where does the surname jacobs come form?

Question

it was my great great grandfathers last name some say its jewish and some say its english which one is it

Answer 1

Jacobs is one of the most common names in Europe. In my family tree it's Dutch. It's also German, Alsatian, Swiss, Polish, Austrian, Hungarian and Scandinavian. And yes, it ended up in England. It was a common name among Huguenots and other Protestants and they were kicked around Europe for several generations. I traced one line from France to Germany to the Netherlands. They stayed in the Netherlands for 4 generations, then one in England, back to the Netherlands, and finally back into France. It took them 280 years to make the trek back to where they started.

Can it be Jewish? Sure, any name could be Jewish. Jews picked surnames the same way Christians did. There's no reason a Jew wouldn't take the name of their patriarch Jacob when deciding on a name for the family. And Jacob is a common first name among Jews. But the name isn't exclusive to people of the Jewish faith.

Answer 2

Jacobs as a surname does originally come from the Hebrew "Yaakov". However, like many Old Testament names, Jacobs and its variants are used by Christians as well as Jews, as well as members of other religions and those without any religion at all.

Answer 3

Hey Fernando,

Swyrich.com by James P. Wolf says English, German and Spanish.

Check it out.
Spanish:
Spelling variations of this family name include: Jacobo, Jacome, Jacob, Jacobs, Jaco, Jaca and others.

First found in the southern region of Andalusia, in Seville. However, the name was probably brought to Spain by people whose roots are found in Flanders.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Simon Jacome Cops Coezman who arrived in Peru in 1555; Felipe Jacome de Villalpando who settled in the Spanish Main in 1592; and Dolores Jacome who settled in Puerto Rico in 1857.

German:
Spelling variations of this family name include: Jacobsen, Jacobson, Jacobs, Jacobse, Jacob, Jacober, Jacobi, Jacobie, Jacoby, Jacobsohn, Jacobssohn, Jakobs, Jakober, Jakobsohn, Jacobsson, Jakobsson, Jakobssohn, Jakobsen, Jakobi, Jakobson, Jakobie and many more.

First found in Silesia, where the name was an integral part of a feudal society which would shape modern European history.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Jurgen Jacobs, who settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1683 along with many other members of this family. Christian Jacob came to America in 1709; as did John Jacobi in the same year, while Johannes Jackobi came to Philadelphia in 1753. Wendell Jacobie came to Philadelphia in 1733.

English:
Spelling variations of this family name include: Jacobs, Jacob and others.

First found in Dorset where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Adam Jacobs, who arrived in Lancaster, PA in 1761; John, Frederick, Phillip, Samuel and William Jacobs, who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.
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With 552 Jocobs entries, Family Search.com by LDS agrees with Swyrich.com, but note that there are more Scandanavian countries, Russia, Carribean and other world locations where this name exists. The oldest, do show a pattern that says it could originate in those 3 locations.

Answer 4

Hi im jewish and its a hebrew name from the bible

Answer 5

In short...
It could be both. It could be neither one. Names are JUST A LABEL... they don't prove where a person was born (or his ancestors). Nor do they prove which religion they practiced.
Just a short and friendly attempt to alert you, to not being misled by what someone says or believes. You need to research facts about YOUR ancestor (where and when he was born), then his parents, et al.
If you are working with family "tradtions".. use them as clues only. They could be factual... or they could be family myths.

Answer 6

Jacobs is the anglonized version of the ancient hebrew name of Yacob. It originated in ancient Israel.
According to the ancient family customs of Israel men took sur names that identified thier lineage. For instance a family that came Isaiah woukd call themselves the sons of Isaiah, or take some part of thier lineage as a sur name to identify their family's tribal inheritance.
According to the law of Moses evrything was was handed down from generation to generation by virtue of their lineage. This system included the distrubution of the of the promised land as alotted by Joshua to the tribes of Israel at the time they conqered the promised land. In the case of the Levites who inherited not land , but the service of the great a shem God almighty, their names refer to their preistly duties, these include the names Cohen, Aaron, Tahilla.
I sugest that in order to pursue this futher it may be best to look into Jewish sites that are designed to help the chosen people of God to rediscover their roots, and tribes. Jacobs refers to heal grabber, this name was given at birth to to the man who had it changed by God himself to Isael meaning a prince with God. This is what the nation of Israel is called to be a prince with God they are a blessed poeple chosen by God himself. A s one of God's chosen you have a prupose in this time and place. The Lord has reestablished Israel in this times in order to usher in the reign of Messiah in greek this word is Christ.
God has preserved the people of Israel as a people for a purpose ,and according to a plan. It is no accident that you are now looking for your roots. Seek out the God of your fathers with all your heart and he will open up to you the plan of salvation through the Messiah of Israel Shalome

Answer 7

It's a jewish name from the tribes of Israel I believe