An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Herde

by Friedrich Kluge

Herde, f., ‘herd, flock, drove,’ from the equiv. MidHG. hërte, hërt, OHG. hërta, f.; the common Teut. word for ‘herd’; Du. herde (obsolete, see Hirte; kudde, f., is used instead, see Kette), AS. heord, f., E. herd, OIc. hjǫrð, f., Goth. haírda, f., ‘herd.’ The Teut. type herdô (the d of the ModHG. form, compared with OHG. t, is due to LG. influence), from pre-Teut. kerdhâ; comp. OInd. çárdhas, n., çárdha-s, m.,. ‘troop’; also OSlov. črĕda, f., ‘herd’?. See Hirte.