köken: Inherited from Old Swedish morþbrännare. By surface analysis, mord (“murder”) + brännare (“burner”). Refers to an arsonist generally, despite the etymology. According to SO attested since 1350.
16th century, from Brand (“fire”) + stiften (“to bring about”) + -er (agentive suffix). The formation appears to be of Lower Rhenish origin, being first attested as Ripuarian brant stichter (1507) and Dutch brandtstichter (1542), both with the development ft > cht (as in Nichte etc.).