The angora goat is an ancient breed, with records of the use of goat hair for clothing found as early as the 14th century BC. Many hundreds of years after that, in the 13th century AD, there is a record of goats trekked thousands of miles to Ankara by Suleiman Shah, when fleeing Ghengis Khan.

The British Primitive Goat encompasses what has previously been known as known as the Old English/Scottish/Welsh/Irish, British Landrace or Old British Goat.

The Golden Guernsey is first referred to in an island guide book as early as 1826. During World War II, the last remaining examples of the breed were hidden in caves on the island to prevent them being slaughtered and used as meat to feed invading forces. It is from these that today's stock are predominantly descended.