An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Hirte

by Friedrich Kluge

Hirte, m. (a strictly HG. form compared with the orig. LG. Herde), ‘herdsman, shepherd, pastor,’ from MidHG. hirte, OHG. hirti; comp. OLG. hirdi, AS. hyrde (and heorde, connected with heord, ‘herd’), ‘herdsman,’ still found in E. shepherd (sceâphyrde in AS.), OIc. hirðer, Goth. haírdeis, m., ‘herdsman’; derived by the addition of ja- from Teut. herdô-, ‘herd.’ Hence Hirte is orig. ‘he that belongs to the herd.’ Another derivative is exhibited by Du. and MidLG. herder, m., MidHG. hërtœ̂re, ‘herdsman,’ lit. ‘herder,’ whence Herder as a proper name. With this word Lith. kèrdżus, skèrdżus, ‘herdsman,’ is also connected?.