Soho as we know it today is a buzzing entertainment district in central London and its name has been used for similar areas in other major cities worldwide.
But the origins of the name probably had nothing to do with pubs, bars, theatres or any kind of nightlife as we know it today.
The area was a royal park during the Tudor times and would likely have been used as a hunting ground.
In the 17th century, ‘Soho’ was used as a hunting cry and the Oxford English Dictionary states the origin of the modern word “probably” came from those hunts.
So, what's the history?
The first time Soho appears in the English language as a place, according to British History Online, was 1636, when it headed a list of ratepayers.
Soho was the name for a house or group of houses covering the rough area between Wardour Street and Bourchier Street.
While Manhattan in New York has an area with the same name, their Soho simply stands for South of Houston Street.
Soho has also been reused in Hong Kong.
