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Y-DNA Haplogroup Atlas

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Haplogroup K2

K2-M526

Macro-haplogroup
K
Parent clade
K
Formed (estimate)
c. 45,000–50,000 years before present
TMRCA (estimate)
c. 35,000–40,000 years ago

Overview

K2 (M526) is one of the most impactful paternal lineages in the global Y-chromosome tree. It split early from K and underwent a rapid and massive radiation that produced the majority of non-African paternal haplogroups. K2’s descendants include the NO lineage (leading to N and O, which dominate northern and eastern Asia) and the K2a/K2b lineages which eventually gave rise to haplogroups Q and R, the predominant paternal clades of Siberia, Central Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Geographic distribution

Basal K2* lineages are extremely rare and mainly found in Papua New Guinea, island Southeast Asia and among a few individuals in South Asia. Most global K2 ancestry is absorbed into its major derived clades NO, N, O, Q and R.

Ancient DNA

  • Ancient Sahul individuals show early K2 ancestry prior to the NO/QR split.
  • Upper Paleolithic individuals from Southeast Asia and Siberia show upstream K2 components.
  • Beringian and Central Asian ancient genomes link to K2a-derived Q and R migrations.

Phylogeny & subclades

K2 divides into K2a and K2b. K2a is ancestral to haplogroup QR, while K2b is ancestral to NO and subsequently to N and O.

  • K2a
  • K2b

Notes & context

K2 is among the most critical nodes for global paternal genetic history, underlying most northern Eurasian and American lineages.