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Haplogroup I1-Z2541

I1-Z2541 North Sea and western European branch

Macro-haplogroup
I
Parent clade
I1-S2293
Formed (estimate)
c. 3,000-3,600 years before present (estimate)
TMRCA (estimate)
c. 2,000-2,400 years ago (estimate)

Overview

Haplogroup I1-Z2541 is a downstream branch of the I1-Z138 complex, located under I1-S2293, and is closely tied to North Sea and western European populations. Its emergence probably took place during the early Iron Age among inland and coastal Germanic communities in the Rhine and North Sea regions. The clade exhibits a demographic pattern characteristic of mid-size expansions, reflecting its role in the spread of Germanic groups into northwestern Europe and the British Isles.

Geographic distribution

Modern carriers of I1-Z2541 are most frequent in England, the Low Countries, northern Germany and Denmark, with elevated representation in coastal and riverine areas linked to historical Anglo-Saxon and Frisian activity. The lineage also appears in Scotland and Ireland, mainly through medieval and Viking Age movements. Smaller frequencies are found in France, Iberia and overseas diaspora populations.

Ancient DNA

  • Early medieval individuals from Anglo-Saxon cemeteries in England carry I1 haplotypes that fall within the S2293 and Z2541 sector of the I1 tree, consistent with continental Germanic origins.
  • Iron Age and Roman period burials from the Rhine and North Sea frontier show Z138 derived lineages in positions compatible with Z2541, indicating that the clade was already established in the region.
  • Later medieval remains from Scandinavia and the British Isles include I1 lineages that trace back to Z2541 related branches, mirroring ongoing maritime connectivity.

Phylogeny & subclades

I1-Z2541 is nested within the path M253 > DF29 > Z58 > Z138 > S2293 > Z2541. SNP Z2541 is the primary defining marker, with S2268 commonly used to further define downstream substructure. Phylogenetic work has identified several daughter branches of Z2541, many of which show strong ties to the British Isles and coastal western Europe.

  • I1-S2268
  • Regional Z2541 subclades in Britain and the Low Countries
  • Basal I1-Z2541* lineages in continental Europe

Notes & context

Because of its clear positioning within the Z138 framework and strong representation in Britain and the North Sea region, I1-Z2541 is regularly investigated in surname projects focused on English, Frisian and Low Country ancestry. Commercial SNP panels explicitly target this clade and its subbranches, which enhances its resolution compared with many other I1 subclades.