The Historical Origin Of The Terms Hillbilly and Redneck

 

My father often declared proudly he was a hillbilly. He grew up in Illinois on a farm. His siblings made the same claim. Although the media painted the hillbilly as poor white trash who lacked intelligence, that was not my family at all. Now I live in the Southwest. My pastor, who grew up in Mississippi, often declares he's a redneck, taking the insults surrounding the term to task.

That reminds me that the early believers in Jesus were first called Christians in Antioch. The new religion was so different, it was spoken as a slur. Yet the believers bore the name proudly. Look how that worked out.

Today, I want to share with you the historical origins of Hillbilly and Redneck. Both terms have taken on a negative connotation thanks to journalists and cartoonists who portray a group of farmers as ignorant buffoons. The entertainment value has evolved through the twentieth century with Lil Abner and the silly Mountain Dew commercials containing the tagline "Yahoo Mountain Dew", delivered by a bunch of bare-footed, poorly dressed men guzzling the soft drink as if it were moonshine.

 

As a lover of history and my family, I filtered through all the hype that created this image of poor white trash. I found some interesting facts dating back to the 1600s. The Scots coined the term "Billy Boys," a name given to Scottish followers of King William III. Billy being a slang term for fellow. Anthony Harkiness Hillbilly: A Cultural History of an American Icon, claims the term's origin is the link between two old Scottish expressions "hill-folk" and "Billie" another word for fellow, or guy. These people lived in the hill country on the border of Scotland and England.

It is said that Scottish and Scots-Irish people, the Scottish Low-land and Ulster Presbyterians who immigrated en masse to America during the 1700's brought their traditional music with them to the New World. Many of the songs dealt with William, Prince of Orange, who defeated the Catholic King James II of the Stuart family at the Battle of Boyne, Ireland in 1690. They preserved their history through their music.

The Scots-Irish went from the hills of Scotland and Ireland to the Appalachian and Ozark hill country.

They maintained their tight-knit, clannish social structure. We all recall the famous Hatfield and McCoy feud that lasted for years. Mark Twain had a scene in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn depicting a hillbilly feud.

These sorts of altercations are the background for our modern-day stereotype.

The Scots-Irish were often encouraged to settle in the harsh lands between the civilized areas and the wilderness. They were a buffer between the burgeoning colonies and the Natives who hated the white man encroaching on their lands. These hillbillies understood the native tribal hierarchy as it was similar to clan life, and they often existed peacefully with the Natives. Hillbillies adapted well to the rough lands in the mountains. There were many noted Americans who lived in those hills, Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett to name just two.

Daniel Boone &Davey Crockett

 

 On to the origin of Redneck

In Scotland in the 1640s the Covenanters rejected rule by bishops, often signing manifestos using their own blood. Some wore red cloth around their necks to show their position. The Scottish ruling class called them rednecks, recognizing them as rebels in what was later called The Bishop's War that preceded the rise of Oliver Cromwell as ruler of Britain after deposing Charles I.

Over time, the term came to refer to Presbyterians, especially those along the Scottish border. Some believe because of the large number of Scottish immigrants in pre-revolutionary American South, this may be the origin of the term redneck in America.

Authors Jospeh Flora and Lucinda MacKethan, noted professors of Southern culture and literature, give this stereotype description:

Redneck is a derogatory term currently applied to some lower class and working class southerners. The term, which came into common usage in the 1930s, is derived from the redneck beginnings as a "Yeoman farmer" whose neck would burn as he toiled in the fields. These yeomen farmers settled along the Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina coasts.

Here is another possible origin story.

There are those who believe the term redneck originated during the West Virginia Mine Wars in the early 1920s. Workers who wanted laborers' rights wore red bandanas around their necks and marched up Blair Mountain during the confrontation for workers' rights. Sounds like they followed the ancestors' example from the Bishops' War.

By 1900, "redneck" was used to refer to political factions within the Democratic party, setting apart the poor white farmers in the south.

