when did the idea of the rapture start

The idea of the rapture as a secret, pre-tribulation event is relatively recent in Christian history, having emerged prominently in the early 19th century. Most scholars agree that the modern concept of the rapture was popularized around 1830 by the Plymouth Brethren in Scotland, particularly under the influence of John Nelson Darby. He combined earlier ideas with a vision reported by a young Scottish girl, Margaret Macdonald, and introduced the notion that believers would be taken away from the earth before a period of tribulation. This concept was not present in the historic creeds and was virtually unheard of before the 19th century, with only vague mentions in some 18th-century writings. The term "rapture" itself and the full doctrinal development as understood today came much later, spreading widely in the 20th century especially in evangelical circles.