make -j1 produces four C++ instances

[bob prohaska]

Has the -j feature for make been changed/removed? 

IIRC, one could in the past limit the number of jobs created
while compiling software by using 
make -jN 
on the command line. Now it seems that
make -j1 
spawns four instances of C++ while trying to compile www/chromium.

This happens to be on a Pi3 running -current, if that matters. 
I'm trying to keep swap use from getting ridiculous.

Apologies if I'm missed a bus, thanks for reading!

bob prohaska