[Ads-l] Media request: Why are bank locations called branches?

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

Dear ADS-L members,

Today I received a request from Public radio reporter Janet
Nguyen for insight as to why bank locations are called
branches, and with her permission I am sharing her message
with ads-l.

Would anyone be able to help on this?  Any thoughts would be
very gratefully received.

Gerald Cohen

P.S. Here are her two messages to me today:

Hi Professor Cohen,

This is Janet Nguyen, with Marketplace! I hope you have been doing
well since we last spoke for the piece I wrote on the origins
of the term check<https://www.marketplace.org/2022/08/05/check-please-but-wait-isnt-it-a-bill/> . I am reaching out to you because I am writing another
etymology-based piece, this time looking at why bank locations are
called branches and whether any other businesses use that term
 (of course, in politics, you have the judicial, legislative and executive
branches).

I was wondering if you have any insight into this, or know anyone who
would be able to help. This will be for a written piece on our website,
 set to be published this Friday. As always, any help would be greatly
 appreciated. Thank you so much.

Best,

Janet

[Brief follow up]:

 ...And to add one note: I know that other operations also use
the word branch, like libraries and the YMCA, so would love if
anyone can either comment on: 1) Why banks are called branches
2) Why any organization with a headquarters and separate locations
 call those non-headquarter locations branches.

Best,

Janet


------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org