Ulrich was the youngest son of Duke Bogislaw XIII of Pomerania (1544–1606), from the Griffins family.

After their father's death, Ulrich and his brothers agreed on the division of their inheritance.

According to the agreement of 1 October 1606 the eldest brother, Philip II (1573–1618), became the reigning Duke of Pomerania-Stettin.

Bogislaw XIV (1580–1637) and George II (1582–1617) jointly received the district of Rügenwalde.

The historian Martin Wehrmann (1861-1937) described Ulrich as a "fresh, young man, who had kept a benign happiness with his wife at his court in Koszalin".