Secondly, I asked: What is the haplogroup of the average British citizen.
Genetic makeup, and therefore haplogroups, vary among individuals within any population. However, genetic studies have identified the most common haplogroups found in the British population.
For the paternal line (Y-DNA), the dominant haplogroup is R1b (R-M269). It is found in a majority of males across the British Isles, with percentages as high as over 90% in some regions of Wales and Ireland. This haplogroup is also widespread throughout Western Europe and is believed to have been brought to Britain by people from the continent during the Bronze Age.
For the maternal line (mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA), the most common haplogroup is H. This haplogroup is also very common throughout Europe and is found in approximately 40% of native Europeans. It is believed to have spread across Europe from the Near East and Southern Caucasus before the Last Glacial Maximum.
It's important to note that these are the most common haplogroups, not the only ones. The genetic landscape of Britain is the result of a long history of migrations and intermingling populations, including Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, Neolithic farmers, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Normans, among others. This has resulted in a diverse range of haplogroups present in the modern British population.
I asked to elaborate on R-M269.
R-M269 is a major Y-chromosome haplogroup that is of significant interest in the study of European genetic history.
Here's a breakdown of its key characteristics:
Origin and Distribution:
* Most Common in Western Europe: R-M269 is the most common paternal haplogroup in Western Europe, with its frequency increasing from east to west. It is particularly prevalent in the British Isles and parts of the Iberian Peninsula.
* High Frequency in Britain: Within the British Isles, R-M269 is found in a large majority of the male population. Its frequency is especially high in Wales and Ireland, where it can be found in over 90% and 80% of males, respectively. It is also very common in Scotland and England.
* "Steppe Ancestry": Recent genetic studies, particularly since 2015, have linked the dispersal of R-M269 to the spread of the Yamnaya culture from the Pontic-Caspian Steppe. This is often associated with the spread of so-called "steppe ancestry" and some of the Indo-European languages into Europe during the Bronze Age.
* Older Theories: Earlier theories had suggested a much older Paleolithic origin for this haplogroup, or a Neolithic spread from the Near East. However, the evidence from ancient DNA has largely shifted the scientific consensus toward the steppe origin.
Subclades:
R-M269 is a large haplogroup with many subclades that have their own unique histories and geographic distributions.
Some of the major ones include:
* R-L21: This subclade is particularly common in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, and is strongly associated with the Celtic populations of the British Isles.
* R-U106: This subclade is more prevalent in the Netherlands, Northern Germany, and Scandinavia, and is often linked to Anglo-Saxon and Viking migrations.
* R-P312: This is a broad subclade that is found throughout Western Europe, with high concentrations in Iberia and France.
Historical Significance:
The high frequency of R-M269 in Britain is a testament to the significant genetic impact of migrations from continental Europe, particularly during the Bronze Age and later periods. The presence of different subclades, like R-L21 and R-U106, also reflects the diverse history of the British population, shaped by various waves of migration and cultural interactions.
A few says prior I asked Ai Gemini to explain what is older, R1b-M269 vs. R-V88. I told it to make it an infographic, which can seen below.
Created with Gemini
gemini.google.com