Why is it called ketchup?

Ketchup comes from the Hokkien Chinese word kê-tsiap, which is a sauce that is made from fermented fish. The British encountered ketchup in the 17^th or 18^th centuries, and ketchup was made from many different ingredients in Europe. It wasn’t until 1812 that a recipe for the tomato ketchup we know and love today was published.