Campbellite is a mildly pejorative term referring to adherents of certain religious groups that have historic roots in the Restoration Movement, among whose most prominent 19th-century leaders were Thomas and Alexander Campbell.
Influence of the Campbells
Thomas and Alexander Campbell were the most prominent leaders of the Disciples of Christ movement of the early 19th century. The group was committed to restoring primitive Christianity. It merged with the Christians (Stone Movement) in 1832 to form what is now described as the American Restoration Movement (also known as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement). Other prominent individuals in the Restoration Movement included Barton W. Stone, Walter Scott and "Raccoon" John Smith.
Historically associated groups
Over time, strains grew within the Restoration Movement. In 1906, the U.S. Religious Census listed the Christian Churches and the Churches of Christ as separate and distinct groups for the first time. This, however, was simply the recognition of a division that had been growing for years, with published reports as early as 1883. They draw parallels with Martin Luther's protest of the name Lutherans and the Anabaptists' protest of the name given to them by their enemies. With specific reference to the early Restoration Movement, "[t]he terms Campbellism and Campbellites were universally rejected by those to whom they were applied."