The precise origins of yogurt are unknown, but we do know that this fermented dairy product has been part of the human diet for many years.
According to some historical accounts, yogurt was discovered accidentally thousands of years ago by nomadic herdsmen. These nomads carried milk in pouches made of animal skins, which contained naturally occurring enzymes that caused the milk to ferment, inadvertently producing an edible food, yogurt, that had the benefit of lasting longer than milk.
Some of the first recorded accounts of yogurt — as well as its health benefits — are found in Indian Ayurvedic scripts from around 6000 BCE.
The word itself is believed to have come from the Turkish word yogurmak, which means to thicken, coagulate, or curdle.
Source: HistoryFacts.com