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Haplogroup D1b

D1b-L1378 (Tibetan High-Altitude Lineage)

Macro-haplogroup

Parent clade

Formed (estimate)

c. 35,000–40,000 years before present

TMRCA (estimate)

c. 12,000–16,000 years ago

PH4979
L1378
Y34637

Overview

D1b is the principal paternal lineage associated with the Tibetan Plateau and the broader Himalayan region. This lineage is one of the few Y-chromosome haplogroups linked directly to genetic adaptations for high-altitude survival, especially EPAS1-related mechanisms. The emergence of D1b likely corresponds to early Holocene human expansions onto the plateau, preceding or accompanying the cultural transitions that shaped Tibetan prehistory.

Geographic distribution

Highest frequencies occur in Tibet, Qinghai, Yunnan highlands, Sichuan–Kham, Bhutan, northern Nepal and Ladakh. Trace occurrences appear in northern Myanmar and among some Himalayan ethnic minorities.

Ancient DNA

Prehistoric Plateau individuals show early D1b-related ancestry linked to altitude-adapted populations.
Holocene genomes from Qinghai–Tibet exhibit downstream D1b diversification.
High-altitude forager remains associated with early pastoral transitions carry D1b microbranches.

Phylogeny & subclades

D1b is defined by PH4979 and L1378. It contains downstream clusters highly enriched in populations living above 3000 meters and reflects a long-term demographic continuity on the Tibetan Plateau.

D1b1
D1b2
D1b*

Notes & context