Why is Ferroelectricity Named After Iron?

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Ferroelectricity, a property of materials exhibiting spontaneous electric polarization reversible by an external electric field, derives its name from the prefix "ferro," which means iron. This nomenclature is analogous to ferromagnetism, where materials display a permanent magnetic moment. The term was established in 1920 when Valasek discovered ferroelectricity in Rochelle salt, despite most ferroelectric materials lacking iron. The use of "ferro" reflects historical context rather than chemical composition.

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In the word "Ferroelectricity", why has the word "ferro" been used when it has nothing to do with ferrous or iron?
 
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Ferroelectricity is a property of certain materials that have a spontaneous electric polarization that can be reversed by the application of an external electric field.[1][2] The term is used in analogy to ferromagnetism, in which a material exhibits a permanent magnetic moment. Ferromagnetism was already known when ferroelectricity was discovered in 1920 in Rochelle salt by Valasek.[3] Thus, the prefix ferro, meaning iron, was used to describe the property despite the fact that most ferroelectric materials do not contain iron.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferroelectricity
 
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