Etymology Map
Back to all words

Stetson

2 stages from American English to English.

Today it means a wide-brimmed, high-crowned hat associated with cowboys

Where does the word "stetson" come from? It comes from American English Stetson, adopted directly into English (1900s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
Stetson
American English · 1865
"a hat brand"
John B. Stetson, a New Jersey hatter's son, went west for his health and in 1865 launched the wide-brimmed 'Boss of the Plains' from a Philadelphia workshop
2
Stage 2 of 2
stetson
English · 1900s
"cowboy hat"
came to mean any cowboy hat; Western film stars of the 1920s such as Tom Mix made it iconic
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Stetson’s story begins in American English: Stetson meant “a hat brand.” John B. Stetson, a New Jersey hatter's son, went west for his health and in 1865 launched the wide-brimmed 'Boss of the Plains' from a Philadelphia workshop. It reached English by 1900s as stetson. Came to mean any cowboy hat; Western film stars of the 1920s such as Tom Mix made it iconic. Today, stetson means a wide-brimmed, high-crowned hat associated with cowboys.