The district is named after the Danube River and the Swabian Jura mountains.

North of the Danube banks, the hills of the Swabian Jura rise.

The hill chain extends from southwest to northeast parallel to the course of the Danube River and is continued on either side of the district.

The eagle was the heraldic animal of the Free Imperial City of Ulm.

The shield displays the deer antlers of Württemberg and the red and white stripes of the Austrian county of Burgau (which the southern parts of the district once belonged to).