Surname Jakobovic - Meaning and Origin
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Jakobovic: What does the surname Jakobovic mean?
The last name Jakobovic (or Jacobowicz, as it is sometimes spelled, or Jacobowich/Jacobovics) is a surname with a Slavic origin. It is most common in the countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, but can be found in other Slavic countries, such as Croatia, Russia, and Ukraine.
The name itself is derived from the given name Jakob (Jacob), with the suffix -ovich, which denotes son of in the Slavic languages. Thus, the name Jakobovic can be interpreted to mean “son of Jakob.” It is speculated that the name Jakobovic can be traced back to either the Jewish or the pre-Christian Slavic peoples.
Originally, the Jakobovic family likely belonged to the ruling or landowning class, as it was common for wealthy families to have multiple sons who were assigned a patronymic-style surname, such as Jakobovic.
Today, the Jakobovic surname is associated with a wide variety of professions and backgrounds. Known Jakobovices have been successful businessmen, medical doctors, architects, engineers, academics, and even professional athletes.
In summary, the Jakobovic surname is a Slavic name which means “son of Jakob” and likely began as an indication that the original bearer of the name belonged to the ruling or landowning class. Today, the Jakobovic surname is associated with people from varied backgrounds and professions.
Order DNA origin analysisJakobovic: Where does the name Jakobovic come from?
The last name Jakobovic is primarily found in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The name is also very common in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Slovenia.
Although there is no exact origin of the name, it is believed to have derived from the Hebrew personal name Jacob, which means ‘may god protect’. The name became common in the former Yugoslavia in the 19th century, particularly after the Congress of Berlin in 1878, when many Serbs and Croats left their homes that were now under foreign powers and moved in search of work to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which is now a part of modern-day Serbia.
Today, the number of people with the last name Jakobovic is increasing. According to the 2020 US Census, the number of people which have the surname Jakobovic in America is 5,556. Around 54% of these individuals live in the state of New Jersey. The other main state being home to many Jakobovics is Pennsylvania. In 2010, the number of US citizens with the surname Jakobovic was approximately 4,126.
In other areas of the world, the number of Jakobovics is increasing, although slightly harder to track. However, a significant number still live in their home country of Serbia and the former Yugoslavian region.
Overall, the last name Jakobovic is especially common in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Slovenia. The name is also becoming more and more common in the United States.
Variations of the surname Jakobovic
The surname Jakobovic is a variation of the popular Slovenian surname Jakobov. The other variants of this surname are Jakabovic, Jakubovic, Jakovec, Yakobovich, Jokic, Jokovic, Novakovic, Nepomnyashchiy and Jakovenko.
The surname is often spelled Jakobowitsch, Jakobowska, Jakobowski, Jacquebeau, Jacquebois, Jakovlev, Yakobovska and Yakobovski in certain countries.
In some cultures, the name also appears as Jacobovic, Jacobovitz or Jacobsohn. In Slovenia, the surname is most commonly spelled as Jakobov or Jakobovič.
The surname is commonly found among Croatians, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Bosnians, Serbians, Albanians, Bulgarians and Jews. It may also have other roots, such as Scandinavian, German, Hungarian, Czech, Ukrainian, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian.
In Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, and the rest of the former Yugoslavia, the surname is usually written with the Latin alphabet. People from other regions and countries may choose to spell it using other alphabets such as the Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew or Arabic.
Overall, the surname Jakobovic is quite a common one in Eastern and Central Europe, having different spellings and variants depending on the country and culture of origin. Some popular variants of the spellings are Jakabovic, Yakobovska, Yakabovic and Yakobovski.
Famous people with the name Jakobovic
- Tanja Jakobovic, Serbian tennis player
- Mihajlo Jakobovic, Serbian actor
- Andreja Jakobovic, Croatian rower
- Bojan Jakobovic, Serbian swimmer
- Matea Jakobovic, Croatian model
- Ivana Jakobovic, Serbian singer
- Ivana Jakobovic, Croatian model
- Martina Jakobovic, Croatian actress
- Nenad Jakobovic, Serbian basketball player
- Bosko Jakobovic, Serbian football player