If you were born in Indiana, you’ve always known you’re a Hoosier, but few people from the Hoosier state know were this unique nickname originates. Part of the reason for this is that there is no single agreed upon explanation but rather a series of theories that all build up the story around why we call ourselves by this interesting label. Check it out:

1. The first and possibly most popular theory as to why we're called Hoosiers is because a man named Samuel Hoosier, who was contracted to built a canal along the Ohio River in the 1820s, preferred to hire men from Indiana. These men were called "Hoosier's Men," which was eventually shortened to Hoosiers.
Flickr/William Alden
2. A fun theory is that when surveyors mapped the state, they called out, "who's here," many times. It was eventually shortened to "hooshere" and then Hoosier.
Wikimedia Commons/Travisarch
3. A more likely theory is that our Hoosier state heritage comes from immigrants who settled in this region from an ancient part of England. They were nicknamed "hoozer" from the Old English word "hoo" that means "hill" or anything very big. You can see how that got turned into our current tag.
Good Free Photos
4. Further, Indiana Governor Joseph Wright believed that the nicknamed was derived from a Native American slang term for corn known as "hosa." The term was used by men who would take the maize to New Orleans by boat, and they were called "hoosa men" and eventually Hoosiers.
Wikimedia Commons/Huw Williams

Related Stories

The Hidden Nature Park In Indiana With Its Very Own Springs, Two Caves, And So Much More

The Hidden Nature Park In Indiana With Its Very Own Springs, Two Caves, And So Much More

 In 2020, Indiana's Governor Holcomb Declared That 1 Million Trees Would Be Planted In 5 Years. We Did It Early.

In 2020, Indiana's Governor Holcomb Declared That 1 Million Trees Would Be Planted In 5 Years. We Did It Early.

 Trade Boots For Paddles On The Legendary 9 Lakes Challenge At Indiana's Chain O'Lakes State Park

Trade Boots For Paddles On The Legendary 9 Lakes Challenge At Indiana's Chain O'Lakes State Park
5. "The Hoosier Poet," James Whitcomb Riley claimed that the term originated in taverns and is due to the rough and tough nature of early Indiana settlers. The morning after a bar fight, body parts would be left lying around and someone would ask, "whose ear?" This, of course, supposedly became Hoosier.
Flickr/The Library of Congress
6. Another poet also saw the term as a symbol of the residents' poor character, and he wrote a poem called "The Hoosier's Nest" to depict it. Like many nicknames though, it began as a form of ridicule and has since been adopted as a term of pride.
Wikimedia Common/_Charles F. Price
"The stranger stooped to enter in -
The entranced closing with a pin -
And manifested strong desire
To seat him by the log-heap fire,
Where half-a-dozen Hoosieroons,
With mush-and-milk, tin-cups, and spoons,
White heads, bare feet, and dirty faces,
Seemed much inclined to keep their places."
Excerpt from "The Hoosier's Nest" by John Finley
Click here to read this poem in its entirety.
7. In addition to these theories, the term Hoosier appears numerous times in many recorded documents throughout Indiana's early history beginning shortly after it became a state in 1816.
Flickr/Dottie Day
8. Additionally, newspapers in and out of state have been referring to people from Indiana as Hoosiers as early as 1832. It didn't take long before everyone knew that this Midwest territory was the Hoosier state.
Flickr/Doug Tammany

If you’re really a Hoosier, check out these foods you’ll probably miss if you ever leave the state.

Do you have any other theories as to why we’re the Hoosier state? If so, please share them with us below in the comments.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles