Jacobsen
A Scandinavian and North German patronymic meaning “son of Jacob.”
The #1,914 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 16,405 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Jacobsen is formed from the given name Jacob plus a patronymic ending meaning “son.” Jacob ultimately comes from the Hebrew name Ya‘aqov, traditionally understood as “supplanter,” though in surname use the immediate sense is simply “son of Jacob.” The form is especially familiar in Danish and Norwegian naming, and it also appears in German-language records.
History
The surname developed as a hereditary family name in Scandinavia and neighboring German-speaking areas, where patronymic surnames became fixed over time. It is closely related to Jacobson and Jakobsen, which reflect the same underlying structure in different spellings and language traditions. English-language records often preserve the original Scandinavian spelling for immigrant families.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older Scandinavian naming practice, a man named Jacob would originally have had a son called Jacobsen, but that “son of Jacob” label later became a permanent family surname.
From the historical record
“main ; a p.n. Jackson. D. Jacobsen ; S. Jacob- son ; F. Jak, Jakchen ; a p.n. Jacques. Fr. Jacques ; a p.n. Jaffray. See Geoffry Jaggard. F. Jak ; Fr. Jacquart ; G.”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (1st ed.)Notable people named Jacobsen
- Jens Peter Jacobsen (1847–1885)
- Arne Jacobsen (1902–1971)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.