An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/poltern

by Friedrich Kluge

poltern, vb., ‘to make a row, rattle,’ from late MidHG. buldern (a variant of bollern?); allied to the equiv. Ic. baldrast; probably an imitation of sound akin to Russ. boltatĭ, ‘to vibrate,’ Lith. bildeti, ‘to rattle.’