köken: Inherited from Old French heraut, from Frankish *heriwald, from *heri (“army”) + *wald (“reigning; ruling”) from Proto-Germanic *harjawaldaz, a compound consisting of Proto-Indo-European *ker- (“army”) + *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”). Compare Walter, which has these elements reversed. Doublet of faraud.
köken: From Old Swedish härold, from Old French herault (modern French héraut), from Frankish *heriwald, from Proto-Germanic *harjawaldaz (see Harald and Proto-Germanic *Harjawaldaz), a compound consisting of Proto-Indo-European *ker- (“army”) + *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”).