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

Yakoub, 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 Yakoub surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yakoub in America

Yakoub is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yakoub surname appeared 140 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 Yakoub.

The history of the last name Yakoub

The surname Yakoub has its origins in the Middle East, specifically from the Arabic-speaking regions. Its roots can be traced back to the ancient Aramaic name Ya'aqov, which is also the source of the Hebrew name Ya'akov, and its Greek transliteration Iakobos. These names were phonetically rendered in various forms across different cultures, with Yakoub being one of the prevalent variations in Arabic-speaking countries. The name Ya'aqov means "supplanter" or "holder of the heel," derived from the Hebrew roots עקב (akev), meaning "heel," and יעקב (ya'akov).

Historically, the surname Yakoub appeared in the context of the spread of Islam and Arabic culture during the 7th and 8th centuries. As the Islamic Empire expanded, the Arabic language and its surnames disseminated across North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and parts of Asia. Manuscripts from the Abbasid Caliphate period (750-1258 CE) contain references to scholars, traders, and officials bearing the surname Yakoub, indicating its common usage within the educated and influential classes.

One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname is Hasan ibn Yakoub, a prominent scholar during the Abbasid era who contributed to the development of early Islamic jurisprudence. His works, although largely lost, were referenced by later scholars in the 9th century.

By the medieval period, the surname Yakoub had spread to the Andalusian region of Spain. Historical records from the 12th century mention a notable physician, Ibrahim ibn Yakoub, who served at the court of the Almohad Caliphate in Seville. His medical treatises were highly influential in both the Islamic world and later translated into Latin for use in European medical schools.

The name continued to be prominent through the centuries, with references to Yakoub family members in various historical texts. One such figure is Ali Yakoub, an envoy from Morocco to the court of Elizabeth I in England during the late 16th century. His diplomatic missions contributed to the establishment of Anglo-Moroccan relations.

In the 19th century, another notable Yakoub emerged — Yaqub Beg, a military leader from Xinjiang, who founded the Yettishar Khanate during the Qing Dynasty's Dungan Revolt. Born in 1820, Yakoub Beg's leadership lasted until his death in 1877, leaving a significant impact on the region's history.

Additionally, historical records from the Ottoman Empire document the presence of Abd al-Rahman al-Yakoub, a merchant who played a crucial role in the trade routes connecting the Middle East with Europe during the 17th century. His contributions to trade networks facilitated cultural and economic exchanges between the two regions.

The surname Yakoub remains a testament to these historical figures and their legacies across various cultures and generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yakoub

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

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 Yakoub 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.

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 Yakoub was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!