Surname Jacques - Meaning and Origin

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V. Jacques

Jacques: What does the surname Jacques mean?

The last name Jacques is of French origin and is the equivalent of "James" or "Jacob" in English. The name was often given to someone who followed the religious teachings of St. Jacob. Derived from late Latin name "Jacobus," it became very popular in Europe, possibly because of the fame of St. James the Apostle. The Biblical name Jacob has two possible meanings in a Hebrew context: "Supplanter," meaning one who follows or takes the place of another, or "May God protect," from the root Akkadian word "yaʿqūm" (he rises/ he protects). As a surname, Jacques might be a patronymic name, referring to "son of Jacques/Jacob/James." It doesn't spell a specific literal meaning like occupations or geographical features, as some surnames do. The surname Jacques is common in French-speaking countries but can also be found in other parts of the world due to French immigration and influence.

Jacques: Where does the name Jacques come from?

The last name Jacques has origins in France. The name Jacques is the French equivalent of the English name Jacob or James, used as both a first and a last name. In its usage as a family name, it often denoted someone who was the son of Jacques. It is derived from the Old French given name Jacques, which means "to replace". The popularity of the name grew during the Middle Ages, courtesy of two famous saints named St. Jacques.

Today, Jacques is still a common name in many French-speaking regions worldwide, including France, Canada (specifically in Quebec), and parts of Belgium and Switzerland. It's also found among people with French heritage in the United States and other countries. However, in these latter regions, Jacques tends to be more commonly used as a first name rather than a family name. It's also worth mentioning that variations of this surname are present globally due to the historic influence of France, and it may appear as Jaques, Jacquett, Jacquemin, Jacquet, or Jacquard.

Variations of the surname Jacques

The surname Jacques has several variants, spellings, and related surnames derived from the same origin. Jacques is a French name, originally derived from the Hebrew name Jacob, which means "supplanter".

It has different spellings depending on the language and region variations. These spellings include: Jacquess, Jaques, Jakes, Jacks, Jacquez, and Jaquiss.

In addition, Jacques surname may also have been anglicized or localized into different forms such as James, Jackson, and Jacobson in English-speaking countries, or Giacomo in Italy, Diago in Portugal, Jakob in Germany, Yakov in Russia, Kuba in Poland and Iago in Spain.

Furthermore, the surname Jacques is associated with patronymic surnames. Patronymics are formed by adding suffixes meaning "son of" such as "sen/sen", "son" or "ez" depending on the country or region.

Therefore, other related surnames include Jakobsen, Jakobsson, and Jacobson, symbolising "son of Jacob", or "son of Jacques".

It’s important to note that though these surnames derived from the same origin, each has developed its own separate history, lineage, and distribution pattern worldwide.

Famous people with the name Jacques

• Jacques Chirac: Former President of France who served from 1995 to 2007.
• Jacques-Yves Cousteau: French naval officer, explorer, conservationist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water.
• Jules Jacques Benois Veillont: French sculptor who created the statue of Apollo in the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris.
• Pierre-Antoine Jacques, Baron de Saint-Victor: Famed French engraver who made the engravings of Tom and Jerry, among many other works.
• Jacques Ysaye: Belgian violinist and composer who formed the Ysaye Quartet in 1883.
• Jacques-Louis David: French painter from the Neoclassical period who was renowned for works such as The Death of Marat and The Lictors Bringing to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons.
• Jacques Derrida: French philosopher and founder of the critical theory known as deconstruction.
• Jacques Tati: French comic actor, writer, director and producer renowned for his series of hit comedic films.
• Jacques Audiberti: French poet, journalist, novelist and playwright who was associated with the Surrealist movement.
• Jacques Offenbach: German-born French composer of the Romantic era, best known for his operettas such as Orphée aux enfers and La belle Hélène.

Other surnames

JacquartJacquemin