French cravate came from a name for Croats, transmitted through German Krabate. Scarves associated with cavalry troops became fashionable neckwear. English borrowed the French clothing name in the seventeenth century.
The historical military label covered troops from several backgrounds, not only ethnic Croats.
Sources
- Merriam-Webster · cravat
Dictionary word history; the component and historical references below supply additional detail.
- Online Etymology Dictionary · cravat
Historical forms, meanings, and context for the route described here.