Haplogroups—it may sound complicated, but understanding them is like tracing your roots back through time. Imagine them as branches on the family tree of humanity, showing where your ancestors lived and how they moved across the globe.
In this guide, we’ll break down what haplogroups are, how to find yours, and even how to unlock this information from Ancestry DNA data.
What Are Haplogroups?
Haplogroups are the genetic signatures of your ancient ancestors. They trace either your paternal line (father to son) or your maternal line (mother to all her children) and can give you clues about where your family originated thousands of years ago.
There are two types of haplogroups:
- Y-DNA Haplogroups: Trace your paternal line.
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Haplogroups: Trace your maternal line.
Y-DNA Haplogroups: Tracing Your Paternal Line
If you’re a genetic male, Y-DNA testing reveals your paternal line, passed from father to son. Think of it like following the family surname back through generations. Y-DNA testing examines specific parts of your Y chromosome, revealing insights into your deep ancestry.
If you’re a female, you cannot take a Y-DNA test since your don’t have a Y chromosome. But you can ask a male relative on your direct paternal line to test for you. For example your father, brother, uncle, cousin etc. As long as they’re on the same direct paternal line as what you want to test.
Two Types of Y-DNA Markers:
- STR (Short Tandem Repeat) Markers: These are like patterns in your DNA, mostly used for comparing how closely related two males are to each other.
- SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) Markers: These are tiny mutations that define haplogroups and trace deep ancestral roots.
Y-DNA Testing Options
While there are a few different Y-DNA testing options, the gold standard for confirming your haplogroup is Big Y-700 from Family Tree DNA.
Here are the main testing options:
- Y-37, Y-67, Y-111: These STR tests analyze 37, 67, or 111 STR markers. They’re useful for finding somewhat recent paternal relatives (or comparing two males) and give you a basic haplogroup estimate. For example, my Y-67 STR test predicted either R-M269 or R-M222, two common haplogroups, but for more accuracy, you need SNP testing.
- Big Y-700: This is the most comprehensive Y-DNA test, analyzing over 700 STR markers and many Y SNPs. Big Y-700 offers the gold standard for Y-DNA haplogroup confirmation, providing highly detailed results and identifying specific subclades in your ancestral line. They confirmed by haplogroup to be R-FTA41794.
You can also get haplogroup estimates as part of the standard autosomal tests from companies like:
- Living DNA: This test provided me with a broad haplogroup assignment of R-M222.
- 23andMe: Offered a more refined haplogroup estimate based on the Y-DNA SNPs tested; for example, mine was R-A260.
- Family Tree DNA’s Family Finder: Primarily an autosomal test but offers basic Y-DNA SNP information for paternal haplogroup estimates.
Although these tests offer haplogroup insights, they don’t provide the level of detail you’ll get from a dedicated Y-DNA SNP test like Big Y-700.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Haplogroups: Tracing Your Maternal Line
Unlike Y-DNA, which only males can test for, mtDNA testing can be done by both males and females. It traces your maternal line—the lineage you inherit from your mother, and she from her mother, all the way back to ancient times.
Mitochondrial DNA is passed down unchanged from mother to child, like a family recipe passed down through generations.
How mtDNA Testing Works
Mitochondrial DNA testing focuses on three regions:
- HVR1 (Hypervariable Region 1)
- HVR2 (Hypervariable Region 2)
- Coding Region
Testing more regions of your mitochondrial DNA provides a more detailed and specific haplogroup assignment.
mtDNA Testing Options
- Family Tree DNA (mtFull Sequence): This is the most comprehensive mtDNA test, analyzing your entire mitochondrial genome. It provides the most detailed haplogroup assignment and can connect you with others who share the same maternal lineage. Although mtDNA matches are not nearly as useful as YDNA STR matches.
- 23andMe and Living DNA: Both companies include basic maternal haplogroup information in their autosomal DNA tests, but the resolution of these results is not as detailed as the mtFull Sequence test from Family Tree DNA.
For example, an mtDNA haplogroup result might look like H1a or U5b1b, where:
- Main Haplogroup (Letter): This represents your primary maternal lineage (e.g., “H” or “U”).
- Subclades (Numbers and Letters): These indicate smaller branches within the main haplogroup, offering more specific insights about your maternal ancestors.
