These are the possible origins of the word Yankee that I found.
Thanks to the list for all the genealogical info posted!
Bob
YANKEE
A nickname for a native or citizen of new England, especially one descended
from old New England stock; by extension, an inhabitant of the Northern
States as distinguished from a Southerner; also, applied sometimes by
foreigners to any inhabitant of the United States. "From meanness first this
Portsmouth Yankey rose, And still to meanness all his conduct flows."
(Oppression, A poem by an American (Boston, 1765))
According to Thierry, a corruption of Jankin, a diminutive of John, and a
nickname given to the English colonists of Connecticut by the Dutch settlers
of new York. Dr. W. Gordon ("Hist. Of the Amer. War," ed, 1789, vol. I, pp.
324, 325) says it was a favorite cant word in Cambridge, Mass, as early as
1713, and that it meant excellent; as, a yankee good horse, yankee good
cider, etc. Cf. Scot yankie a sharp, clever, and rather bold woman, and
Prov. E. Bow-yankees a kind of leggins worn by agricultural laborers.
Of or pertaining to a Yankee; characteristic of the Yankees. "The alertness
of the Yankee aspect." (Hawthorne) Yankee clover.
Origin: Commonly considered to be a corrupt pronunciation of the word
English, or of the French word Anglais, by the native Indians of America.
www.books.md/Y/dic/yankee.php
Meaning of Name: Yankee
Yankee: This word is believed to have been derived from the manner in which
the Indians endeavored to pronounce the word English, which they rendered
"Yenghees," whence Yankee.
http://www.sacklunch.net/personalnames/Y/Yankee.html
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lori" <lori(a)loricase.com>
To: <Case-Family-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 8:00 PM
Subject: Re: [CASE mail list] The Origin of the Word Yankee?
> 0688, and Volume 7, file 3988. It is said that John
> Case was the first Englishman living in the Dutch
> Providence of Long Island and that the name "Yankee"
> comes from Jan Kees, the Dutch for John Case.
Interesting!
Now I'm going to have to research the word :)
Lori
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