Etymology Map
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Buckaroo

3 stages from Spanish to English.

Today it means a cowboy

Where does the word "buckaroo" come from? It comes from Spanish vaquero, passing through Mexican Spanish before entering English (1820s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
vaquero
Spanish · 1500s
"cowherd"
a cowherd, from 'vaca', cow
2
Stage 2 of 3
vaquero
Mexican Spanish · 1700s
"cowboy"
the skilled horsemen of Mexican ranches who taught American cowboys their trade
3
Stage 3 of 3
buckaroo
American English · 1820s
"cowboy"
an Anglicized form of 'vaquero'
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Read the full story

Buckaroo’s story begins in Spanish: vaquero meant “cowherd.” A cowherd, from 'vaca', cow. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in Mexican Spanish as vaquero. The skilled horsemen of Mexican ranches who taught American cowboys their trade. It reached English by 1820s as buckaroo. An Anglicized form of 'vaquero'. Today, buckaroo means a cowboy.