in the context of wandering, it does take on the connotation of "slur for Irish Travellers"--pretty sure that's not what you meant though.

Thanks. I was thinking mostly of the use of the word in Greer Gilman's Moonwise where he reminds me of a character of that name, definitely not any implication that Ruben Pick is Irish Traveller—he's as Jewish as most of the cast, both actor and role.