Overview
Haplogroup R-Z43 is one of the major downstream branches of R-Z56 under the broader R-U152 lineage. It likely developed during the early to middle Bronze Age in central Europe, at a time when the U152 complex was expanding through the upper Danube region and into Alpine zones. Z43 is often associated with cultural spheres linked to the Urnfield tradition, early Italic migrations and the Germanic ancestral horizon. The distribution of Z43 and its internal branches suggests multiple parallel founder events during the Late Bronze Age and early Iron Age. Its representation in pre Roman northern Italy, the Alpine region and central Europe makes it relevant for the ancestral background of various Italic, Rhaetian and proto Germanic groups. Archaeogenetic evidence from Bronze and Iron Age central European populations aligns well with the expected geographic core of Z43, supporting a long term local presence and eventual diffusion along expanding trade and migration networks. Modern distributions of Z43 show strong concentrations in southern Germany, Switzerland, northern Italy, Austria and parts of eastern France. This pattern reflects the enduring demographic influence of populations associated with Hallstatt and La Tène cultural complexes. The lineage persists into later medieval central European populations, illustrating how deeply rooted U152 derived paternal lines became in the region.