As you can see, hillbilly and redneck have both evolved through the centuries. Yet, many Americans, like the early followers of Christ, wear the derogatory label proudly.

Country Music has its roots in the hillbilly culture of the Appalachian and Ozark mountains. The rednecks showed themselves as more than poor folks under the thumb of big business when they boldly fought for workers' rights.

Most Scots-Irish in American, no matter where they live geographically can trace their lineage back to those same "Billy Boys" who supported King William III for their religious freedom from James 1. Yep, my father's people were Presbyterian farmers who proudly claimed the name hillbilly.

Did you know the origin of these derogatory terms?

Cindy Ervin Huff, is a multi-published award-winning author in Historical and Contemporary Romance. She’s a 2018 Selah Finalist. Many of her Historical books have Scots-Irish characters as a nod to her ancestry.

Cindy has a passion for encouraging other writers on their journey. When she isn’t writing, she feeds her reading addiction and enjoys her retirement with her husband of 50 plus years, Charles. Visit her at www.cindyervinhuff.com. You can find all her books there.

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Mrs. Amelia Stewart Wright Knight and her Oregan Trail Diary

 

I enjoy reading true stories, especially diaries. I purchased the book, Lillian Schlissel's Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey. Inside are wonderful excerpts from pioneer women's diaries. Their words bring their overland journeys across America to life.

 

Amelia Stewart knight was born in 1817 in Boston, Massachusetts. She married Dr. Joel Knight (b.1808) an English immigrant, in September,1834. They moved to Iowa after their first child was born. Dr. Knight hated the climate in Iowa. He took his family (now seven children) to Oregon Territory, where the climate was milder. They left Iowa April 18,1853 and arrived near Milwaukie, Oregon Territory, on September 17,1853. Six months on the trail. Can you imagine primitive camping with seven children for six months?

Amelia's diary shared a mother's view of their trip. Her diary focused on her children, the weather, and the rough terrain. She had an entry at least once a week. The Wrights had three covered wagons for their supplies and their seven children. Dr. Knight hired men to tend the wagons and their livestock. She had the daunting task of feeding everyone on their journey.

The Knights had more resources than other travelers because they had paid help. Also, like many who traveled the Oregon Trail successfully, they had uprooted and relocated before. Their trip by wagon from Massachusetts to Iowa years before gave the experience they needed to be prepared for the undertaking.

Primitive camping in all kinds of weather

Can you imagine walking in the rain, sleeping in a tent on muddy ground? (Tents didn't have flooring at this time.) Sounds miserable, especially with children. Walking over a variety of terrains, usually taking the miles on foot. One day it's freezing cold in the higher altitudes; within a week the dry desert heat is unbearable. Amelia had to feed her family, their hired help and her children, no matter the weather.

Traveling with seven children

She carried her youngest child when the ground was rough. Add to this: sickness. She doesn't dwell on her children's sicknesses, only mentioning which child had the mumps, scarlet fever, or was covered in poison ivy. And she noted the youngest had fallen out of the wagon twice because he was so active. All the other children had daily responsibilities on the journey. She related one fear-induced moment. When they lost their daughter, Lucy. She was watching wagons cross the river while waiting the Knight's turn. These crossings could take days depending on the size of the wagon train. Amelia assumed Lucy was in the wagon with her sister as normal, and the sister thought she was with her mother getting her hair combed. After they crossed the river, they discovered her missing. Lucy had been found by another family. They'd made sure she crossed the river and was reunited with her parents.

The seven Knight children

Indians- not what she expected

Her view of Indians changed as she traveled. Most information regarding the Indian tribes along the trail were based on half-truths and racism. Amelia found the tribes were very helpful. They assisted with their livestock while the wagons forded rivers. Some would swim and guide the horses and livestock for a fee or goods. She writes of a time the wagon train traded with the Indians. She was very impressed with their beadwork. Indians often requested gifts of their supplies or cash in order to pass through their land safely. Most of their requests were reasonable.

