NameCensus.

UK surname

Jakob

Originally a surname for someone named after the Biblical patriarch Jacob.

In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Jakob surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, up from #32,581 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Elmbridge, Redbridge and Bridgend.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jakob is 101 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1162.5%.

1881 census count

8

Ranked #32,581

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

2016

101 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jakob had 8 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,581 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 34 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Jakob surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jakob surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jakob 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 3 #33,861
1881 historical 8 #32,581
1891 historical 8 #33,550
1901 historical 21 #31,686
1911 historical 34 #29,600
1997 modern 74 #30,218
1998 modern 74 #30,562
1999 modern 78 #30,327
2000 modern 67 #31,473
2001 modern 67 #31,297
2002 modern 70 #31,432
2003 modern 70 #31,486
2004 modern 61 #32,581
2005 modern 61 #32,814
2006 modern 63 #32,943
2007 modern 64 #33,145
2008 modern 65 #33,303
2009 modern 72 #33,021
2010 modern 82 #32,492
2011 modern 85 #32,127
2012 modern 84 #32,502
2013 modern 86 #32,557
2014 modern 94 #31,909
2015 modern 97 #31,499
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Jakobs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Elmbridge, Redbridge, Bridgend, Brent and Torfaen. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Elmbridge 018 Elmbridge
2 Redbridge 018 Redbridge
3 Bridgend 012 Bridgend
4 Brent 033 Brent
5 Torfaen 007 Torfaen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jakob

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jakob

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Jakob, 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 Jakob surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Jakob 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Jakob is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Jakob 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

Jakob 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 Jakob 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 Jakob, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Jakob

The surname Jakob has its origins in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the Middle Ages around the 12th century. The name is derived from the Hebrew biblical name "Jacob," which means "supplanter" or "one who follows."

Jakob was a common given name in Germanic regions during the medieval period, and it eventually became adopted as a surname. The transition from a given name to a surname was a gradual process that occurred as populations grew and surnames became necessary for identification purposes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Jakob can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, Germany. In this manuscript, a man named Johannes Jakob is mentioned in a document dated 1270.

The surname Jakob also appears in various local records and chronicles throughout the later medieval and early modern periods. For example, in the Stadtbuch von Lübeck (City Book of Lübeck), a merchant named Hans Jakob is listed in the year 1416.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Jakob. One of the earliest was Johann Jakob, a German astronomer and mathematician born in 1555. He is known for his contributions to the study of comets and for his work on the Julian calendar reform.

Another famous bearer of the surname was Ludovico Jakob, an Italian painter and architect who lived from 1597 to 1669. He was a prominent figure in the Baroque art movement and is best known for his frescoes in various churches in Rome and Naples.

In the 18th century, Johann Georg Jakob, a German philosopher and theologian (1668-1744), made significant contributions to the study of ethics and moral philosophy. His work influenced later thinkers such as Immanuel Kant.

In the field of science, Carl Wilhelm Jakob (1804-1892) was a German botanist and naturalist who made important discoveries in plant taxonomy and classification.

Moving into the 20th century, Max Jakob (1879-1955) was a German engineer and physicist who made significant contributions to the study of heat transfer and fluid mechanics.

The surname Jakob has also been associated with various place names throughout Germany and other German-speaking regions. For instance, the town of Jakobsdorf in Saxony, Germany, is believed to have derived its name from an early settler named Jakob.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jakob families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jakob 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. Hertfordshire leads with 7 Jakobs recorded in 1881 and an index of 130.11x.

County Total Index
Hertfordshire 7 130.11x
Surrey 1 2.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brickendon in Hertfordshire leads with 7 Jakobs recorded in 1881 and an index of 35000.00x.

Place Total Index
Brickendon 7 35000.00x
Southwark St Saviour 1 250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Amelia 1
Dorothea 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Fredk. 1
Henry 1
Peter 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Jakob households.

FAQ

Jakob surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jakob surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Jakob surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jakob surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Jakob a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Jakob surname mean?

Originally a surname for someone named after the Biblical patriarch Jacob.

What does the Jakob map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Jakob 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.