Mascots of hogswarts

[chupacabra]

i know that the British private schools and boarding houses have four houses w. different mascots and names. Sort of like our schools' mascots. Were the British private schools with mascots inspiration for the U.S. to give schools their mascots? Or were the British private schools and boarding schools inspirated by gospels who have beasts to represent in the book of Revelation for their mascots?