Surname Jacob - Meaning and Origin
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read moreJacob: What does the surname Jacob mean?
The surname Jacob is of Hebrew origin and is derived from the biblical patriarch Jacob, whose name in Hebrew, Yaakov, means 'supplanter' or 'one who follows on another’s heels'. This is indicative of the biblical story, in which Jacob is born holding his twin brother Esau's heel and later tricks him out of his birthright. The name also signifies the continuation of family lineage. The surname Jacob spread across Europe and the Middle East with variations in spelling due to regional linguistic differences. These include Jacobs, Jakob, Jacobson, Jakubowski, and Jacobi amongst others. In France, it was often given to Jewish families in reference to the biblical figure. It's also found in the British Isles, usually in the form of Jacobs, quite possibly adopted by Ashkenazi Jews on their arrivals in England and Ireland during and shortly after the Medieval Period.
Order DNA origin analysisJacob: Where does the name Jacob come from?
The last name Jacob is common in many countries around the world. In the United States, it is the 37th most common surname. It is most common in the midwestern and eastern states, as well as in the state of Oregon. It is also particularly common in Wisconsin, where it ranks as 12th most common name. In Canada, it is the 2oth most common surname, and it is among the top10 most common last names in Newfoundland and Labrador.
In Europe, Jacob is also a popular name. Most notably, it is one of the most common last names in Germany, ranking as 18th most popular. In France, it is the 78th most popular. In the Netherlands, it is the 10th most common last name.
In other parts of the world, it is also quite common. In South America, it is found in Venezuela and Colombia. In Australia and New Zealand, it ranks among the top 100 last names. In Asia, it is found in China, India, and Japan, although it is not as common as in some western countries.
Overall, the last name Jacob can be found in many countries around the world. It is particularly popular in Germanic countries, the United States, and Canada.
Variations of the surname Jacob
The surname Jacob can have a variety of spellings and surnames of the same origin. Most commonly, the surname is simply spelt Jacob or Jacobs, however there are numerous other variations of the surname which were derived from the Germanic name Jacobus. Some of the variants include Jacobo, Jacobsen, Jacoboni, Jakobson, Kaczmarek, Jakobowicz, Jakoby, Jakeman, Jakes, Jakob, Simon, Jakobus, Jakovec and Jaimez.
In certain countries, modified versions of the surname are also found. For example, the surname Jacubizky is found in Hungary, Jacubowski is common in Polish areas, the Dutch version is Jacubse, Yacoubi is used in Algeria, Iacobescu is found in Romania, Jacobovics can be found in Croatia and Serbia, and Jacome is the Spanish version of the surname.
In addition to modified versions of the surname, many Jewish families of Eastern European have adopted versions of the surname. Yacobi, Yacobovitz, Yakoby and Yakubovics are all found among Eastern European Jews. Similarly, Irish variants of the surname include, McJacob, MacJames and Gibbons.
The surnames Jacobus and Jacobs are also found among the Dutch. It is an occupational name derived from the occupation of being a ‘sealer’ or a ‘substitute’. Lastly, the surname Coble or Coblentz, which is derived from the Middle Dutch word ‘kobel’, meaning ‘ring’, is found amongst the Germans.
Overall, the surname Jacob can take on many different spellings and variants, ranging from modified versions of the original surname to those originating from certain countries and occupations.
Famous people with the name Jacob
- Jake Gyllenhaal: an American actor best known for his roles in movies like Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain, and Nightcrawler.
- Trevor Jacobs: a British fashion and beauty influencer with a YouTube channel and over 1.3 million followers on Instagram.
- Johann Jacob Friedrich Wilhelm Brause: a German Lutheran pastor who wrote some of the most exhaustive Bible commentaries of his time.
- Jacob Wester: a Dutch YouTuber and influencer known for his funny and uplifting videos, gaining him over 8 million subscribers.
- Noam Chomsky: an American linguist, cognitive scientist, philosopher, and political activist known as “the father of modern linguistics” and a major figure in analytic philosophy.
- Markus Jacob: a Swedish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League.
- Ben Jacobs: an American professional mixed martial arts fighter and former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion.
- Katie Jacobs Stanton: an American entrepreneur and executive who was Chief Marketing Officer at Twitter, a past vice president of global media at Yahoo!, and now a partner at #Angels.
- Albert Jacob: a German sculptor and designer who created unique figures for the Grünewald workshop.
- Jake Jacobs: an American musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer who has created and released over 20 full original albums.
- Brenda Jacobs: an American lawyer and former United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- Jacob Rees-Mogg: a British conservative politician who has been serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Somerset since 2010.
- David Jacob: an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the T Boone Pickens Foundation, and has donated millions to causes related to education and environmental conservation.