What is the origin of the word "hits" as in web results hits. I know
of the definitions of "hits" in common usage, but I am looking for the
origin or association of hits with result hits. The word is so
commonly used in presenting data, but I'm not sure why.

Hi ikkyu,

  Good day and thanks for your question. The word 'hit' is so often
used in presenting Internet statistics that almost all of us don't
really know why it was ever called 'hit' in the first place.

  In common terms, as you know, 'hit' means to come into contact or to
cause to come into contact (src: http://www.dictionary.com). When we
request files from a server (web page including graphics or some other
file), our computers 'come into contact' with the web server hosting
the file(s). A request for each file is termed a hit. A webpage with
10 graphic images counts as 11 hits (1 for the page and 10 for the
graphic files).

  Netlingo.com's glossary mentions : " "Hit," as a verb, can mean
"press down," as in, "Hit any key." "
[ http://www.netlingo.com/lookup.cfm?term=hit ]

  I hope this answers your question. In case you have a clarification,
then please don't hesitate to ask.

  Thank you for using this service and have a nice day.

Warm Regards,
Aditya.

I believe the word the term 'a hit' or 'hits' was used because it was
(and technically still is) a figure that represents the number of
calls made to a server requesting information.

When a page is called from the server by a browser, that is counted as
one hit. Any other calls then made from that page also count as hits -
each image on a page will have to be retreived, thus resulting in
another hit.

So an image laden page could result in several 10 or 100's or hits.
What most people conisder to be a hit these days is actually a page
view - one page which is called and displayed.

So the term 'hits' probably has no origin other than a creative
description of a server receiving a call.