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John:
If you have traced your Jacobus family back to Bergen County, NJ, then you're on the trail of a Dutch family -- that is, the descendants of a gentleman named Jacobus Jans who flourished in Albany, NY during the last quarter of the 17th century. His origins have proved elusive -- we don't yet know when he emigrated, or from where -- but the assumption has always been that he was Dutch, given his presence in early Albany (which was part of New Netherland), his church membership, family naming patterns, and other cultural indicators.
Many 17th century Dutch did not have fixed surnames, instead using a system of patronymics. Thus, the children of Jacobus Jans were known as ______ Jacobusse or Jacobuszen, that is, so-and-so, the son/daughter of Jacobus. It was in the second generation -- most of whom moved to northern New Jersey -- that the patronymic became frozen, and the family thereafter known as Jacobus. (Jacobus means James in Dutch, which means that there have been dozens of James Jacobuses whose name could be translated as James James.)
There are other Jacobuses in the United States who apparently are the descendants of 19th century German immigrants, and in at least one case, the descendants of a 19th century Russian immigrant (a descendant of German settlers introduced to Russia by Catherine the Great). There is also a Jacobus who appears in early Virgina, but thus far no evidence has come to light that would suggest he was related to the New York/New Jersey Jacobuses.
Jim T.
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