What's the history of the word "Bank"?

Answer 1

The word bank comes from the early modern English banke, from French banque, an adaptation of Italian banca feminine, "used side by side," and in same sense, with banco masculine; adaptation of Teutonic bank, banc, "bench."

Lots more info on Banks if you click on that link.

Answer 2

Bank comes from the name of the chair that Middle Age merchants used to sit to do monetary transactions. Kind of a early, simple version of modern banks. They loaned charging interests. Saved other people's money giving them interest.

When one of this merchants couldn't pay debts, they broke the chair, originating the term "bankruptcy"

This people were called bankers: people of the bank

Answer 3

Go with Gerardo. He got it right, that's exactly what I learned in High School.