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Y-DNA Haplogroup Atlas

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Haplogroup N-Y16817

N-Y16817 (Z1941 downstream early Finnic branch)

Macro-haplogroup
K
Parent clade
N-Z1941
Formed (estimate)
c. 1,600–1,800 years before present
TMRCA (estimate)
c. 1,200–1,300 years ago

Overview

N-Y16817 is a well-defined downstream branch of N-Z1941, one of the principal Finnic paternal lineages. It emerged during the early medieval period as Finnic-speaking communities expanded across eastern Finland, Karelia and the Ladoga–Onega region. Unlike later, strongly bottlenecked clades such as those beneath Z1939, Y16817 represents a more ancient layer of Finnic paternal ancestry with multiple sibling branches and a moderate internal structure. This pattern reflects continuity in local populations before the major founder events that reshaped the Finnish and Karelian Y chromosome landscape.

Geographic distribution

N-Y16817 is most commonly found in eastern Finland and among Karelians, with clusters extending into the White Sea basin, northern Russia and, at lower frequency, Estonia. Its presence in both eastern Finland and Karelia suggests that Y16817 emerged within early Finnic groups living along the Saimaa–Ladoga–Onega lake systems. Occasional Scandinavian cases derive from historic Finnish migration periods.

Ancient DNA

  • Ancient DNA from Iron Age eastern Baltic and Finnic sites shows upstream Z1941 signatures, consistent with a population base ancestral to Y16817.
  • The estimated age of Y16817 aligns with the early formation of Finnic-speaking groups during the first millennium CE.
  • The branch's moderate internal diversity reflects survival of several patrilines rather than one dominating founding lineage.

Phylogeny & subclades

In YFull trees, Y16817 appears as one of the early-splitting subclades under Z1941. Its position indicates it predates the denser downstream clusters such as Y13874 and Y7308/Y7310. Multiple subbranches exist under Y16817, showing sustained paternal continuity and internal diversification over the past ~1,300 years.

  • N-Y16817*
  • Several downstream microclades in Finland and Karelia

Notes & context

This branch is critical for representing the early phase of Finnic paternal diversification under Z1941 before the expansions associated with medieval settlement patterns.