Early writers attempted to describe Yazidi origins, broadly speaking, in terms of Islam, or Persian, or sometimes even "pagan" religions; however, research published since the 1990s has shown such an approach to be simplistic.
Tidligere forfattere har forsøgt at beskrive Yazidis oprindelse, stort set, i form af Islam, eller persisk, eller undertiden endog hedenske religioner; dog har publikationer siden 1990'erne vist at en sådan fremstilling er alt for forenklet.