Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a Dutchman.

1613		Dekker A Strange Horse-Race in Grosart Works (1885) 334: His name Hans-thrift (a Dutchman).
c.1632		R. Brome A Novella III i: This Hans has snapt her; / The Dutch man carries her from your great claime.
1643		J. Howell Familiar Letters (1737) II 1 Dec. 349: I believe it cannot much benefit Hans, to have the French so contiguous to him.
1652		Laughing Mercury 6-12 Oct. 115: If that will not bring Luck, Hans may ene draw his Sluices.
a.1661		‘A Medley’ in Rump Poems and Songs (1662) i 260: Hans, Hans, think upon thy sins, / And then submit to Spain thy Master; / For though now you look like Friends, / Yet he will never trust you after; / Drink, drink, give the Dutchman drink.

2. a German.

1632		J. Howell Familiar Letters (1737) I 20 Oct. 237: I [...] send your Lordship what followeth touching this great Hans-Town [...] The old Hans had extraordinary Immunities give them by our Henry III.
1898		Binstead & Wells A Pink ’Un and a Pelican 120: As the committee to an odd ’un were distinctly of opinion that writ-serving was extremely ungentlemanly, Hans went out!
1899		H.E. Hamblen Yarn of Bucko Mate 108: A big German sailor, bleeding profusely from a cut across the face, [...] stooped out of sight, and reappeared holding a woman by the ankles. She was screaming horribly, but Hans paid no attention.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 27 Oct. 12/3: But Faust was a German, and Germans do seem rather milk-and-water in their courting days. / Scribe once knew a slim ‘Hans’ of 22 who worshipped at the shrine of a fat Fraulein much older than himself. He always began his love-letters ‘Thou pure and tender child!’ though she made no pretence of being a spring chicken.
1919		E. Dyson ‘Mickie Mollynoo’ in ‘Hello, Soldier!’ 43: I’m roughin’ it all-in with Hans. He sock me such a bat.