It is possible that it came from a Cherokee - word, �eankke', meaning �slave/coward', but it is far more likely to have come from the Dutch word �Janke', meaning �Johnnie'...(�J' in Dutch is pronounced like �Y' in English, so it sounds more like �Yanke' to British ears)...or even from 'Jan Kees', meaning 'John Cheese'. Apparently that was used as a term of abuse by Dutch settlers when referring to British ones in the early days of the USA. Basically, therefore, it probably just means �Johnnie'. If you click
here, a link will take you to a website that tells you absolutely everything you could ever hope to know about the word �Yank(ee)'!