John Wilson was a 19th-century British theologian, lecturer, and writer best known for his work Our Israelitish Origin, first published in the early 1840s. He is associated with the early development of British-Israel thought, a movement that sought to interpret biblical prophecies as being fulfilled in the history and identity of the Anglo-Saxon and related European peoples.

Wilson trained and worked in a professional capacity outside of academia, but became increasingly engaged in biblical studies and prophetic interpretation. Over a period of several years, he delivered public lecture series across Ireland and England, developing and refining his thesis that the so-called “lost tribes” of Israel—particularly the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh—could be traced through historical, linguistic, and cultural links to northern and western European nations, especially Britain.

His most influential publication, Our Israelitish Origin, brought together these lectures, along with extensive scriptural citations and historical commentary. The work reflects a strongly literal approach to biblical prophecy and covenant theology, arguing that God’s promises to Israel continued through identifiable nations in history rather than being purely spiritualised or confined to ancient Israel or the Jewish people alone.

Wilson’s writings were controversial even in his own time, drawing both interest and criticism from clergy and biblical scholars. Nevertheless, his work contributed to the broader 19th-century discourse on prophecy, history, and national identity, and became a foundational text within later strands of British-Israel interpretation.