Jacobsen is a Danish-Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Jacob". The prefix derives from the biblical given name Yaakov ("supplanter" or "follower"). The cognate Jakobsen is less common. The English language patronymic surname Jacobson is a parallel form, of which the earliest records are found in Huntingdon in 1244. Scandinavian immigrants to English-speaking countries often changed the spelling to Jacobson in order to accommodate English orthographic rules. Notable people with the surname include:
Allan Jacobsen (rugby union) (born 1978), Scottish rugby union player
Allan Jacobsen (cyclist)
Allan Jacobsen (Australian footballer)
Anders Jacobsen (ski jumper), Norwegian
Anker Jacobsen (1911–1975), Danish tennis player
Arne Jacobsen (1902–1971), Danish architect and designer
Astrid Jacobsen, Norwegian cross-country skier
Bernhard M. Jacobsen, Congressman from Iowa, USA
Carl Jacobsen, CEO Carlsberg brewery
Casey Jacobsen (born 1981), American basketball player
Christian Høgni Jacobsen, Faroese football striker
Douglas Jacobsen, American religious scholar
Erik Jacobsen, American record producer
Florence S. Jacobsen, sixth general president of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Gay Jacobsen D'Asaro, American foil fencer
Henry Jacobsen, Norwegian politician
J. C. Jacobsen, Danish industrialist who founded Carlsberg brewery
Jens Peter Jacobsen (1847–1885), Danish novelist, poet, and scientist
Johan Jacobsen, Danish film director
Jón Rói Jacobsen, Faroese football defender
Jørgen-Frantz Jacobsen, Faroese writer
Joseph Jacobsen, American pair skater
Josephine Jacobsen, American author
Ken Jacobsen, American politician
Kevin Jacobsen, Australian entertainment businessman
Lars Jacobsen, Danish footballer
Mette Jacobsen, Danish Olympic swimmer
Nicolas Jacobsen, American hacker
Nils Kristen Jacobsen, Norwegian politician
Pål Jacobsen, Norwegian football coach, former player
Peder Nikolai Leier Jacobsen, Norwegian politician
Peter Jacobsen, English jazz pianist
Peter Jacobsen, American golfer
Rógvi Jacobsen, Faroese football (soccer) striker
Rolf Jacobsen, Norwegian author
Roy Jacobsen, Norwegian author
Rune Angell-Jacobsen, Norwegian novelist
Solveig Gunbjörg Jacobsen, first person born south of the Antarctic Convergence
Steinbjørn B. Jacobsen (1937–2012), Faroese poet, teacher and writer
Stephen Jacobsen (biologist), American biologist
Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen, actress
Thorkild Jacobsen (1904–1993), Danish-born historian and specialist in Assyriology and the Epic of Gilgamesh
Uwe Jacobsen (born 1940), German swimmer
William S. Jacobsen, Congressman from Iowa, USA
