Overview
N-Y7331 is a downstream branch of the Y7308/Y7310 cluster within the N-Z1939 Finnic expansion. The Y7331 mutation marks one of the medieval-era founder effects inside eastern and central Finland. Its formation period overlaps with the development of persistent settlement patterns in regions such as historical Savonia and parts of Karelia. Y7331’s internal short-branch structure indicates a demographic pulse in which several related patrilines expanded simultaneously within a small but cohesive population.
Geographic distribution
Modern carriers of N-Y7331 are almost exclusively Finnish or Karelian. The highest concentrations appear in northern and eastern Finland, particularly North Karelia, Kainuu and the northern Savonian districts. Smaller traces occur in Sweden and Norway due to historic Finnish migrations during the 16th–18th centuries. A limited number of occurrences in northwestern Russia point to historical Finnish–Karelian contact zones.
Ancient DNA
- Upstream Z1939-based lineages have been detected in Iron Age and medieval individuals in Finland, showing the ancestral continuity underlying Y7331.
- Phylogenetic dating suggests that Y7331 diversified during a phase of internal colonization of eastern Finland.
- Comparisons with surname clusters indicate medieval stabilization and local founder effects.
Phylogeny & subclades
N-Y7331 is positioned under N-Y7310, forming one of its primary identifiable descendant clusters. YFull shows several downstream branches, reflecting a modest yet stable level of internal diversification. Its place in the Y7308/Y7310 dual cluster makes it a key clade for resolving the structure of medieval Finnish paternal expansions.
- N-Y7331* (basal)
- Additional Y7331-derived private branches identified in BigY tests
Notes & context
Y7331 serves as an excellent lineage for identifying medieval eastern Finnish paternal ancestry and is frequently encountered in Finnish genealogical projects.
References & external links