# What is the history of potluck? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-history-of-potluck/212460 "2003-11-10T19:40:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![singersargent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@singersargent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singersargent)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-history-of-potluck/212460/1 "2003-11-10T19:40:12Z")
After compulsory participation in countless workplace potlucks I’d like to know What is the history of the potluck meal? When did potluck meals become so prevalent in the American workplace? One of my co-workers said that she thought having a potluck meal means just telling people to bring whatever they want & potluck does not include a minimal amount of meal planning, such as, “You bring an entree, you bring something from the vegetable group, you bring chips” etc. True or not true? ---
**Author:** ![That\_Insufferable\_Jerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/13edae/32.png) [@That\_Insufferable\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Insufferable_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-history-of-potluck/212460/2 "2003-11-10T20:24:25Z")
Potluck’s were started by Native Americans in the north-west as a form of social insurance. Basically I share my bounty with you if you’ll share your bounty with me. And, if you have a lot and I don’t you’ll still share it with me because you owe me for etc. The book “Non-zero” covers some of the basic theories of early commerce and insurance. It seems that spreading the risk around in the form of potlucks and other early forms of social insurance where one of the major factors in establishing societies and early Governments. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-history-of-potluck/212460/3 "2003-11-11T06:26:25Z")
Considering that the term occurs in English in 1592, it probably didn’t come from the early Native Americans in the Northwest. It _could_ have, but probably didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Insufferable\_Jerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/13edae/32.png) [@That\_Insufferable\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Insufferable_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-history-of-potluck/212460/4 "2003-11-11T15:27:41Z")
Main Entry: 1pot·latch Pronunciation: 'pät-"lach Function: noun Etymology: Chinook Jargon patlac, from Nootka paλpac Date: circa 1861 1 : a ceremonial feast of the American Indians of the northwest coast marked by the host’s lavish distribution of gifts or sometimes destruction of property to demonstrate wealth and generosity with the expectation of eventual reciprocation 2 Northwest : a social event or celebration From [M-W.com](http://M-W.com) Although, you bring up an Interesting point. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-history-of-potluck/212460/5 "2003-11-11T16:03:24Z")
**That Insufferable Jerk** , I’m not certain that “potluck” and “potlatch” are that closely related. A workplace “potluck” certainly doesn’t fit the first definition, as there is no host, and the second definition is general enough that it could include events not involving food. Also from [M-W.com](http://M-W.com): Main Entry: pot·luck Pronunciation: 'pät-'l&k, 1b also -"l&k Function: noun Date: 1592 1 a : the regular meal available to a guest for whom no special preparations have been made b : a communal meal to which people bring food to share – usually used attributively \ 2 : whatever is offered or available in given circumstances or at a given time I remember having potlucks at work in the late '80s, so they’ve been around at least that long. All of the ones I’ve been in involved minimal planning- every one did more or less bring what they wanted rather than being assigned a specific course, but a sign up sheet was passed around so that when people decided what they were bringing, they could see what was already covered. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-history-of-potluck/212460/6 "2003-11-11T17:57:07Z")
Whenever we have a potluck at work we get a signup sheet as well. It gets interesting because we have a pretty wide ethnic range - Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Burmese (!), Afghan, Romanian. (And I’m from Saskatchewan!) Some wimp out and bring chips or something like that, but usually half or more cook or buy something good. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-history-of-potluck/212460/7 "2003-11-11T18:27:14Z")
No cite for this, but I think “potluck” literally means “luck of the pot”. That is, you eat whatever happens to be “in the pot”; in the case of a potluck, whatever anyone happens to bring. Wait a minute. [Here’s a cite](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=potluck). > [@](#): > > \Pot"luck`, n. Whatever may chance to be in the pot, or may be provided for a meal. > > “A woman whose potluck was always to be relied on.” --G. Eliot. > > To take potluck, to take what food may chance to be provided. BTW, **rjk** : We’ll soon be neighbours! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![That\_Insufferable\_Jerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/13edae/32.png) [@That\_Insufferable\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Insufferable_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-history-of-potluck/212460/8 "2003-11-11T18:44:14Z")
Okay I’m wrong. Convergent evolution of a word, maybe?