An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Hirte

by Friedrich Kluge

Hirte, masculine (a strictly High German form compared with the originally Low German Herde), ‘herdsman, shepherd, pastor,’ from Middle High German hirte, Old High German hirti; compare Old Low German hirdi, Anglo-Saxon hyrde (and heorde, connected with heord, ‘herd’), ‘herdsman,’ still found in English shepherd (sceâphyrde in Anglo-Saxon), Old Icelandic hirðer, Gothic haírdeis, masculine, ‘herdsman’; derived by the addition of ja- from Teutonic herdô-, ‘herd.’ Hence Hirte is originally ‘he that belongs to the herd.’ Another derivative is exhibited by Dutch and Middle Low German herder, masculine, Middle High German hërtœ̂re, ‘herdsman,’ literally ‘herder,’ whence Herder as a proper name. With this word Lithuanian kèrdżus, skèrdżus, ‘herdsman,’ is also connected?.