An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Zopf
Zopf, m. ‘(long) plait of hair, pigtail, cue, tuft,’ from MidHG. and OHG. zopf, m., ‘end, peak, cue.’ Corresponding to LG. topp, Du. top, ‘end, peak,’ AS. and E. top (MidE. variant tuft), OIc. toppr, ‘tuft of hair,’ OFris. top, ‘tuft,’ Swed. topp, Dan. top, ‘point, end, cue.’ A common Teut. word, by chance not recorded in Goth. The lit. meaning seems to be ‘projecting end’; hence Zopf orig. ‘points of the hair when tied together’ (comp. Zapfen and Topp). The value attached even in the Middle Ages to long plaits of hair as an element of female beauty is attested especially by the fact that the Swab. and Aleman. women when taking an oath held their plaits in their hands. Among the Teutons, to cut a person's hair was to brand him with infamy. From Teut. are derived the Romance cognates, OFr. top, ‘tuft of hair,’ Span. tope, ‘end,’ Ital. toppo, ModFr. toupet, ‘tuft, lock of hair.’ No cognate terms are found in the non-Teut. languages.