Is a younker a person or a place?

There may be someplace in the world named Younkers (Yonkers, New York, is just one letter away!), but the word younker refers to a person within a particular age group.

A younker is a young person, usually designating a male. At one time, mention of a younker meant reference to a gentleman or youthful noble.

Younkers pop up in literature, such as in Vanity Fair:

Then he said, "It's not respectful, sir, of you younkers to be imitating of your relations."

And, in Treasure Island:


Oliver Twist qualifies as a younker in Charles Dickens' classic book:

". . . Sit down by the fire, younker, and rest yourself; for you'll have to go out with us again to-night, though not very far off."