How to Get Your Haplogroup from Ancestry
Contrary to popular belief, Ancestry DNA does test some Y-DNA SNPs, but they don’t report on them or estimate your haplogroup. Luckily, you can still figure it out by following these steps:
- Download Your Raw Data from Ancestry: This file contains all your genetic information, including data from “chromosome 24”, which holds your Y-DNA SNPs.
- Look at Chromosome 24: Ancestry doesn’t give you a haplogroup estimate, but the Y-DNA SNPs are there.
- Use a Haplogroup Predictor Tool: Upload your raw data to MorleyDNA.com. This tool analyzes your Y-DNA SNPs and estimates your haplogroup. For example, when I used MorleyDNA, it gave me the same broad haplogroup estimate as Living DNA.
By following these steps, even if you’ve tested with Ancestry, you can uncover your haplogroup and learn more about your deep paternal ancestry.
Next Steps After Finding Your Haplogroups
Once you have your haplogroup, you might be wondering, “What now?” Here are a few ways to explore further:
- Join a Haplogroup Project: Online communities, like those hosted by Family Tree DNA, connect people who share the same haplogroup. It’s a fun way to learn more about your distant relatives and your shared ancestry.
- Explore Educational Resources: Sites like Eupedia and the ISOGG Wiki provide detailed info on haplogroups, migration patterns, and their historical significance.
- Combine with Traditional Genealogy: Use your haplogroup alongside family records to build a more complete picture of your family’s history.
Limitations of Haplogroup Testing
It’s important to remember that haplogroup testing only traces one line of your family tree:
- Only One Lineage: Y-DNA traces your direct paternal line, and mtDNA traces your maternal line. This leaves out the majority of your ancestry.
- Ancient Connections: Haplogroups can trace ancestors from thousands of years ago but don’t offer much information about more recent relatives.
- STR vs SNP Testing: STR testing for haplogroups provide broad estimates of your haplogroup, while SNP testing gives more detail and can confirm. Dedicated Y-DNA SNP tests will get you the most detailed haplogroup.
Even with these limitations, haplogroups offer a fascinating window into your ancient roots, helping you understand where your ancestors came from and how they spread across the world.
I went with CRIgenetics and am waiting on my results. I will get back on here soon and let you know what I think of the results and outcome. Jana
Hello Marc.
My brother and I both tested our DNA with National Geographic. His YDNA haplogroup is RZ-87 which I can not find any information about. Our heritage is Swedish on the male line.
My mtDNA is H5a2. I read above that these might be shorthand for a longer code but I have no clue what it means. Thanks for any explanation.
Hi Peter. I took a quick look at the R-Z87 and it seems it’s short for R1a1a1b1a3a2a1.
Hi. My 23andme Haplogroup is R-S7834, but I cant seem to find anything more, about where my decendents are from. Is there a list?
Hey Rob. If you mean Y-DNA haplogroup, you can see a list here: https://www.familytreedna.com/public/y-dna-haplotree/R;name=R-S7834. Looks like mostly Irish, English, Scottish.
Hey Rob, I am also R-S7834 and it seems it pretty rare. It probably traces back to MacKenzie’s in Scotland over 1000 years ago. It also seems to trace back to the north east of Ireland before that. My ancestors (Y male ancestors) were in the north west of Scotland (the highlands) in the late 1700’s. Most of my Y DNA connections on Family Tree DNA are MacKenzie’s and not Macdonald’s…but haven’t figured out when the name changed. Maybe adoption, marital affair or such. Best of luck, Kevin Macdonald
Hi Marc
I did a test with 23andme to know about the origins of my ancestors. My paternal haplogroup is B-M109 but I couldn’t match it with the database of the Saudi tribes. Is there another shorthand referring to it I could possibly try.
You can try B2a1a or B2a1a1a1
Hi Marc,
I’m trying to determine if I’ve Fulbe or Native American heritage on one ancestral line–my maternal. I’m a woman and I took both of the following tests.
