http://clanhuston.com/name/name.htm <A HREF="http://clanhuston.com/name/name.htm">Surnames: What's in a Name? * Name Origins & ... </A> James is an English patronymic name derived from Hebrew Y aakov > Latin Jacobus > Late Latin Jacmus -- and believed originating in the Hebrew term akev = heel. A biblical story contains the mention of a heel in the birth of Jacob. In English, Jacob and James are distinctly separate names, but throughout the rest of the world, the two are considered the same name in cognate form. Cognates of James are Jacqueme (French); Jayume, Jaulmes, Jaume, Jaumes (Provencal); Giacomo, Giamo, Giacomi, Iacomo, Iacomi, Como, Comi, Cumo (Italian); Jaime (Spanish); Juame (Catalan). There are dozens of diminutive forms of James. Patronymic forms include Jameson, Jamisom, Jamieson, Jemison, Jimpson, Jimson, Gemson, Gimson (English); McKeamish, McJames , (Scot); Di Giacomo (Italian); Jaimez (Spanish).