Honky is a derogatory term for whites, what are it's roots and why is it used?

Answer 1

Honky in the sense 'a white person' is almost certainly a pronunciation variant of hunky, an earlier derisive term meaning 'a person of Central or Eastern European ancestry'. Hunky was also used by blacks to mean 'a white person', thus supporting the likelihood that honky is just a variant, rather than an entirely unrelated word.

This hunky, which is first attested around the turn of the century, is probably from Hung(arian), perhaps influenced by hunk in the sense 'a heavy-set, dull fellow'.

There are isolated Black English examples of both honky and hunky in the sense 'white person' from the mid 1940s, but honky does not become common until the late 1960s.

Answer 2

Honky, when used as a pejoritive meaning white, was first used in 1967 by black militants within SNCC seeking a rebuttal for the term N-.

They settled on a familiar word they felt was disparaging to certain Americans of European descent; hunkie meaning an American of Slavic or Hungarian descent.

The word "honky" as a pejorative for caucasians comes from "bohunk" and "hunky". In the early 1900's, these were derogatory terms for Bohemian, Hungarian, and Polish immigrants.

According to Robert Hendrickson, author of the Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, African-American workers in Chicago meat-packing plants picked up the term from white workers and began applying it indiscriminately to all Caucasians.

Answer 3

Honky, when used as a pejorative meaning white, was first used in 1967 by black militants within SNCC seeking a rebuttal for the term N-.

They settled on a familiar word they felt was disparaging to certain Americans of European descent; hunkie meaning an American of Slavic or Hungarian descent.

The word "honky" as a pejorative for Caucasians comes from "bohunk" and "hunky". In the early 1900's, these were derogatory terms for Bohemian, Hungarian, and Polish immigrants.

According to Robert Hendrickson, author of the Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, African-American workers in Chicago meat-packing plants picked up the term from white workers and began applying it indiscriminately to all Caucasians.

Answer 4

Honky, when used as a pejoritive meaning white, was first used in 1967 by black militants within SNCC seeking a rebuttal for the term ******. They settled on a familiar word they felt was disparaging to certain Americans of European descent; hunkie meaning an American of Slavic or Hungarian descent.[1][2]


The word "honky" as a pejorative for caucasians comes from "bohunk" and "hunky". In the early 1900's, these were derogatory terms for Bohemian, Hungarian, and Polish immigrants. According to Robert Hendrickson, author of the Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, African-American workers in Chicago meat-packing plants picked up the term from white workers and began applying it indiscriminately to all Caucasians.

Answer 5

Actually, there are no derogatory term for whites. But blacks came up with this to mock the way we annunicate our words. To some it sounds as if we are 'honking'. You ever see a black comic try to mock a white persone with that 'honky' voice? That's where it comes from.

Others will tell you 'honking' is the last thing that a black person hears before a white runs him over with his car, but that's just a crass joke.

Answer 6

I think it has to do with the term Honky Tonk, which is all about country music, and it's mostly white, country folk who listen to that and used to go to "Honky-Tonk" bars. That's just my theory. I used to get called a Honky when I was a kid and I hated it.

Answer 7

It is my understanding from a southern lady who is in her 90's that the term started when White men would drive up to a black female residence and honk the horn for them to come out and accompany them to some private undisclosed location. This term was actually used in the early 1900's

Answer 8

Way back when 1920's the white men would drive around and honk their hors at the pretty black women..........thus the term HONKY

Answer 9

When rich white folks used to drive through a poor area,usually ***** populated,they would honk their car horn to clear the way or "Look at me I'm rich".Origin 20's-30's America.

Answer 10

It all came from this joke.... A Black boy and a White boy were sitting at the play ground when the Black kid says.. My dads caddillac horn sounds like this "HONKEY, HONKEY" and the little White boy says "Oh yeah, well my Dads got a chain saw when he starts it up it sounds like this runnigganigga, runnigganigga.