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Jacobs Family History

Jacobs Surname Meaning

Dutch Flemish German English and Jewish: patronymic from the personal name Jacob ‘Jacob's (son)’ with genitival (or as an English name post-medieval excrescent) -s. This surname is also found in France (Nord Alsace and Lorraine). As a Jewish surname it has absorbed various other Jewish patronymics from the same personal name as for example Jacobowitz . In North America the surname Jacobs has absorbed cognates from other languages for example Slovenian Jakopič (patronymic from an old variant of the personal name Jakob ). It is also established among the Tuscarora Native American tribes of NY and NC and Lumbee Native American tribe of NC.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Jacob, Jacobson, Jacobi, Jaros, Jason, Jack, Jabs, Janos, Jacobo

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Jacobs family from?

You can see how Jacobs families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Jacobs family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Jacobs families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 180 Jacobs families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 15% of all the recorded Jacobs's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Jacobs families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Jacobs surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Jacobs ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Jacobs. 13% of Jacobs men worked as a Laborer and 6% of Jacobs women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Jacobs were Clerk and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Jacobs | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    13%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Clerk
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    6%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Maid
    5%
  • Clerk
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Jacobs family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 692,000 census records available for the last name Jacobs. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Jacobs census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 91,000 immigration records available for the last name Jacobs. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 113,000 military records available for the last name Jacobs. For the veterans among your Jacobs ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Jacobs lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Jacobs life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Jacobs in 1940 was 34, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Jacobs

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