Find out how popular the last name Jakab is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Jakab.

Jakab, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Jakab surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jakab in America

Jakab is the 44193rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jakab surname appeared 487 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Jakab.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jakab to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Jakab

The surname Jakab originated in Hungary, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Hebrew name Jacob, which means "supplanter" or "one who follows." The name's journey into the Hungarian language can be traced back to the influx of Jewish settlers into the region during the Middle Ages.

During the medieval period, the name Jakab was primarily concentrated in the central regions of Hungary, particularly around the cities of Budapest and Eger. It was commonly found in official records and documents from that era, reflecting the presence of Jewish communities in those areas.

One of the earliest known references to the name Jakab can be found in the 14th-century Anjou-kori Oklevéltár (Angevin-era Diplomatic Records), a collection of medieval Hungarian charters and documents. This suggests that the name had already established itself within Hungarian society by that time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Jakab was János Jakab, a Hungarian philosopher and theologian born in Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca, Romania) in 1510. He played a significant role in the propagation of Reformation ideals in Transylvania.

Another prominent individual with the surname Jakab was Péter Jakab, a 19th-century Hungarian historian and writer. Born in Kolozsvár in 1801, he authored several works on the history of Transylvania and the principality of Moldavia.

During the 19th century, the name Jakab was also found in various place names across Hungary, such as Jakabfalva (now part of Târgu Mureș, Romania) and Jakabhegy (now part of Balatonalmádi, Hungary). These place names likely derived from individuals or families bearing the Jakab surname who had settled in those areas.

In the 20th century, István Jakab, a Hungarian footballer born in 1923, gained recognition for his achievements on the pitch. He played as a striker for several Hungarian clubs, including Ferencvárosi TC and Csepel SC.

Another notable figure was Miklós Jakab, a Hungarian painter and graphic artist born in 1952. His works have been exhibited internationally and are part of various museum collections, including the Hungarian National Gallery.

Jakab continues to be a prominent surname in Hungary and among Hungarian communities around the world, carrying with it a rich historical legacy that spans centuries and reflects the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jakab

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Jakab.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Jakab was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Jakab has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Jakab was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jakab, please contact us.

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