Mid 19th century; earliest use found in The New Monthly Magazine. From German Wirtschaft, †Wirthschaft small pub, household, housekeeping, economy, cognate with or formed similarly to Middle Dutch wertscap, waertscap, etc. activity of a host, banquet, meal (Dutch waardschap visit, banquet), Old Saxon werdskepi hospitality, meal (Middle Low German werschap, wertschap hospitality, banquet, festivity) from the Germanic base of Old High German wirt + the Germanic base of -ship.