The official name of the celibate sect the Shakers is the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing.
Derived from the Quakers, the “Shaking Quaker” sect was established in America in 1774 by Ann Lee and reached its height, in the 1840s with a membership of 6,000.
Shaker refers to the involuntary movements made by believers during spells of religious fervor. Only a handful of elderly Shakers survive today.