An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Häring

by Friedrich Kluge

Häring, Hering, m., ‘herring,’ from the equiv. MidHG. hœ̂rinc (-ges), m., OHG. hâring, m.; comp. Du. haring, AS. hœ̂ring, m., E. herring; a specifically West Teut. word (in OIc. sild), whose â (œ̂) is also attested by Fris. dials. and by the ModHG. pronunciation with œ̂. The OHG., MidHG., and MidDu. variant hęring points to a connection with OHG. hęri, ‘army,’ and thus regards the fish as ‘one that comes in shoals,’ as Heerling, ‘small army.’ Whether the older form hâring (Anglo-Fris. hœ̂ring) is related to these cognates is uncertain. The Teut. word found its way into Rom. (Fr. hareng).