Where does the term "toe head" come from?

Question

Everyone calls my daughter a toe head. I know what it means, but where does the term come from? What does having white hair have to do with toes?

Answer 1

It's 'tow head' - 'tow' being derived from an older German word for flax or straw. Essentially it means having hair the color of straw (light yellow).

Answer 2

Toe Head

Answer 3

It's not "toe head" but "tow head." Tow is a coarse, short hemp or flax fiber that has been prepared for spinning--and, of course, as one might well imagine, is pale yellow in color.

Answer 4

I never heard that expression before. On Thanksgiving my husband's aunt was talking about her son who now has very dark hair. She was saying on how he was a toe head when he was younger. Of course we thought she was making up a saying but I guess not.

Answer 5

I don't know the answer to your question but I believe it is towhead, not toe head.

Answer 6

It's TOW head - not toe.

This is a US phrase and the reference to is to 'tow', which is the light-colored fiber of flax, hemp, or jute. 'Tow-headed' is having tousled blond hair. This dates back to the19th century.

Answer 7

It's for people who have really blonde hair. it has nothing to do with toes...

Answer 8

The expression is "towhead", not "toe head" LOL!

"NOUN:

A head of white-blond hair resembling tow.
A person with such hair. "

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/towhead

tow [ tō ] noun
fibers: fibers of flax, hemp, or jute, or of a synthetic material such as rayon [ Old English tow- < Germanic]

http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861721133/tow.html

Answer 9

it's towhead.
not based or related to the word toe.

Answer 10

I never heard of it but I would guess it comes off the word
"camel toe" I beleave it means intercourse. But I could be wrong.