DNA Lady
(Please see The DNA Lady's Dictionary for a definition of Haplogroups)
Through DNA Analysis of select male populations in the world, scientists have devised a genetic classification system for the over three billion males in the world. Each male individual in the world can be placed into one of eighteen genetic classifications or Y haplogroups, based on their DNA composition. Each Y haplogroup is defined by rare DNA mutations on the Y chromosome called SNPs, or single nucleotide polymorphisms. Any two men sharing a particular SNP in their DNA, inherited it from a common male ancestor who lived many thousands of years ago.
Following is a brief description of the eighteen different Haplogroups identified in current Ancestry and Heritage testing - find out which haplogroup you belong to and and who you share a common ancestry with - are you related to Maria Antoinette, Ghengis Khan, or the Great Irish kings?
Haplogroup A
First appeared 55,000 years ago and is considered the oldest of all Y haplogroups and a direct genetic link to early man. This haplogroup is found almost exclusively in Africa with a wide distribution, but low to moderate frequency. Haplogroup A has been found in the San Bushman, Kung, Khwe, Hadza, Malians, Sudanese and Ethiopians of the African continent.
Haplogroup B
Another of the older Y haplogroups, Haplogroup B is found almost exclusively in Africa, although it has been detected rarely in Pakistani people. It occurs at low frequency throughout most of Africa, with its highest frequency occurring in Pygmy populations.
Haplogoup C
This haplogroup C first appeared approximately 50,000 years ago. Since the mutations that define this haplogroup have not been observed in African populations, it is believed that this haplogroup arose somewhere in Asia. Haplogroup C defines a great coastal migration of man, tracing an arc along the Southern Arabian Peninsula through India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Later descendants of this group migrated to North Eastern Asia and finally reached North America approximately 6,000 to 8,000 years ago.
Haplogroup D
This group first appeared approximately 50,000 years ago and likely accompanied the people of Haplogroup C on their great coastal migration through the Southern Arabian Peninsula, India, southeast Asia and ultimately Australia. In modern times, this haplogroup appears along the ancient migration route in the Andaman Islands and Southeast Asia, although not in India. This haplogroup occurs at a high frequency among Tibetan and the Yao populations.
Haplogroup E
Haplogroup E consists of three main branches. Two of the three branches, E1 and E2, are found almost exclusively in Africa, while the third, E3 has also been observed in Europe and in Western Asia where it has been found at frequencies of 25% of less. It is currently believed that the E3a haplogroup migrated south from north Africa with the Bantu agricultural expansion with the last 3,000 years. As a result of its predominance in West Africa, most African Americans belong to this haplogroup. The E3b haplogroup, on the other hand, is believed to have evolved in the Middle East and migrated into the Mediterranean during the Pleistocene Neolithic expansion.
Haplogroup F
Haplogroup F is defined by at least three mutations and is the root of haplogroups G through R. It is believed that haplogroup F evolved outside of Africa during the early migrations of modern humans approximately 30,000 to 40,00 years ago.
Haplogroup G
Haplogroup G is a rare lineage thought to have originated approximately 10,000 to 20,000 years ago along the eastern edge of the Middle East in India or Pakistan. This haplogroup is dispersed throughout Central Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The G2 branch of this lineage is found most often in Europe and the Middle East.
Haplogroup H
Haplogroup H is almost completed restricted to India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. It is estimated the H Haplogroup occurs at a frequency up to 50% in most Roma (Gypsy) groups.
Haplogroup I
Haplogroup I is believed to have descended from the Gravettian culture which arrived in Europe from the Middle East 20,000 to 25,000 years ago, prior to the last ice age. On average, haplogroup I accounts for 18% of the total paternal lines in Europe and reaches frequencies of 40 - 50% in the Nordic populations of Scandinavia and in Southern Europe near the Dinaric Alps. Haplogroup I, often referred to as the Viking haplogroup, is also found in parts of Ireland, Scotland and England, where it is thought to have descended from Viking invaders.
Haplogroup J
This group contains two primary branches, J1 and J2, and is most commonly found in the Middle East, North Africa and Ethiopia. Genetic statistics indicate that this haplogroup originated in the Middle East and was carried outward to Europe, Central Asia, India and Pakistan by Middle Eastern traders about 7,000 to 9,000 years ago. It is believed that this group descended from men of the F haplogroup that arrived 45,000 - 50,000 years ago.
Haplogroup K
Haplogroup K first appeared approximately 40,000 years ago in Iran or South Central Asia and spawned the so called Eurasian clan. The majority of the populations living in the Northern hemisphere are decedents of this haplogroup which is characterized as a super haplogroup, incorporating haplogroups L through R.
Haplogroup L
Haplogroup L is seen in the greatest frequency in Southwest Asia, with some frequencies as high as 25%.
Haplogroup M
Haplogroup M occurs with high frequency in peoples of the Iran Jaya Highlands, Papua New Guinea Highlands and New Britain. It also occurs among Western Samoa populations, however with less frequency.
Haplogroup N
This group is distributed throughout Northern Eurasia from Europe to the Pacific and is shared by Caucasoids and Mongoloids. It is closely related to haplogroup O, which is found in Mongoloids. It is the most common haplogroups found in Uralic speakers (Finns and Hungarians). This haplogroup most likely originated in Northern China or Mongolia and then spread into Siberia where it became a very common line in Western Siberia. In one Siberian study, haplogroup N occurred at a frequency of 43%.
Haplogroup O
Haplogroup O is found frequently in East Asia and is the most frequent haplogroup among the Han Chinese. The O1 haplogroup is found at very high frequencies in the aboriginal Taiwanese. The O2 haplogroup has two primary lines, Os1 and Os2. The O2a line is found in the Southeast Asian populations of Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Southern China. The O2b haplogroup occurs at high frequency in Japanese and Korean populations and at low frequency in East Asian populations.
Haplogroup P
This group is very rare in modern populations. Although it is believed to be the ancestral line to haplogroups Q and R, it only occurs at low frequency in India, Pakistan and Central Asia. It is most likely originated in either Central Asia or the Altai region of Siberia.
Haplogroup Q
Haplogroup Q first appeared 15,000 - 20,000 years ago and is believed to have originated in Central Asia and subsequently migrated through Northern Asia into the Americas. This lineage is found in North and Central Asian populations as well as Native Americans and is the major lineage that links Asia and the Americas. Haplogroup Q3 is unique among Native American populations and is estimated to have originated 8,000 to 12,000 years ago during the migration into the Americas.
Haplogroup R
This final group includes two main lineages, R1a and R1b. Haplogroup R1a commonly occurs in Slavic populations of Eastern Europe and in populations of Central and Western Asia, India and Pakistan. It is believed to have originated in the Kurgan culture on the Eurasian Steppes north of the Black and Caspian Seas. The R1b haplogroup first appeared approximately 35,000 years ago and is the most frequently occurring lineage in Western European populations. This haplogroup is a direct descendant of the Cro-Magnon people, characterized by a broad face and tall stature. It is believed to have migrated through Europe during re-colonization after the ice age, 10,000 - 12,0000 years ago.
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