This is not to be considered an exhaustive or conclusive historical account of Baptist history.  It is, however, an attempt to present Baptist history by whatever name  Baptists have been known.  It is not an attempt to establish the grounds or criteria for what a Baptist is or isn't for it has been said, if you are not a Fundamental Baptist, you are not a Baptist.  The same has been stated by Southern Baptists, Northern Baptists, Primitive Baptists, Free Will Baptists, Calvinists, Arminians, and so on. 

The problem with this is that prior to our current time in history, by whatever name we call a Baptist, we seem to have forgotten how to define what a Baptist is, rather than who a Baptist is.  My intent is not to declare the formation of the Baptist denomination (for lack of a better phrase) in the 1st century, but merely to present histories of those who have been known as Baptists since the time of Christ. 

We face the continual problem of however further back in time we go of seeing little or no mention of the word 'Baptist', yet we find what a Baptist is the closer we approach the 1st century church.  On the other hand, the further away from the 1st century church we have come, we often see little or no resemblance of 1st century Christianity among many who call themselves 'Baptists'.  A Reformation among Baptists is greatly needed to return to 1st century Biblical Christianity.

Consider the following as a introduction to ancient Baptist histories:

• History of the Welsh Baptists, from the Year 63 to the year 1770, Jonathan J. Davis, published 1835

• History of the Baptists in Wales, Joshua Thomas, published 1835

• Baptists in Wales, David Benedict, published 1848