Surname Jakobsson - Meaning and Origin
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Jakobsson: What does the surname Jakobsson mean?
The last name Jakobsson is a patronymic surname derived from the masculine given name Jakob, which is the Scandinavian version of the biblical name Jacob. In the Scandinavia countries of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, patronymic surnames typically describe family relations in terms of the given name of the father. Thus, the name Jakobsson refers to the son of Jakob, or Jacob.
The given name Jacob is derived from the Hebrew word “ya’aqov”, which translates to the phrase “seizing by the heel, supplanting”. This phrase is a representation of the biblical story of Jacob, in which Jacob takes the heel of his older twin brother, Esau, as they emerge out of the womb.
The popularity of the name Jacob and its variants was spread across Europe during the Medieval Ages, and this is how it made its way to Scandinavia. As a result, the surname Jakobsson has both Hebrew and Scandinavian origins.
Today, the surname is fairly common in Scandinavia, and it can occasionally be seen elsewhere in the world, as well. People who share the surname Jakobsson are likely to be descended from a common ancestor, in the form of a father or grandfather with the given name of Jakob. Despite its religious origin, the surname Jakobsson does not necessarily designate a religious connection.
Order DNA origin analysisJakobsson: Where does the name Jakobsson come from?
The last name Jakobsson is one of the most common surnames in Sweden today. It is believed to have developed from a patronymic form of the name Jacob (Jakob in Sweden). It is estimated that around 20,000 people in Sweden currently bear the surname.
As Sweden is part of the Scandinavian region of northern Europe, there are also a significant number of people with the last name Jakobsson in other Scandinavian countries, including Finland and Norway. Nonetheless, Sweden remains the country where the name is most prevalent.
Outside Scandinavia, the name Jakobsson is fairly common in the United States. Many Swedish immigrants brought the surname to the United States in the late 19th century, leading to a substantial presence of Jakobssons in the United States today. The name is also found in other parts of the world, but is not as popular outside of Scandinavia.
Overall, the surname Jakobsson is common in Sweden, Scandinavian countries, and the United States. It is less popular in other countries, although there are still pockets of people bearing the name in various parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Jakobsson
Variants of Jakobsson include Jacobson, Jacobs, Jacobsen, Jacobsson, Jacobsz, Jacobssen, Jacobszoon, Jacobsohn, Jacobsohns, Jacobowicz, Jakub, Jakubs, Jakoub, Jakubo, Jakubow, Jakob, Jakobs, Jakobsen, Jakobsz, Jakobssen, Jacob, Jacobi, Jacobis, Jacoby, Jacoby, Jakoby, Jakobow, Jacoboff, Jacobouff, Jakobovic, Jakobovits, Jacobow, Jakobowicz, Jacobov and Jacobovits.
Surnames that are believed to have been derived from Jakobsson include Jacobson, Jacobs, Jacobsen, Jacobsson, Jacobsz, Jacobssen, Jacobszoon, Jacobsohn, Jacobsohns, Jacobowicz, Jakub, Jakubs, Jakoub, Jakubo, Jakubow, Jakob, Jakobs, Jakobsen, Jakobsz, Jakobssen, Jacob, Jacobi, Jacobis, Jacoby, Jacoby, Jakoby, Jakobow, Jacoboff, Jacobouff, Jakobovic, Jakobovits, Jacobow, Jakobowicz, Jacobov and Jacobovits. These surnames are also found in different spellings depending on region and/or country in which they were established.
It is thought that the surname ‘Jakobsson’ originated within Scandinavia, and it can be traced to the given name ‘Jacob’, which can be of either Hebrew or Germanic origin. Possibly of Hebrew origin, it could have derived from one of the Biblical Patriarchs; the son of Isaac. Alternatively, it could have surfaced within Germanic cultures of the Middle Ages. This might suggest that the word is of Germanic origin and could be translated as ‘gift from God’ or ‘heel grabber’, that is to say someone who supplants another.
Famous people with the name Jakobsson
- Jonny Jakobsson: Swedish football player
- Elin Jakobsson: Swedish alpine skier
- Gustav Jakobsson: Swedish figure skater
- Marika Jakobsson: Swedish artist
- Kalle Jakobsson: Swedish professional skateboarder
- Viktor Jakobsson: Swedish professional chess player
- Hugo Jakobsson: Swedish air force officer and balloonist
- Linnéa Jakobsson: Swedish politician, former minister for culture
- Nina Jakobsson: Swedish fashion designer
- Jacob Jakobsson: Swedish professional snowboarder
- Anna Jakobsson: Swedish professional showjumper
- Nicole Jakobsson: Swedish footballer
- Johan Jakobsson: Swedish former hockey player
- Hjalmar Jakobsson: Finnish Olympic rower
- Maria Jakobsson: Swedish former professional ski cross racer
- Agnes Karina Jakobsson: Danish cinematographer
- Annika Jakobsson: Swedish former curler
- Liv Jakobsson: Swedish actress
- Katarina Jakobsson: Swedish professional golfer
- Carina Jakobsson: Swedish former professional biathlete