Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Anna Jameson (1794–1860), writer and art historian. From North American French ciscaouète, ciscaouette, siskawette, apparently from Ojibwe pemitewiskawet, lit. ‘fish which has oily flesh’ from pimitew-, combining form of pimite oil + -iskawe (of a fish) to have (such flesh) + -t animate singular participle ending (causing vowel change in the first syllable).