The word luggage entered printed English in 1596. The word actually evolved from the word “lug” as in something that is carried or dragged about, denoting something larger in character used to carry articles of clothing and personal belongings when an individual is traveling. Shakespeare used the term in his writing as did Jonathan Swift. Luggage can be described as a single article or container to carry a traveler's belongings as well as a set of suitcases and bags belonging to one person. It can also refer to the conglomeration of bags and suitcases carried by a group of passengers such as those on a plane or using another form of transportation. Regardless of the usage, luggage has been around for a long time and has changed in many ways over the years.



Traditional luggage was usually in the form of a trunk or large box. These “steamer” trunks were typically used for long journeys, often by sea, whereby the traveler would be relocating for a significant amount of time and would need, not only to bring a substantial amount of their belongings, but would need a guarantee that these belongings would remain safe, dry and secure over the course of a long journey. Trunks were typically made of wood or metal.

The passenger his or herself would not normally be responsible for the transport or placement of their trunk or chest, as many passengers are today. Rather the responsibility of handling the luggage would fall to a porter or other person designated as a luggage handler on a given trip. This falls back on the etymology of the word itself. The first part of the word, lug, indicates the attempt to move or relocate something that is large, heavy or cumbersome. Surely, a well-to-do passenger would not be responsible for such strenuous activity on their own.

Passengers who traveled in this time period and were able to afford the type of luggage and assistance referenced above, also would have booked their trip in a certain way. Most passengers would have book their ship passage Port out and Starboard home. The reason for this particular combination is that at this time it was fashionable to remain pale in skin tone as such a skin tone indicated aristocracy. Port out Starboard home bookings allowed passengers the least exposure to the sun, and also is the etymological background for the word posh.