2026
YFull YTree — experimental Y-chromosome phylogeny with age estimates
YFull team
YFull (continuously updated)
Reference database
Global sequenced Y-chromosome samples, all haplogroups
Sources & research
Every claim traces back to research
Academic papers, ancient DNA studies, population genetics surveys and phylogenetic work underpinning this atlas. Individual lineage pages cite the relevant entries beside their claims.
Research database
71 entries
2025
Ancient DNA reveals complex patterns of population movement and admixture across the Mediterranean
Ringbauer, H. et al.
bioRxiv / Nature (preprint)
Ancient DNA
Iron Age individuals from Kerkouane and Villaricos
2023
The genomic history of the Guanche people and the prehistoric colonization of the Canary Islands
Serrano, J. G. et al.
Nature Communications
Ancient DNA
Guanche individuals from Gran Canaria and Lanzarote
2021
Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world
Larena, M. et al.
Current Biology
Population genomics
Ayta Magbukon and 117 other Philippine ethnic groups
2021
Social stratification without genetic differentiation at the site of Kulubnarti in Christian Period Nubia
Sirak, K. A. et al.
Nature Communications
Ancient DNA
Kulubnarti individuals, Nubia
2020
Ancient DNA
Shum Laka (Cameroon) ancient individuals
2020
Recovering signals of ghost archaic introgression in African populations
Durvasula, A.; Sankararaman, S.
Science Advances
Archaic admixture
Yoruba (Nigeria), Mende (Sierra Leone), Esan, Gambian; 1000 Genomes West African panels
2020
Insights into human genetic variation and population history from 929 diverse genomes
Bergström, A. et al.
Science
Population genomics
929 genomes from 54 populations, including African and Oceanian groups
2020
Genetic consequences of the transatlantic slave trade in the Americas
Micheletti, S. J. et al.
American Journal of Human Genetics
Population genomics
50,000+ individuals across the Americas, Africa and Europe
2020
ISOGG Y-DNA Haplogroup Tree
International Society of Genetic Genealogy
ISOGG (archived reference tree)
Reference database
Standard haplogroup nomenclature and SNP definitions
2019
A rare deep-rooting D0 African Y-chromosomal haplogroup and its implications for the expansion of modern humans out of Africa
Haber, M. et al.
Genetics
Phylogenetics
Nigerian and West African samples
2019
Whole-genome sequence analysis of a Pan African set of samples reveals archaic gene flow
Lorente-Galdos, B. et al.
Genome Biology
Population genomics
15 African populations including Baka, Mbuti, Khoisan and West Africans
2019
Ancient genomes indicate population replacement in Early Neolithic Britain (Cheddar Man)
Brace, S. et al.
Nature Ecology & Evolution
Ancient DNA
Mesolithic and Neolithic Britain, including Cheddar Man
2018
Did our species evolve in subdivided populations across Africa, and why does it matter?
Scerri, E. M. L. et al.
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
Review
Pan-African fossil and archaeological record
2017
Ancient DNA
Ancient southern African individuals
2017
New fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco and the pan-African origin of Homo sapiens
Hublin, J.-J. et al.
Nature
Palaeoanthropology
Jebel Irhoud hominin remains, c. 315,000 years
2017
Ancient Egyptian mummy genomes suggest an increase of Sub-Saharan African ancestry in post-Roman periods
Schuenemann, V. J. et al.
Nature Communications
Ancient DNA
Abusir el-Meleq mummies, Egypt
2016
Punctuated bursts in human male demography inferred from 1,244 worldwide Y-chromosome sequences
Poznik, G. D. et al.
Nature Genetics
Whole-genome phylogenetics
1,244 men from 26 worldwide populations
2016
Y-chromosome diversity in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Bantu expansion
de Filippo, C.; D'Andrea, G. et al.
Molecular Biology and Evolution / related surveys
Population genetics
Bantu-speaking and neighbouring populations
2016
Genetic perspectives on the origin of clicks and Khoe-San population history
Barbieri, C. et al.
Human Biology / European Journal of Human Genetics
Population genetics
Khoe-San, Hadza, Sandawe
2016
Genomic analysis of Andamanese provides insights into ancient human migration into Asia and adaptation
Mondal, M. et al.