My mtDNA result from 23andme is Haplogroup L3d1a1, which is African. However, the AfricanAncestry.com mtDNA result is Haplogroup A, which is Native American. I discovered that 75% of the Choctaw are Hap A. 23andme reports that I have less than 1% Native American (me and Elizabeth Warren), that occurred about six+ generations ago. In the 1880 Census of Alabama (mother/grandmother/great-grandmother’s birthplace), I learned that my maternal 2xgreat-grandmother was born in Mississippi, where Choctaw are the most populous tribe. But, I don’t know if she was NA. My research uncovered that due to mutations and migrations “out of Africa,” mtDNA L3 became M and N, and N became mt-DNA Hap A. I also discovered that mtDNA L3d1a is found at a high frequency among the nomadic Fulani/Fula/Fulbe peoples of West Africa. How do I find out which Haplogroup is accurate, L3d1a1 or Haplogroup A? Could it be that both 23andme (Hap L3d1a1) and AfricanAncestry (Hap A) are right considering L3 became M and N, and N became A? By the way, my family has no interest in trying to claim Native American tribal rights or anything. We are just trying to understand our genetic genealogy. I present at my family reunions. I wrote to both companies and both stand by their result. I’ve also tested with Ancestry.com, but they don’t provide Haplogroup info. I’ve done a lot of online searching as you can tell, and that’s how I discovered your wonderful website where I’ve learned a lot. I hope you can help me and maybe others will learn from your response also. Thank you!
Blessings to you and yours!
Hi Celena. I’m not too familiar with Africanancestry.com but I believe L3d1a1 formed out of L3c’d which would be a separate branch from the M group that was formed from L3. So based on that I’d say your mtDNA’s origin is more likely to be Fulbe vs Native American.
My paternal haploid group is E-M4451 but I can’t seem to find information about it and where it comes from
What company did you test with?
23 and Me is who I tested with
M4451 is a branch of the haplogroup E and is shorthand for E1b1a1a1a1c1a1a3a1a1 and referred to as CTS9106. A quick search on this tells me it’s sub-Saharan Africa. FTDNA shows a high concentration of people on the west coast in the area stretching from Ghana to Cameroon.
Hello;
My mother, my daughter and I all processed our DNA through 23and me. My maternal haplogroup is H36 but my mother and daughter are both H5A. I am confused. I thought my haplogroup would be the same as my mother’s. Why is mine different?
Hi Barbara. Remember that the mtDNA test at 23andMe is not as detailed as dedicated testing at FamilyTreeDNA. It doesn’t look at the same number of positions. It’s likely that all three of you are the same haplogroup in reality because H5A and H36 are both branches of the H5’36 haplogroup.
Hi. I love reading your website. Very clear and friendly. I have a question rather than a comment. What do you think of the CRI Genetics ancestry test. I had read a great review of it ( from Genetics Digest) but I never see it compared in any other Genetic Testing comparisons, of which there are many. Any thoughts on this matter? Thanks! Carla Burman
Hi Carla. I don’t know much about that company and haven’t yet tried their product. Right now it’s not very popular in the genealogy community.
Hi.
I have a ”brickwall” with my Paternal surname & can only get back to my great Grandfather.On his birth certificate is recorded his Mothers name , but there is NO Fathers name recorded.I have been informed this is a sure sign he was illegimate (ie , the result of a one nite stand so to speak)
His Mother (my gt gt Grandmother) has my Paternal surname on the certificate, so im assuming thats her ”maiden name”.This means her Father, (my gt gt gt Grandfather) is the one i want to identify.If i took a ”Y DNA” test is it possible i could find who my gt gt gt grandfather is , & if so , how ?
Hi Kerry. Your assumptions seem likely. But Y-DNA testing wouldn’t be best in this situation if you’re looking for your gt gt gt Grandfather because he did not pass his y chromosome to his daughter (your gt gt Grandmother). So if that’s the person you’re looking for, your best bet is to find him with some genealogical research instead of dna testing. It shouldn’t be too difficult – if you want to post the details here I can take a quick look for you.
I am female have my Maternal Haplogroup from a dna test I had done through 23 and me. My dad had dna test done through ancestry. I have his raw data files. Is there any way for me to determine my Paternal Haplogroup using his raw data? Ancestry won’t let me upload my dna and 23 and me won’t let me upload his. Thanks.
I believe you can upload his raw data to LivingDNA to get the haplogroup. I’d give them a call first to confirm. Ancestry doesn’t report on haplogroups even if you could upload.
Hi,
If I tested with 23 and Me, can I count on my mtdna Haplogroup being exact? I was under the impression it was. I was given mtdna Haplogroup U4a.
It’s possible, yes. But FamilyTreeDNA is the only company that tests the full mitochondria for the most accurate results.
I recentley did the 23andMe and found out that my Maternal Haplogroup
is H5’36 but, other ancestors that I share have different letters and also more letters and numbers than I have. How is this relevant?
Hi Kelly. mtDNA is shared with your ancestors on your direct maternal line – your mother’s mother’s mother etc. Are the other family members who tested on this same direct line?