A

Haplogroup A originated in Asia approximately 60,000 years ago, and is currently represented widely throughout Asia.  It is through I2 subgroup that—along with haplogroups B, C, D and X—the first native American populations emerged.

B

Haplogroup B is noteworthy as containing the B2 subgroup, which is among the five haplogroups said to have born modern day Native Americans (along with haplogroups A, C, D and X).  B has its roots 50,000 years ago in Asia.

Quite notably, haplogroup B—unlike groups A, C, D and X—has no representation among modern Siberian peoples.

C

This haplogroup arrived approximately 60,000 ago.  Like CZ, this group also includes the Siberian region of northern Asia, and—along with A, B, D and X—is among the haplogroups represented by native American populations.

CZ

Haplogroup CZ is represented in today’s Eurasian populations, occurring in northern and eastern Asian locations, including the Siberian region.

D

This group, along with A, B, C and X, is said to have spawned the native peoples of the Americas, having emerged approximately 60,000 ago.  Haplogroup D includes individuals in both northern and eastern Asia.

E

Very little is universally accepted regarding haplogroup E.  However, some representation of its descendants is said to be found in Argentina.

F

A descendant of Haplogroup R, this group is represented in China and Japan, and is believed to have arisen from eastern Asia.

G

Haplogroup G and its two subgroups (G1 and G2a) are to be found in northeastern Siberia, representing, among other groups, the Koryaks and Itelmen peoples.  The G haplogroup is also common to the indigenous inhabitants of Kamchatka.

H

While common in the Middle East and northern Africa, haplogroup H is ancestor to approximately half of all European inhabitants; it is a prominent subgroup of HV.

HV

Progenitor to groups H and V, this haplogroup proliferated roughly 20,000 years ago, and accounts for much of modern day western European peoples.

I

This group can be found in Mediterranean regions, both in the Arabian and European centers.  I originated roughly 30,000 years ago, as one of the first groups known to have yielded some of today’s European peoples.

J

A descendant from JT, haplogroup J is found prominently in Russia and eastern Europe.  It was born roughly 10,000 years ago, in—or near—Mesopotamia, and migrated into Europe.

JT

This haplogroup derives from R, and gave rise to haplogroups J and T.

K

The Eurasian haplogroup K is thought to originate at with European expansion that occurred circa 16,000 BC.  Evidence of haplogroup K-descended inhabitants has been recently uncovered in western Europe.

L1

This haplogroup is particularly significant in human ancestry as it represents the group from which all mankind is descended.  Another haplogroup, L0, preceded L1, but is long since extinct.  L1 is said to date back to 150,000 years ago, and can be currently found in West and Central Africa, being common to the Khosian people.

L2

L2’s African descendants represent roughly a third of all sub-Saharan Africa, having arisen from the L1 haplogroup approximately 70,000 years ago.  This group is the most common haplogroup among American blacks.

L3

Another descendant of L1, haplogroup L3 is most common in East Africa.  However, this group is said to have given rise to the M and N (considered “macro-haplogroups”) haplogroups, from which descend all of the world’s non-African inhabitants.

M

This enormous macro-haplogroup finds its progeny represented on various continents, having descended from L3 approximately 80,000 years ago.  Haplogroup M is believed to have migrated into Eurasia some 20,000 years later, populating southern Asia.

Its subgroups include M*, M1, C, D, E, G, and Z.  M is represented to some degree in modern day Pakistan.

M1

This variant of haplogroup M is believed a result of a migration swap, in which North Africans and some Asians possibly returned to sub-Saharan Africa.

N

Another L3 branch, haplogroup N also spans the continents, originating at approximately the same time as its close relative, haplogroup M.  Haplogroup N’s significance lies in its ancestral relationship to Europe’s descendants.  In fact, N is believed to have spawned nearly all European haplogroups. 

Haplogroups R, N1, A, I, W, and X, all descend from group N.

N1a

N1a is traceable in inhabitants of Eurasia, particularly those of Iran and some Indian territories.  The haplogroup’s representation is limited to the flat, barren steppe of western and central Asia.

N1b

The peoples of the Near and Middle East regions of Asia can be found among N1b’s progeny.  Scientists have linked this haplogroup specifically with the Jewish Ashkenazi peoples.

Pre-HV

Haplogroup pre-HV is widely represented in the Middle East and parts of eastern Africa. The ancestor of haplogroups HV, H and V, this set of peoples is thought by scientists to have originated near Arabia, subsequently reemerging in Africa.

Q

The descendants of this haplogroup can be found in the southern Pacific region, especially in New Guinea and Melanesia.  Little is known about the group’s exact link with its parent haplogroups.

R

A significant descendant of haplogroup of N, R’s progeny can be found throughout both Asia and eastern Europe, with representation from the Ural mountains to Japan.  Groups B, U, F, HV, H, and V all descend from haplogroup R.

T

Like its genetic sibling J, haplogroup T is thought to have originated in Mesopotamia 10,000 years ago, ultimately settling throughout eastern Europe, making particular impact in the Ural mountains and near the Baltic.

U

This group emerged some 55,000 years ago, and has shown ancestral influence throughout Europe, and contains the subgroups K, U1, U2, U3, U4, U5 and U6.

Of its groups, the U5 cluster is notable as the first exclusively European haplogroup, dating to roughly 50,000 years ago.  Some scientists theorize that members of the subgroup U5a might have encountered European Neandertals approximately 40,000 years before our time.

V

One of the later mtDNA groups, this haplogroup is just 12,000 years old, thought to have been born in or near present day Spain.  Its descendants are to be found among indigenous peoples of Spain, as well as in some northern Scandinavian groups.

W

Found along the borders of Europe and Asia, haplogroup W’s descendants are seen not only among the inhabitants of the eastern Baltic and the Urals, but in the population of India as well.

X

Today’s European population takes a moderate segment of its people from the X haplogroup—more specifically via its X2 subgroup, which is said to have emerged circa 19,000 BC.  The descendants of X are represented widely from regions of Russia to Mediterranean Europe and Israel.

Along with A, B, C and D, haplogroup X is represented in the Americas’ indigenous peoples; however, unlike its siblings, the group has no connections with eastern Asian populations.  X is instead to be found among North America’s Ojibwa, Sioux, Nuu-Chah-Nulth, Navajo, and Yakima peoples.

Y

With so little currently known about the relatively small haplogroup Y, scientists have been unable to emerge far beyond merely recognizing the group.  However, its descendants are said to be found in eastern Asia.

Z

Another descendant of haplogroup M, Z derives from central Asia. The diversity of this varied haplogroup is represented everywhere from Korea and China to Russia and Scandinavia.