Nature Genetics
Population genomics
Jarawa, Onge, mainland South Asian and Southeast Asian groups
2016
Antiquity and diversity of Aboriginal Australian Y-chromosomes
Nagle, N. et al.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
Phylogeography
Aboriginal Australian men; haplogroups C1b2b (C-M347), S, M, K2*
2016
Population genomics
83 Aboriginal Australians and 25 Papuans
2015
Phylogeographic refinement and large scale genotyping of human Y chromosome haplogroup E
Trombetta, B. et al.
Genome Biology and Evolution
Phylogeography
African and Eurasian samples carrying haplogroup E
2015
Unravelling the hidden ancestry of American admixed populations
Montinaro, F. et al.
Nature Communications
Population genomics
African American, Caribbean and Latin American admixed populations
2014
Derived immune and ancestral pigmentation alleles in a 7,000-year-old Mesolithic European
Olalde, I. et al.
Nature
Ancient DNA
La Braña-1, Mesolithic Iberia; dark-skin and blue-eye alleles
2013
An African American paternal lineage adds an extremely ancient root to the human Y chromosome phylogenetic tree
Mendez, F. L. et al.
American Journal of Human Genetics
Phylogenetics
African American lineage; Mbo (Cameroon)
2013
Evolutionary history of continental Southeast Asians: early train hypothesis and Negrito ancestry
Jinam, T. A. et al.
Molecular Biology and Evolution
Population genetics
Semang, Batek, Maniq, Aeta, Philippine and Malaysian Negrito groups
2013
Genome-wide and paternal diversity reveal a recent origin of human populations in North Africa
Fadhlaoui-Zid, K. et al.
PLOS ONE
Population genetics
Tunisian, Libyan and Berber populations
2013
Ohlone and Chochenyo language revitalisation and the Muwekma Ohlone tribe
Field, L. W.; Leventhal, A.; Cambra, R.
California History / Muwekma Ohlone Tribe records
Ethnohistory
Chochenyo Ohlone, San Francisco Bay
2013
mtDNA phylogenetics
African mtDNA L clades and the L3 exit lineage
2012
Y-chromosome variation in Altaians and indigenous North Americans: mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal evidence for a common origin
Dulik, M. C. et al.
American Journal of Human Genetics
Population genetics
Altai, Siberian and Native North American populations
2012
Population genetics
African American and West African men; E-M2 sublineages
2012
Foundations of an African Civilisation: Aksum and the Northern Horn, 1000 BC–AD 1300
Phillipson, D. W.
James Currey / British Institute in Eastern Africa
Archaeology / history
Axum, D'mt and the northern Horn of Africa
2012
The expansion of mtDNA haplogroup L3 within and out of Africa
Soares, P. et al.
Molecular Biology and Evolution
mtDNA phylogenetics
L3 and the M and N founder lineages of Eurasia
2011
Signatures of the pre-agricultural peopling processes in Sub-Saharan Africa as revealed by the phylogeography of early Y chromosome lineages
Batini, C. et al.
Molecular Biology and Evolution
Phylogeography
Central and Southern African foragers and farmers
2011
A revised root for the human Y chromosomal phylogenetic tree: the origin of patrilineal diversity in Africa
Cruciani, F. et al.
American Journal of Human Genetics
Phylogenetics
North-west Cameroon, Central and Southern Africa
2011
Genetic evidence for archaic admixture in Africa
Hammer, M. F.; Woerner, A. E.; Mendez, F. L. et al.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Archaic admixture
Biaka, Baka, San, Mandenka
2010
Global distribution of Y-chromosome haplogroup C reveals the prehistoric migration routes of African exodus
Zhong, H. et al.
Journal of Human Genetics
Phylogeography
East, Southeast and Central Asian, Oceanian and American haplogroup C samples
2009
Manden Charter, proclaimed in Kurukan Fuga
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
UNESCO Representative List
Primary sources
Manden federation, Mali
2008
New binary polymorphisms reshape and increase resolution of the human Y chromosomal haplogroup tree
Karafet, T. M. et al.
Genome Research
Phylogenetics
Global reference tree
2008
Y-chromosome evidence of earliest modern human settlement in East Asia and multiple origins of Tibetan and Japanese populations
Shi, H. et al.
