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Y-DNA Haplogroup Atlas

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Haplogroup N1a1a1a1b

N1a1a1a1b

Macro-haplogroup
K
Parent clade
N1a1a1a1
Formed (estimate)
c. 5,000–6,000 years before present
TMRCA (estimate)
c. 2,000–3,000 years ago

Overview

N1a1a1a1b is a Karelia oriented branch inside the N1a1a1a1 Finnish core cluster. It traces its origins to communities living around Lake Ladoga, White Sea and the Karelian isthmus region, where Finnic and eastern Baltic cultural influences intersected. The branch represents a paternal signal of Karelian and eastern Finnic groups that were historically distinct from both southern Finns and more westerly Baltic Finns, yet closely related at deeper phylogenetic levels.

Geographic distribution

Today N1a1a1a1b is found primarily among Karelians and in populations from the border regions of Finland and northwest Russia. It is also present at lower frequencies in eastern Finland, particularly in areas with historically strong Karelian settlement, and among some northern Russian groups with documented Finnic admixture. Occasional carriers appear in Estonia and among Finnic descended communities elsewhere, usually reflecting secondary migrations from the Karelian and eastern Finnish homeland.

Ancient DNA

  • Ancient DNA from medieval cemeteries in Karelia and the Karelian isthmus reveals N1a1a1a1 type lineages, and some of these fall phylogenetically close to modern N1a1a1a1b clades, pointing to long term continuity of Karelian paternal ancestry.
  • Archaeological evidence indicates that the Karelian region functioned as a contact zone between eastern Baltic, Finnic and Volga Uralic spheres, and the presence of a distinct Karelian shifted branch like N1a1a1a1b fits this role as an intermediary but historically identifiable population.
  • Comparisons of Y chromosome variation between Karelians, Finns and northern Russians show that certain N1a1a1a1 subbranches, including those grouped under N1a1a1a1b, are enriched in Karelian samples compared with other groups, consistent with a regional founder effect.

Phylogeny & subclades

Within the Z1934 Finnish cluster, N1a1a1a1b forms a subbranch characterized by a specific set of downstream SNPs that are shared primarily by men of Karelian or adjacent origin. Internal tree structure often shows small, geographically coherent clusters that correspond to local communities or historical parishes rather than very large scale expansions. This contrasts with some southern Finnish subbranches that underwent more extensive growth.

  • N1a1a1a1b1 (central Karelian microbranch)
  • N1a1a1a1b2 (White Sea coastal oriented branch)
  • Basal N1a1a1a1b* lineages present in eastern Finland and northwest Russia

Notes & context

N1a1a1a1b is an important lineage for reconstructing the demographic history of Karelia and the eastern Finnic world. Because many Karelian communities experienced substantial population decline, migration and assimilation during the last few centuries, the present distribution of N1a1a1a1b likely underestimates its historical importance. For genealogical and regional studies it provides a useful marker to distinguish Karelian and eastern Finnish ancestry from more southerly Finnish branches within the same N1a1a1a1 complex.