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The delete/rubout key on many old terminals had an X on it. Like this: http://www.cosam.org/images/vt220/keyboard.jpg

The backspace key on my Lenovo keyboard is identical. And if I remember correctly, it was the same key on an electrical typewriter I used in the 90s.

On typewriters you would backspace and then overtype an X. Those keyboards tend to just use the word "backspace" or a back arrow symbol.

So typewriters use this symbol when they automate the overstrike or they moved to correction tape.

So that's where they took that Backspace icon on smartphone keyboards from...