how did the 'flea market' get its name?

Answer 1

It was taken from flea infested clothes sold at a fair in France (go figure) in the 17th century.

Answer 2

The original "flea market" was (and still is) in Paris France, it is called "Marche au Puces", which translates to "flea market" in English. I guess back in the old days, if you shopped there, mostly everything for sale was nasty and flea infested

Answer 3

From the original flea market, where flea-infested clothing and rags were sold:

"The original flea market is likely to be the Marché aux puces of Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis, in the northern suburbs of Paris, a large, long-established outdoor bazaar, one of four in Paris, that earned their name from the flea-infested clothing and rags sold there. From the late 17th century, the makeshift open-air market in the town of Saint-Ouen began as temporary stalls and benches among the fields and market gardens where ragpickers exchanged their findings for a small sum. In modern days, the largest "flea market" for antiques is still that at Saint-Ouen."

Answer 4

prob in the olden days it had a bunch of poor little old people with fleas shopping at it

Answer 5

It used to be called "free market" and they changed its name because they wasn't making any money.

Answer 6

it used to be farms and the fleas where on the livestock

Answer 7

from the size of the pride of it's attendents