Where does “r’coon” come from?

r’coon (English) comes from English raccoon, from English arocoun, from Powhatan ärähkun, from Powhatan ärähkuněm — he scratches with his hands.

Ancestry of “r’coon”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishraccoonA nocturnal omnivore native to North America,...
2Englisharocoun—
3Powhatanärähkun—
4Powhatanärähkuněmhe scratches with his hands
Every word from Powhatan ärähkuněm →Every word from Powhatan ärähkun →Every word from English arocoun →