Etymology Dictionary

BAND (1), BOND,  a fastening, ligature.  (E.)   M.E. bond, band, Prompt. Parv. p. 43; Ormulum, 19821.—A.S. bend, a modification of band, Mat. xi. 22. + O. Friesic band (which shews the true form). + Du. band, a bond, tie. + Icel. and Swed. band. + Dan. baand. + Goth. bandi. + G. band; O.H.G. pant. + Skt. bandha, a binding, tie, fetter; from Skt. bhand, to bind.   See Bind.   Der. band-age, band-box.   But quite unconnected with bondage, q.v.

BAND (2),  a company of men.  (F.,—G.)   Not found in this sense in M.E.   Shak. has:  'the sergeant of the band;' Com. of Errors, iv. 3. 30; also banding as a pres. pt., I Hen. VI, iii. 1. 81.—F. 'bande, a band; also, a band, a company of soldiers, a troop, or crue;' Cot.—G. bande, a gang, set, band.—G. binden, to bind.   See Bind.   Der. band, vb.; band-ed, band-ing, band-master; and see bandy.   ¶ Thus band, a bond, and band, a company, are ultimately the same, though the one is E., and the other F. from G.