A Conversation for The History of the London Black Taxi Trade

Hackney and Taxi

Post 1

Captain_SpankMunki [Keeper & Former ACE] Thanking <Diety of choice> for the joy of Goo.

Are you sure about the roots of these two names?
Hackney has been a london borough for a long time - I'm not too sure about this one but I thought I would ask.
I am 99% sure about taxi though
Taxidi is the Greek for journey. Which would make taximetre a journey meter rather than a fare meter. Isn't it great when we can join Latin and Greek names together?!


Hackney and Taxi

Post 2


Hello, Liam smiley - smiley

I've just done some checking...

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, supports the all-Latin derivation of 'taximeter' as 'fare-meter', according to the dictionary.com entry on 'taximeter'.

smiley - tea

Now, the same website lists BOTH etymologies for 'Hackney':

from The American Heritage® Dictionary: [Middle English hakenei, probably after Hakenei, Hackney, a borough of London, England, where such horses were raised.]

and from Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary: [OE. haceney, hacenay; cf. F. haquen['e]e a pacing horse, an ambling nag, OF. also haquen['e]e, Sp. hacanea, OSp. facanea, D. hakkenei, also OF. haque horse, Sp. haca, OSp. faca; perh akin to E. hack to cut, and orig. meaning, a jolting horse. Cf. Hack a horse, Nag.]

The second derivation goes back to Old English, and the first only goes back to Middle English, but not being a linguist, I don't know if that's any way to judge these things. Where did the borough Hackney get its name?

Thanks for raising the issue, anyway. It looks like the etymology isn't quite as clear-cut as it seemed at first.

smiley - cheers

Hackney and Taxi

Post 3


Hello again,

Sorry for the late reply.

The OED tenth edition gives taximeter as fare-meter but supports a Greek derivation of meter.

The OED gives:
ME: prob. from Hackney in East London, where horses where pastured.

OE is up to 1150 and ME from 1150 to 1470.

One source gives:

Hackney: 12th Century. Derivation doubtful. Either from the Saxon "Haccan", referring to a battle, and "ey" meaning a river, or that it refers to a well watered land belonging to a Saxon chief named Haca.

Hackney marshes are a expanse of open space which is now covered in football pitches.

I'm as much in the dark now as you are smiley - smiley


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