An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Büttel

by Friedrich Kluge

Büttel, m., ‘beadle, jailer,’ from MidHG. bütel, OHG. butil, m., ‘a messenger of the law’; comp. AS. bydel, ‘messenger,’ E. beadle (which is based both on the AS. bydel and on a MidE. word of Rom. origin — MidLat. bedellus, ModFr. bedeau, ‘beadle’); allied to bieten.