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MEANING

 

The proverb every herring must hang by its own gill (also head, neck, tail) means: everyone is accountable for their own actions.

—Other phrases containing the noun herring:
– red herring;
– (as) thick as herrings;
– like herrings in a barrel.

 

ORIGIN

 

What the proverb every herring must hang by its own gill exactly refers to is unclear. There have been at least three explanations:

—First explanation: The following is from Mona Miscellany: A Selection of Proverbs, Sayings, Ballads, Customs, Superstitions, and Legends, peculiar to the Isle of Man (Douglas (Isle of Man): Printed for the Manx Society, 1869), edited by William Harrison [s.v. The Herring: page 18]:

Herrings are caught by the gills in the meshes of the net, with all their heads hanging in the same direction, hence—
“Every herring must hang by his own gill.”
This is like the saying, “Every tub must stand on its own bottom.”

—Second explanation: According to the 6^th edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford University Press, 2015), edited by Jennifer Speake, the proverb perhaps refers to herrings being hung to be smoked [s.v. Every herring must hang by its own gill: page unnumbered].

—Third explanation: The following is from One Way in which we Don’t Ration Food, by A. A. Dickson, published in the Belfast Telegraph (Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland) of Friday 24^th January 1941 [page 6, column 5]:

Fish […] have made their contribution to our Ulster speech, particularly round about Ardglass and Kilkeel, where many get their living from the sea. For instance, when up for sale, the fish are usually strung together on a small wire hoop, pierced through their heads. This custom has given rise to: “Every herring must hang by its own head”; in other words, when several people are at fault, all should take an equal chance of punishment.

Although it seems to me that A. A. Dickson misinterpreted the proverb when he wrote “in other words, when several people are at fault, all should take an equal chance of punishment”, I agree that the proverb may refer to herrings being hung “when up for sale”—that is to say, that every piece of merchandise must sell on its own merits.

 

EARLY OCCURRENCES

 

These are, in chronological order, the earliest occurrences of the proverb every herring must hang by its own gill (also head, neck, tail) that I have found:

1-: From Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina in usum Scholarum concinnata. Or Proverbs English, and Latine, methodically disposed according to the Common-place heads, in Erasmus his Adages (London: Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Robert Mylbourne, 1639), by John Clarke (died 1658) [s.v. Aliena curentis: page 20]:

Every herring must hang by th’owne gill.

2-: From A Collection of English Proverbs Digested into a convenient Method for the speedy finding any one upon occasion; with Short Annotations. Whereunto are added Local Proverbs with their Explications, Old Proverbial Rhythmes, Less known or Exotick Proverbial Sentences, and Scottish Proverbs (Cambridge: Printed by John Hayes, Printer to the University, for W. Morden, 1670), by the English naturalist and theologian John Ray (1627-1705) [s.v. Proverbial Sentences. H.: page 102]:

34. Every herring must hang by its own gill.
34. Every tub must stand upon its own bottom. Every man must give an account for himself.

3-: From Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina: Or, English and Latin Proverbs, and Proverbial Sentences and Sayings matched together: In a Collection of them made, out of Plautus, Petronius, Terentius, Horatius, and other Authors (London: Printed for R. Royston, 1672), by the English schoolmaster and author William Walker (1623-1684) [s.v. Adagia Petroniana: page 23] :

32 Every herring must hang by its own neck; gill.

4-: From A Collection of English Proverbs Digested into a convenient Method for the speedy finding any one upon occasion; with Short Annotations. Whereunto are added Local Proverbs with their Explications, Old Proverbial Rhythmes, Less known or Exotick Proverbial Sentences, and Scottish Proverbs (Cambridge: Printed by John Hayes, Printer to the University, for W. Morden, 1678), by the English naturalist and theologian John Ray (1627-1705) [s.v. Proverbs that are entire Sentences. H.: page 154]:

Every herring must hang by his own gill.
Every tub must stand upon its own bottom. Every man must give an account for himself.

5-: From A Dictionary, English-Latin, and Latin-English (London: Printed by John Richardson for Peter Parker and Thomas Gay, 1679), by the English lexicographer Elisha Coles (c. 1640-1680) [s.v. A Herring: page unnumbered]:

Every Herring must hang by his own Neck.

6-: From An Answer from the Country, to a Late Letter to a Dissenter, upon Occasion of His Majesties Late Gracious Declaration of Indulgence. By a Member of the Church of England (London: Printed for M. R., 1687) [page 18]:

The old Proverb is as often true, of hasty Converts, as of Pardoned Persons, That save a Thief from the Gallows, and he will be the first will do you a mischief. But God forbid all should be censur’d for some Mens double-fac’d Villanies. Such Sycophants shall never find me their Advocate; let every Herring hang by his own Tayl. Let those who are detected, forfeit their neck, or hang by it in the Pillory, e’re I pity them.