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Ive read some time ago about one idea of how this name hillbilly originated, if someone knows better could you tell me please..
Origins of the term "hillbilly" are obscure. According to Anthony Harkins in Hillbilly: A Cultural History of an American Icon, the term first appeared in print in a 1900 New York Journal article, with the definition: "a Hill-Billie is a free and untrammeled white citizen of Alabama, who lives in the hills, has no means to speak of, dresses as he can, talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it, and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him."
The Appalachian region was largely settled in the 18th century by the Scotch-Irish, the majority of whom originated in the lowlands of Scotland. Harkins believes the most credible theory of the term's origin is that it derives from the linkage of two older Scottish expressions, "hill-folk" and "billie" which was a synonym for "fellow", similar to "guy" or "bloke".
According to Wiki:
"According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, this name is first recorded in 1848 in American English as slang for a burglars' crowbar. The meaning "policeman's club" is first recorded 1856"
Your original cite:
According to Anthony Harkins in Hillbilly: A Cultural History of an American Icon, the term first appeared in print in a 1900 New York Journal article, with the definition: "a Hill-Billie is a free and untrammeled white citizen of Alabama, who lives in the hills, has no means to speak of, dresses as he can, talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it, and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him."
This is just plain wrong. Not only is Harkins wrong, but the article itself is wrong and rife with the classism of the east coast.
Consider that Billy is a male name short for William, which infers a person of Scot, Irish, or English origin.
Consider that a Billy club is a burglar's tool. If the tool is a club, the burglar is a Billy, or person acting outside of the law.
Consider that the Whiskey Rebellion never really died in Appalachia, and that making moonshine continued unabated - IN DEFIANCE OF LAW - and still does.
Consider that Appalachia was settled by Scots and Irish.
Put it all together and "Hill" equates to Appalachia, and "Billy" to a person acting outside of the law, and of Scot, Irish, or (less likely) English origins.
FWIW, I am "a free and untrammeled white citizen of Alabama, who lives in the hills, has no means to speak of, dresses as he can, talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it, and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him." Since I seem to fit the definition almost exactly (other than I don't make moonshine) you can take my word for it.
Why do I rail against the 1900 New York Journal article explanation, and the article? Because Alabama in general is a fairly FLAT state compared to Appalachia in general. Yes there are hills, but Lookout Mountain and Sand Mountain, which are near the southwest end of the Appalachian mountains, are primarily plateaus. I live in a hilly area, but it is almost in Tennessee.
I live in East Kentucky..Not born and raised here but now a proud to be member of the "hillbilly clan".
Born and raised a Buckeye just north of Ky, I thought the "Billie" part of the label referred to the agility of a goat{Billie for male goat} to be able to climb around on the hills and mountains without slipping, sliding or falling off
I can do that now and both legs are the same length
One side of the family plated themselves in No. Alabama. My g grandmother there was from the hills of Tennessee, along with various others of the family, identified as scots irish. The other side planted itself in Iowa post civil war and then started the California contingent early. But they all came through Kentucky/Tennessee/W Virginia when first settled and stayed for a least a generation. I've been told I 'look' like I have scots ancestry, and the temper is a dead give away. At least some of the ancestry is pure scots, and much else 'usler Irish'.
Personally while some would love to be related to some figure of power or nobility, I'm pretty proud of g (?number of x's) grandather who arrived as a convict slave and went on to plant himself in Kentucky for a couple of generations but despite all the troubles of his life, live to be 91 and never gave up on it.
There are hillbillies, rednecks, southern gentlemen and others that have a twang. Southern Gentlemen act the smartest imo. Hillbillies make me think of people in Kentucky. Rednecks could be in Ky but there are also rednecks in Rhode Island and California. I think the mod is correct about the goat example. Hillbillies live in the hills and are almost red necks on steroids in the ways they act.
I think a contemporary synonym for "Hill Billy" was "Country Jake."
I consider myself to be a fairly legit hillbilly. I'm from the southern Ozarks in Arkansas, born and raised. I'm not sure if people from the Appalachians consider people from the Ozarks fellow hillbillies, but I bet they probably do.
. I'm from the southern Ozarks in Arkansas, born and raised. I'm not sure if people from the Appalachians consider people from the Ozarks fellow hillbillies, but I bet they probably do.
My dad had an old Russian friend named Boris- He had a thick accent and called Hillbillies "Bill hillies"- I guess he thought all of them were called Bill and lived in the hills- I love the core of red neck American culture- The music- the attitude...the look...Just such an honest people of sweet tribalism.
There is a hilarious piece from the National Lampoon Radio Dinner album on hillbillies which has hill folk from accross Europe heading to America a place where you can sit around spitting and picking your nose! I liked the part where the hillbillies are heading into America and going to places like Parris Island, Fort Leonard Wood and Lackland Air Force Base. At the end a list of Americans who are proud to call themselves Rednecks, Crackers or Hillbillies like the players and coaches of the Miami Dolphins!
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