The idea of animism was developed by anthropologist Sir Edward Tylor

When did animism originate?

The concept of animism first appeared explicitly in Victorian British anthropology in Primitive Culture (1871), by Sir Edward Burnett Tylor (later published as Religion in Primitive Culture, 1958). His writings are preceded historically by those of the Greek Lucretius (c. 96–c.

How did animism start and spread?

Animism mostly diffused from relocation diffusion from Africa to the Americas. It also spread to pats of Russia and Australia. There are no specific denominations of Animism. There are different tribes and although they all have similar beliefs their rituals and stories can be very different.