By arranging the observations along the abcissa by magnitude we can tell more

By adding a "memory" of the values that have been observed we can get an even better idea.

This movie shows the development of a histogram. One dictionary tells me the etymology of "histogram" is "history drawing" from a Latin root. Another dictionary tells me the etymology comes from the Greek word "histos" which means mast or web. Both seem appropriate. Incidently the word "histogram" was first used in 1891 according to my Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Diction (Electronic Edition version 1).