My grandmother who grew up in White House, Tn. in the late 19th and early 20th used the phrase 'hash browns' to refer to a mix of potatoes, onions and smoked ham. Diced fine, but not quite minced. Made into patties approx 6" long and 3" wide. Drop them into an iron skillet in about 1/2" of bacon grease she kept in the fridge. When brown she'd remove them and place them on paper towels to soak up the excess oil. The potatoes were peeled before chopping...I know because that was MY job. They were always served w/scrambled eggs, bacon(crispy),toast and hominy grits(flavored w/salt and butter). Ketchup on the eggs and hash browns. Orange juice and coffee for the grown-ups, chocolate milk for the kids. Salt and pepper to taste. "Y'all come get chew sum breakfast"...

'home fries' referred to quartered and sliced potatoes(about 1/4" thick) w/sliced onions. Cooked in the same frying pan as the bacon, but w/t skins left on and no meat included and not formed into patties. Served w/t same as above, but home fries could be served w/lunch or dinner, but hash browns were reserved for breakfast, usually.

In later years she used a cheese grater to make her hash browns after watching a cook prepare them in a little greasey spoon called 'Victory Lunch' around the corner from her apartment.