casting director), American casting director