BMC Biology
Phylogeography
Haplogroup D-M174 in Tibetan, Japanese and Andamanese populations
2008
Distribution of Y chromosomes among Native North Americans: a study of Athapaskan population history
Malhi, R. S. et al.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
Population genetics
Athabaskan, Na-Dene and Plains populations; haplogroups Q-M3 and C-P39
2008
The genetic legacy of religious diversity and intolerance: paternal lineages of Christians, Jews and Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula
Adams, S. M. et al.
American Journal of Human Genetics
Population genetics
Iberian populations; North African E-M81 and Sephardic contributions
2008
mtDNA phylogenetics
Global mtDNA L0–L6 lineages, Khoisan and African populations
2006
Dual origins of the Japanese: common ground for hunter-gatherer and farmer Y chromosomes
Hammer, M. F. et al.
Journal of Human Genetics
Population genetics
Ainu, Okinawan and mainland Japanese; haplogroups D1a2 and O
2005
Contrasting patterns of Y chromosome and mtDNA variation in Africa
Wood, E. T. et al.
European Journal of Human Genetics
Population genetics
40+ African populations
2005
Population genetics
Onge, Great Andamanese, Nicobarese
2004
Phylogeographic analysis of haplogroup E3b (E-M215) Y chromosomes
Cruciani, F. et al.
American Journal of Human Genetics
Phylogeography
African, Near Eastern and European populations
2004
A predominantly Neolithic origin for Y-chromosomal DNA variation in North Africa
Arredi, B. et al.
American Journal of Human Genetics
Population genetics
North African populations; E-M81 and E-M78 distributions
2003
Archaeology
Gao-Saney, Timbuktu, Kano and Saharan trade sites
2002
A back migration from Asia to Sub-Saharan Africa is supported by high-resolution analysis of human Y-chromosome haplotypes
Cruciani, F. et al.
American Journal of Human Genetics
Population genetics
North, East and West African populations
2002
The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain
Menocal, M. R.
Little, Brown
History
Córdoba, Seville, Granada
2002
Confounding the Color Line: The Indian-Black Experience in North America
Brooks, J. F. (ed.)
University of Nebraska Press
History
Black and Native American communities in North America
2000
Y chromosome sequence variation and the history of human populations
Underhill, P. A. et al.
Nature Genetics
Phylogenetics
Global sample, including Sub-Saharan African populations
1998
Megaliths and Neolithic astronomy in southern Egypt
Malville, J. M.; Wendorf, F.; Mazar, A. A.; Schild, R.
Nature
Archaeoastronomy
Nabta Playa, Nubian Desert
1998
The Kongolese Saint Anthony: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita and the Antonian Movement, 1684–1706
Thornton, J. K.
Cambridge University Press
History
Kingdom of Kongo
1996
Archaeology / history
Napata and Meroë, Sudan
1992
History
Al-Andalus, the Maghreb and Iberia
1991
History
Axumite state, coinage and Adulis trade
1989
Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought
Drewal, H. J.; Pemberton, J.; Abiodun, R.
Center for African Art / Harry N. Abrams
Art history
Ile-Ife, Oyo and Yoruba art traditions
1989
The Diario of Christopher Columbus's First Voyage to America, 1492–1493
Dunn, O.; Kelley, J. E. (trans. and eds.)
University of Oklahoma Press
Primary sources
Taíno and Kalinago encounters, Caribbean
1985
History
Kongo, Mbanza Kongo and the Atlantic trade
1981
Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West African History (al-Bakri, al-Umari, Ibn Battuta, Ibn Khaldun)
Levtzion, N.; Hopkins, J. F. P. (eds.)
Cambridge University Press
Primary sources
West African empires as recorded by Arabic geographers
1980
The lost pharaohs of Nubia and the Qustul incense burner
Williams, B. B.
Archaeology / Oriental Institute, University of Chicago
Archaeology
A-Group Qustul cemetery L, Ta-Seti
1977
The Oyo Empire c. 1600 – c. 1836: A West African Imperialism in the Era of the Atlantic Slave Trade
Law, R.
Oxford University Press
History
Oyo, Yorubaland, Dahomey
1976
Contested / historiography
Pre-Columbian Atlantic contact claims; widely disputed by mainstream archaeology
1973
History
Wagadou (Ghana), Mali, Songhai
1965
Oral tradition
Manden, Mali Empire
1952
Reference
Groups recorded by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca on the Texas coast
1922
Contested / historiography
Mande linguistic and cultural claims in the Americas; contested