what is the origin of the term tar heel
The word Tar Heel (or, Tarheel) is the nickname given to someone who is a native or resident of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State.The term allegedly comes from the Colonial Era in which tar was one of North Carolina's major products.arheel. tarheel is a term used to describe someone from North Carolina. The name originated in the civil war era when a union general remarked that the NC rebels must have tar on their heels because they stick to their lines and don't run no matter how intense the battle becomes.