Although it is possible that the white cattle that existed in early times were indigenous, it is generally believed that they were imported into England from Italy by the Roman Legions for sacrificial purposes.

When the Romans Withdrew from England, the cattle were left to run wild. For the next 700 years they were hunted as wild animals. During the 12th and 13th centuries members of the court and church were given large tracts of land by the Crown. These tracts were eventually walled in and became known as parks. Any wild cattle trapped inside the parks became the property of the landowners, but were left to run wild. Their existence was controlled by natural selection and survival of the fittest. Descendants of these cattle still survive today.

Domestication and selective breeding started in the early 19th century. Traits of survival, hardiness, fertility and disease resistance were bred in and made each generation stronger. These docile and domesticated cattle are polled and are known as British Whites.

In 1940, Winston Churchill decided that 1 bull and 5 cows should be sent to the USA in order to preserve the breed if Britain was invaded. Descendants of these animals were kept by individuals. There are now over 3,000 head in the USA. The British White Cattle Association of America is the national registry for the cattle. The association sponsors events and shows and promotes British Whites.