The Amish lineage can be traced back to Martin Luther's Anabaptist movement of 1521. At the end of the 16th century, the Anabaptists renamed themselves Mennonites after Menno Simmons. In 1693, the Mennonites split into two groups: Mennonites and Amish Mennonites. This split occurred because part of the group believed that men should not shave their beards and that all church members should wear plain clothing. It was even mandated that hooks and eyes be used over buttons because buttons were too modern! The other half of the group was more accepting of modern technology of the time, like the buttons. The group that chose to be strict and live in the way of their ancestors became the Amish Mennonites. After 1693, the Amish Mennonites continued to split into more Amish groups.
In 1878, the Amish Mennonites split into the Alte Ordnung, or Old Order Amish, and Progressive Amish Mennonites. The split within the Amish Mennonites occurred due to a difference in willingness to adapt to modern times, just like the previous split. This time, the main focus was the Ordnung. Ordnung is a German word and refers to the rules that each Amish congregation follows exactly. One part of the Amish Mennonites saw the Ordnung as frozen in time, while the other part believed the Ordnung should change with the world around them. So, those believing the Ordnung is set in stone became known as Alte Ordnung, more commonly known as Old Order Amish.
Interesting Fact: After the 1878 split, many Progressive Amish Mennonites merged back with the Mennonite Church. This happened because it turned out that many within this Amish group still aligned their worldviews with the Mennonite Church.
In 1910, the Amish community saw another split. This time, some Amish chose to leave the Old Order Amish and became the Peachy Amish. The reason why these members left was due to the practice of shunning. In Old Order Amish communities, when previously baptized members leave or a person refuses to follow the Ordnung, they are shunned by the community. Those who did not want to shun their brethren chose to leave and became the Peachy Amish. Soon after, the Peachy Amish were viewed as more progressive because they adopted Protestant practices one of which was Sunday School. A second reason they were viewed as progressive was due to their adoption of the telephone. Modern technology, like the telephone, is not allowed in the Old Order Amish communities.
In 1917, a second group of people left the Old Order Amish and they became the Swartzentruber Amish. The Swartzentruber Amish developed because these people thought Old Order Amish groups were not strict enough or had changed too much from their ancestors. The Swartzentruber Amish are quick to shun and ban members from their church group due to their high standards. Since they are the strictest group, they do not use modern technology, there is no indoor plumbing, and they will only ride in a car for an approved emergency. An approved emergency is when the church leader approves the church member to ride in a car, with the non-Amish driver, to and from the approved destination only. Finally, the Swartzentruber Amish are least likely of all the Amish to interact with non-Amish people and will not interact with other Amish groups.
Interesting Fact: The Swartzentruber Amish were originally known as the Yoder Faction after Sam Yoder. The name changed to Swartzentruber Amish in 1932.
In 1927, a third group of people within the Old Order Amish chose to separate and they became the Beachy Amish. The Beachy Amish are not to be confused with the Peachy Amish. The Beachy Amish are known for forming due to their rejection of the concept of shunning. Yes, the Peachy Amish did too, but these groups differ in their acceptance of modern technology. The Beachy Amish adopted the use of cars and the ownership of cars, electricity, the telephone within the home, and even limited use of the computer. Their willingness to use much of the modern technology of the time is what separates them from Old Order Amish and Peachy Amish.
In 1966, the New Order Amish developed and they are sometimes known as the Amish Brotherhood. New Order Amish is a mix of Old Order Amish and Beachy Amish members. This group of Amish is seen as the middle ground between the too-modern Beachy Amish and not modern enough Old Order Amish. One difference that makes the New Order Amish stand out is that they are more likely to wear colorful clothing than other Amish groups.
This page only lists SOME of the various Amish groups. The groups on this page are the ones most likely to be found in New York State based on Karen M. Johnson-Weiner's book, New York Amish: Life in the Plain Communities of the Empire State. In total, there are about 40 different Amish groups. To learn more about the book click here.