1670s, probably from Spanish or Portuguese albatros, alteration of alcatraz "large, web-footed sea-bird; cormorant," originally "pelican" (16c.). This name is perhaps from Arabic al-ghattas "sea eagle" [Barnhart]; or from Portuguese alcatruz "the bucket of a water wheel" [OED], from Arabic al-qadus "machine for drawing water, jar" (which is from Greek kados "jar"). If the second, the name would be a reference to the pelican's pouch (compare Arabic saqqa "pelican," literally "water carrier").
The spelling was influenced by Latin albus "white." (cf. albino). The name was extended by 17c. English sailors to a larger sea-bird (order Tubinares),
which are not found in the North Atlantic. [In English the word also
formerly was extended to the frigate-bird.] These albatrosses follow
ships for days without resting and were held in superstitious awe by
sailors. The figurative sense of "burden" (1936) is from Coleridge's
"Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (1798) about a sailor who shoots an
albatross and then is forced to wear its corpse as an indication that he
alone, not the crew, offended against the bird.