Whites took advantage of the travelers

 While the cost the white men charged to ferry them over rivers reached three dollars a wagon near the end of the trip. (Equal to $126.28 in 2026) Remember they had three wagons. These unexpected costs forced Dr. Knight to sell a prized horse in order to have the funds needed to cover the remaining river crossings. The average cost of a horse was one hundred dollars—at least those purchased to pull a wagon. His horse must have sold for far more to secure the rest of their passage to Oregan Territory.

Interesting Trivia

An interesting fact I'd never read before was what they fed their cattle when there was no grazing or hay available. A mash consisting mostly of flour. She was very worried about their oxen and did what she could to help care for them.

 This strong woman wept when one of their oxen died and had to be left by the side of the road with many other. The carnage along the more desolate areas also brought tears. But she remained steadfast and determined.

Cost of living in 1853

To give some context for the diary entry below, let me share a few facts regarding the cost of living in 1853. The average income was between $300 and $500 a year. ($8,418.75-21,046.88 in 2026). The cost of their trip included wagons, supplies, oxen and or mules and horses. A family of four would need $1000 to supply their wagon for the six-month journey. (This doesn't include any additional fees.) The Knights had three wagons pulled by at least two oxen, a family of nine plus an undisclosed number to men to drive the additional wagons and livestock. Oxen valued $25 each ($1,052.34) while mules or horses at around $100 each ($4,229.38). Dr. Joel Knight, we can assume, probably made a bit more money than the average traveler. But still, things got tight. All numbers in bold were added by me to compare to 2026.

She shared the cost of items at a trading post near the end of their journey.  (Tuesday, September 13^th… Drove over some muddy miry ground, and through mud holes and just halted at the first farm to noon and rest awhile and buy feed for the stock, Pay 1.50 per hundred for hay.($61.18) Price of fresh beef 16 to 18 cts a pound,(6.79-7.58) butter ditto one dollar, eggs, one dollar a dozen,($42.09)  onion 4 or 5 dollars per bushel,($149-210.47) all too dear for poor folks, so we have treated ourselves to some small turnips at the rate of 25 cents per dozen,) ($10.53)

Constant wagon upkeep

Amelia did what needed to be done and accepted every difficulty as part of the journey. Often after rains they had to empty their wagons to dry out supplies and make wagon repairs before continuing. Amelia seemed to accept emptying her goods along the road to lighten the load as they travel a part of the price needed to get her family safely to Oregon Territory.

Reading between the lines

It is shocking, yet appropriate for the era, to discover Amelia was pregnant with her eighth child when they left Iowa. She makes no reference to her condition directly until the day her child is born. She mentions stopping on the trail to give birth and then walking with a newborn to their new home.

Think about all the difficulties along the trail and multiply that by ten as her girth grows. She mentions smells bothering her, she gets very emotional over the death of their oxen, and headaches and backache plague her. But speaking about being with child was taboo in 1853, and I suppose writing that in her diary was too. Her husband was a doctor, so that may have given her a bit of peace traveling pregnant. And she'd already traveled from Massachusetts to Iowa years earlier, so she had some idea what to expect. Still, pregnant with eight children to keep safe. Not to mention feeding the hired help. Place her family with a community of at least forty wagons and stress and anxiety abound.

Why I love diaries

Her diary gave me a better picture of life on the Oregon Trail. The bravery and stamina it took to reach their destination. Modern day travelers complain about flight delays, or traffic congestion. If our vehicle breaks down, help is a phone call away. And usually at the end of our journey, we're sleeping in a warm home or hotel with easy access to food and medical facilities.

As you can imagine, they didn't move into a house when they staked their claim. It took time to build a cabin and plant a garden and do what needed to be done.

    Do you think you'd be willing to relocate across country enduring the             same travel conditions as the Knights?

Cindy Ervin Huff, is a multi-published award-winning author in Historical and Contemporary Romance.  She’s a 2018 Selah Finalist. Cindy has a passion to encourage other writers on their journey. When she isn’t writing, she feeds her addiction to reading and enjoys her retirement with her husband of 50 plus years, Charles. Visit her at www.cindyervinhuff.com.