<P> One suggestion is that the phrase "going Dutch" originates from the concept of a Dutch door . Previously on farmhouses this consisted of two equal parts (Sullivan 2010). Note that a Dutch door is also called a "split" door . </P> <P> The Oxford English Dictionary connects "go Dutch" with "Dutch treat" and other phrases many of which have "an opprobrious or derisive application, largely due to the rivalry and enmity between the English and Dutch in the 17th century," the period of the Anglo - Dutch Wars . Another example is "Dutch courage". </P> <P> The gambling term "dutching" may be related to "go Dutch", as it describes a system that shares stakes across a number of bets . It is commonly believed, however, that the Dutch reference here was in fact derived from a gangster, Dutch Schultz, who used this strategy to profit from racing . </P> <P> Also the concept may have originated from Double Dutch, the jump rope variation in which partners simultaneously participate . </P>

Where did the phrase going dutch come from