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Haplogroup I1-Z60

I1-Z60 Continental Germanic

Macro-haplogroup
I
Parent clade
I1-Z59
Formed (estimate)
c. 4,000–4,400 years before present
TMRCA (estimate)
c. 2,000–2,600 years ago

Overview

I1-Z60 is a principal continental Germanic branch derived from the broader I1-Z59 root. Forming during the Early Iron Age, Z60 is associated with proto-Germanic-speaking populations inhabiting the North German plain, Jutland, and Heligoland Bay regions. Its demographic profile suggests stable expansion tied to early agrarian and warrior elites in the region.

Geographic distribution

The largest proportions today occur in Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, with notable presence in Poland, Sweden, and England. British representation primarily reflects Anglo-Saxon migrations between the 5th and 7th centuries CE. Moderate admixture-related traces appear in France and Belgium.

Ancient DNA

  • Germanic tribal La Tène and early Roman period burials in northern Germany yield phylogenetically Z60-aligned haplotypes.
  • Anglo-Saxon migration-period samples in Suffolk and Kent show clear Z60 association.
  • Scandinavian Iron Age individuals sometimes cluster near Z60 but with continental affinities.

Phylogeny & subclades

Z60 is part of the I1-Z59 tree and is defined by SNPs Z60, Z61 and Z62. It branches into multiple continental microclades, some oriented toward the Netherlands and northern Germany, while others appear in early Anglo-Saxon contexts.

  • I1-Z61
  • I1-Z62
  • Regional microclades of central/northern Germany

Notes & context

Z60 helps distinguish continental Germanic paternal structure from Scandinavian-focused expansions, making it important for population reconstructions of the early Germanic world.