homeplace
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "homeplace" means the family’s house or farm - especially the one you grew up in. Folks talk about "the old homeplace" as the spot where their people lived, worked, and made memories.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
My Dad's always referred to the house he was born in to 'the old homeplace.' It's mostly an old timer term nowadays. Pronunciation
[HOME-place]
Meaning & Usage
- The family’s house or farm (noun)
Mae:
Where’s your people from?
Where’s your people from?
Earl:
Down at the homeplace by the river.
Down at the homeplace by the river.- The childhood or ancestral home (noun, nostalgic use)
Mae:
We tore down the barn at the old homeplace.
We tore down the barn at the old homeplace.
Earl:
Shame - that’s where Papaw taught me to whittle.
Shame - that’s where Papaw taught me to whittle.other spellings: the house, family place, family farm, old place, the old homeplace, the home place, and home place farm
★ "The old homeplace" is more than a house - it’s a symbol of family roots, land, and memory. Even after folks move away, they’ll still point to the homeplace as *where they’re from.* ★
Origin
From the plain words "home" and "place," combined into a fixed phrase in Appalachian and Southern talk. It became the natural way to name the family’s house or farmstead, especially the one passed down through generations.
Notes
Still heard widely in the South and Appalachia, especially among older speakers. It carries a strong sense of nostalgia and belonging, tying people back to their family land and kin.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "home-place." Usually with emphasis on "home."