NameCensus.

UK surname

Jacobsen

Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Jacob."

In the 1881 census there were 100 people recorded with the Jacobsen surname, ranking it #19,750 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 505, ranked #9,919, up from #19,750 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Clee and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Conwy and Mearns North and Inverbervie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jacobsen is 513 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 405.0%.

1881 census count

100

Ranked #19,750

Modern count

505

2016, ranked #9,919

Peak year

2010

513 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jacobsen had 100 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,750 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 505 in 2016, ranked #9,919.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 208 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Jacobsen surname distribution map

The map shows where the Jacobsen surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Jacobsen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jacobsen over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1881 historical 100 #19,750
1891 historical 75 #27,414
1901 historical 189 #15,684
1911 historical 208 #14,594
1997 modern 422 #10,571
1998 modern 455 #10,315
1999 modern 450 #10,451
2000 modern 459 #10,261
2001 modern 447 #10,294
2002 modern 465 #10,163
2003 modern 456 #10,179
2004 modern 452 #10,270
2005 modern 459 #10,053
2006 modern 465 #9,988
2007 modern 471 #9,992
2008 modern 475 #10,029
2009 modern 482 #10,131
2010 modern 513 #9,853
2011 modern 495 #10,026
2012 modern 496 #9,921
2013 modern 505 #9,949
2014 modern 506 #9,991
2015 modern 506 #9,916
2016 modern 505 #9,919

Geography

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Where Jacobsens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Clee, Gateshead, London parishes and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Conwy, Mearns North and Inverbervie, Denbighshire and Barnet. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Clee Lincolnshire
3 Gateshead Durham
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 020 Knowsley
2 Conwy 010 Conwy
3 Mearns North and Inverbervie Aberdeenshire
4 Denbighshire 009 Denbighshire
5 Barnet 035 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jacobsen

These lists show first names that appear often with the Jacobsen surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jacobsen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Jacobsen, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Jacobsen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Jacobsen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Jacobsen is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Jacobsen is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Jacobsen falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jacobsen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Jacobsen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Jacobsen

The surname Jacobsen is of Scandinavian origin, specifically Danish and Norwegian. It is a patronymic name, meaning it was originally derived from the personal name Jacob, which itself comes from the Hebrew name Ya'aqov, meaning "supplanter" or "heel-catcher."

In Denmark and Norway, the name Jacobsen emerged as a common surname in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It was formed by adding the patronymic suffix "-sen" to the personal name Jacob, creating a name that literally means "son of Jacob."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Jacobsen can be found in Danish and Norwegian historical records and church registers from the 16th and 17th centuries. Some notable individuals with this surname from this era include Hans Jacobsen (1565-1636), a Danish astronomer and mathematician, and Jens Jacobsen (1591-1654), a Norwegian clergyman and writer.

Throughout the centuries, the Jacobsen surname has been associated with various notable figures across different fields. One prominent example is Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971), a renowned Danish architect and furniture designer, known for his contributions to the Danish modern style.

Another noteworthy bearer of the name is Jens Peter Jacobsen (1847-1885), a Danish novelist and poet who is considered one of the pioneers of the modern breakthrough in Scandinavian literature. His novel "Niels Lyhne" is regarded as a seminal work in Danish literature.

In the realm of science, Søren Jacobsen (1940-2021) was a Danish-American geochemist and professor at Harvard University, renowned for his contributions to the study of the Earth's mantle and the formation of the Solar System.

Moving to the arts, Jens Ferdinand Willumsen (1863-1958), a Danish painter and sculptor, was born Jens Ferdinand Jacobsen but later changed his surname to Willumsen.

Lastly, Ivar Jacobsen (born 1939) is a Norwegian computer scientist and software engineer, best known for his work on object-oriented software engineering and the development of the Unified Modeling Language (UML).

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the Jacobsen surname throughout history, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and diverse accomplishments associated with this name of Scandinavian origin.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jacobsen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jacobsen surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 22 Jacobsens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.23x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 22 2.23x
Midlothian 22 16.67x
Lancashire 20 1.71x
Lincolnshire 5 3.17x
Northumberland 5 3.41x
Kent 4 1.19x
Surrey 4 0.83x
Cheshire 3 1.38x
Cornwall 3 2.69x
Durham 3 1.02x
Suffolk 3 2.50x
Fife 2 3.43x
Hampshire 2 0.99x
Norfolk 1 0.66x
Royal Navy 1 8.52x
Yorkshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 12 Jacobsens recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.09x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 12 35.09x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 20.72x
St Pancras London 7 8.83x
North Leith 6 98.20x
Leith North 5 2000.00x
Mile End Old Town London 5 23.84x
North Shields 4 136.99x
Toxteth Park 4 10.11x
Whitechapel London 4 41.19x
Great Grimsby 3 30.00x
Liverpool 3 4.23x
Poplar London 3 16.14x
Rotherhithe 3 24.65x
South Shields 3 114.94x
Weybread 3 1304.35x
Clee With Weelsby 2 57.97x
Falmouth 2 50.63x
Greenwich 2 12.76x
Portsmouth 2 43.01x
Wallasey 2 270.27x
Birkenhead 1 5.77x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 10.78x
Bromley London 1 4.61x
Burntisland 1 61.35x
Camberwell 1 1.59x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 21.98x
Mevagissey 1 135.14x
Milton In Gravesend 1 19.84x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 625.00x
Old Tower Without London 1 2500.00x
Plumstead 1 8.93x
Scarborough 1 11.27x
St Gilesin Fields London 1 120.48x
Wemyss 1 40.49x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Jacobsen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Hannah 2
Adele 1
Alba 1
Charlottie 1
Cornella 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Rebekal 1
Rosa 1
Sophia 1
Wilhelmina 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Jacobsen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Hans 3
Christian 2
Edward 2
George 2
Jacob 2
Louis 2
Rudolph 2
Thomas 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Andreas 1
Axel 1
Carl 1
Charles 1
Earnest 1
Eilert 1
Elias 1
Even 1
Fritz 1
Gabriel 1
Herman 1
J. 1
J.J. 1
Jens 1
Johan 1
John 1
Jorgen 1
Knud 1
Lars 1
Laurits 1
Lawrence 1
Luton 1
Martenius 1
Martin 1
Olaf 1
Ole 1
Peder 1
Peter 1
Simon 1
Solomon 1
Soren 1
Vilhelm 1
Waldespen 1
William 1

FAQ

Jacobsen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jacobsen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 100 people were recorded with the Jacobsen surname. That placed it at #19,750 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jacobsen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 505 in 2016. That gives Jacobsen a modern rank of #9,919.

What does the Jacobsen surname mean?

Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Jacob."

What does the Jacobsen map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Jacobsen bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.