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 playerAllan Jacobsen (cyclist)Allan Jacobsen (Australian footballer)Anders Jacobsen (ski jumper), NorwegianAnker Jacobsen (1911–1975), Danish tennis playerArne Jacobsen (1902–1971), Danish architect and designerAstrid Jacobsen, Norwegian cross-country skierBernhard M. Jacobsen, Congressman from Iowa, USACarl Jacobsen, CEO Carlsberg breweryCasey Jacobsen (born 1981), American basketball playerChristian Høgni Jacobsen, Faroese football strikerDouglas Jacobsen, American religious scholarErik Jacobsen, American record producerFlorence S. Jacobsen, sixth general president of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsGay Jacobsen D'Asaro, American foil fencerHenry Jacobsen, Norwegian politicianJ. C. Jacobsen, Danish industrialist who founded Carlsberg breweryJens Peter Jacobsen (1847–1885), Danish novelist, poet, and scientistJohan Jacobsen, Danish film directorJón Rói Jacobsen, Faroese football defenderJørgen-Frantz Jacobsen, Faroese writerJoseph Jacobsen, American pair skaterJosephine Jacobsen, American authorKen Jacobsen, American politicianKevin Jacobsen, Australian entertainment businessmanLars Jacobsen, Danish footballerMette Jacobsen, Danish Olympic swimmerNicolas Jacobsen, American hackerNils Kristen Jacobsen, Norwegian politicianPål Jacobsen, Norwegian football coach, former playerPeder Nikolai Leier Jacobsen, Norwegian politicianPeter Jacobsen, English jazz pianistPeter Jacobsen, American golferRógvi Jacobsen, Faroese football (soccer) strikerRolf Jacobsen, Norwegian authorRoy Jacobsen, Norwegian authorRune Angell-Jacobsen, Norwegian novelistSolveig Gunbjörg Jacobsen, first person born south of the Antarctic ConvergenceSteinbjørn B. Jacobsen (1937–2012), Faroese poet, teacher and writerStephen Jacobsen (biologist), American biologistStephanie Chaves-Jacobsen, actressThorkild Jacobsen (1904–1993), Danish-born historian and specialist in Assyriology and the Epic of GilgameshUwe Jacobsen (born 1940), German swimmerWilliam S. Jacobsen, Congressman from Iowa, USA