Numerous British Israelite organisations were set up throughout the British Empire as well as in the United States from the 1870s onwards a number of these organisations are independently active as of the early 21st century. With roots in the 16th century, British Israelism was inspired by several 19th century English writings such as John Wilson's 1840 Our Israelitish Origin.
According to the doctrine, the Ten Lost tribes of Israel found their way to Western Europe and Britain, becoming the ancestors of the British and related peoples.īritish Israelism (also called Anglo-Israelism) is the pseudoarchaeological belief that the people of the British Isles are 'genetically, racially, and linguistically the direct descendants' of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Israel. An 1890 book advocating British Israelism.
