Why Are They Called Flea Markets?

Do these markets have anything to do with fleas?

You can probably find a flea market close to you where you can pick up any number of random items, but why are they called flea markets, and do they have anything to do with fleas?

The term appeared in an American newspaper as early as 1887, and the Oxford English Dictionary notes its usage from 1922. However, the origin of the term flea market, like so …