A young rough, a “larrikin.” Several suggestions have been put forward as to the origin of the word. Most probably it originated in a printer’s error. (See Bartlett.) A newspaper man in San Francisco called a gang of street arabs Noodlums, reversing the name of their leader, Muldoon, and the type-setter took the n for a h.
1872. All the boys to be trained as … polite loafers, street-hounds, hoodlums, and bummers.—Sacramento Weekly Union, Feb. 24 (Farmer).
1876. Three hoodlums in San Francisco were convicted on a charge of stealing beer…. The friends of the hoodlums came forward and liquidated the damage.—N.Y. Tribune, Nov. 7 (Bartlett).
1877. The outrages seem to have been committed by unorganized gangs of vicious hoodlums.—Telegram from San Francisco, July 25 (Bartlett).
1877. You at the East have but little idea of the hoodlums of [San Francisco]. They compose a class of criminals of both sexes;… travel in gangs; and are ready at any moment for the perpetration of any crime.—Corr. Boston Journal, Aug. (Century Dict.)
1878. This suggests the “hoodlum,” or young rough, which San Francisco has in fearful abundance.—J. H. Beadle, ‘Western Wilds,’ p. 114.
1888. They were met by three young hoodlums, who jostled against the young lady.—Missouri Republican, April 1 (Farmer).
