A Jayhawk is a term that has multiple meanings and origins. Here are some of the most relevant ones:
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Kansas Jayhawks: The Kansas Jayhawks is the name of the athletic teams of the University of Kansas. The term "Jayhawk" was probably coined around 1848 and combines two birds: the blue jay and the sparrow hawk. During the 1850s, the Kansas Territory was filled with Jayhawks, which were people who fought for a free state. The opposing factions looted, sacked, rustled cattle, stole horses, and otherwise attacked each others settlements. For a time, ruffians on both sides were called Jayhawkers. But the name stuck to the "free staters" when Kansas was admitted as a free state in 1861. During the Civil War, the Jayhawks ruffian image gave way to a patriotic symbol. Kansas Governor Charles Robinson raised a regiment called the Independent Mounted Kansas Jayhawks. By wars end, Jayhawks were synonymous with the impassioned people who made Kansas a Free State. In 1886, the Jayhawk appeared in a cheer–the famous Rock Chalk Chant. And when KU football players first took the field in 1890, it seemed only natural to call them Jayhawkers.
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Jayhawk (mascot): The Jayhawk is also the mascot of many schools and their sports teams, derived from the term Jayhawker. The Jayhawk mascot of the University of Kansas is a bird with a blue body, a red head, and a yellow beak. The current design of the Jayhawk was created in 1941 by Gene "Yogi" Williams and featured opened eyes and beak, which gave the Jayhawk a more aggressive look.
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Other uses: The term Jayhawk may also refer to other things, such as a supersonic target drone produced by Raytheon for the US Navy, a twin-engine jet trainer used by the US Air Force, a canceled Intel microprocessor, and several schools and their sports teams across the United States.
