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Haplogroup I1k

I1-Y7620

Macro-haplogroup

Parent clade

Formed (estimate)

c. 3,800–4,500 years before present

TMRCA (estimate)

c. 2,400–2,900 years ago

Y7620
Y7623
BY15364

Overview

I1k (Y7620) represents a Baltic–northern continental branch of haplogroup I1 with strong geographic ties to the southern Baltic coast and northern Poland–Pomerania–East Prussia region. Its emergence coincides with late Nordic Bronze Age expansions into the southern Baltic interaction zone. The lineage likely formed within coastal communities engaged in long-range maritime trade linking Scandinavia, the Baltic, and early proto-Slavic territories.

Geographic distribution

Modern carriers are concentrated in northern Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, northern Germany, Denmark and southern Sweden. Low frequencies in Belarus and Russia’s northwest indicate ancient Baltic–Finnic interactions.

Ancient DNA

Iron Age Pomeranian and Vistula Lagoon burials show genetic proximity to upstream Y7620 lineages.
Baltic Viking Age contexts include individuals clustering near basal I1k branches.
Some early medieval Slavic-associated individuals in Poland show I1-Z58 > Y7620 affinities.

Phylogeny & subclades

I1k branches under the Z58 > Z138 lineage, positioned separately from Z63 and Z2041 clusters. Y7620 and Y7623 define a stable Baltic-oriented microclade with moderate diversification.

I1-Y7623
I1-BY15364
Basal Y7620*

Notes & context