The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Hotchpot \Hotch"pot`\, Hotchpotch \Hotch"potch`\, n. [F.
   hochepot, fr. hocher to shake + pot pot; both of Dutch or
   German origin; cf. OD. hutspot hotchpotch, D. hotsen, hutsen,
   to shake. See Hustle, and Pot, and cf. Hodgepodge.]
   1. A mingled mass; a confused mixture; a stew of various
      ingredients; a hodgepodge.
      [1913 Webster]

            A mixture or hotchpotch of many tastes. --Bacon.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Law) A blending of property for equality of division, as
      when lands given in frank-marriage to one daughter were,
      after the death of the ancestor, blended with the lands
      descending to her and to her sisters from the same
      ancestor, and then divided in equal portions among all the
      daughters. In modern usage, a mixing together, or throwing
      into a common mass or stock, of the estate left by a
      person deceased and the amounts advanced to any particular
      child or children, for the purpose of a more equal
      division, or of equalizing the shares of all the children;
      the property advanced being accounted for at its value
      when given. --Bouvier. Tomlins.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: This term has been applied in cases of salvage. Story.
         It corresponds in a measure with collation in the civil
         and Scotch law. See Collation. --Bouvier. Tomlins.
         [1913 Webster]

Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

HOTCHPOT, estates. This homely term is used figuratively to signify the
blending and mixing property belonging to different persons, in order to
divide it equally among those entitled to it. For example, if a man seised
of thirty acres of land, and having two children, should, on the marriage of
one of them, give him ten acres of it, and then die intestate seised of the
remaining twenty; now, in order to obtain his portion of the latter, the
married child, must bring back the ten acres he received, and add it to his
father's estate, when an equal division of the whole will take place, and
each be entitled to fifteen acres. 2 Bl. Com. 190. The term hotchpot is also
applied to bringing together all the personal estate of the deceased, with
the advancements he has made to his children, in order that the same may be
divided agreeably to the provisions of the statute for the distribution of
intestate's estates. In bringing an advancement into hotchpot, the donee is
not required to account for the profits of the thing given; for example, he
is not required to bring into hotchpot the produce of negroes, nor the
interest of money. The property must be accounted for at its value when
given. 1 Wash. R. 224; 17 Mass. 358; 2 Desaus. 127.; 3 Rand. R. 117; 3 Pick.
R. 450; 3 Rand. 559; Coop. Justin. 575.
     2. In Louisiana the term collation is used instead of hotchpot. The
collation of goods is the supposed or real return to the mass of the
succession, which an heir makes of property which he received in advance of
his share or otherwise, in order that such property maybe divided, together
with the other effects of the succession. Civ. Code of Lo. art. 1305; and
vide from that article to article 1367. Vide, generally, Bac. Ab.
Coparceners, E; Bac. Ab. Executors, &c., K; Com. Dig. Guardian, G 2,
Parcener, C 4; 8 Com. Dig. App. tit. Distribution, Statute of, III. For the
French law, see Merl. Repert. mots Rapport a succession.