Ancient DNA from the Canary Islands reveals Amazigh (North-African) roots for the pre-Hispanic Guanches, followed by post-15th-century Iberian admixture and island-by-island drift—yielding a modern population (Spanish_Canarias) that is related yet genetically distinct.

North-African origins and island colonization

Genome-wide analyses of pre-conquest individuals across the archipelago place Guanche ancestries closest to Northwest Africa (Amazigh/Berber-related), with minor inputs from earlier Eurasian farmers and trans-Saharan sources. Archaeology and linguistics align with an Amazigh colonization during Late Antiquity, with settlement signals beginning around the 3rd century CE.

Founder effects, drift, and east–west structure

A time-series transect (3rd–16th c. CE) shows strong island isolation and subtle east–west differentiation. Limited inter-island mobility amplified founder effects, producing small but consistent differences among Guanche groups from island to island.

Conquest, admixture, and sex bias

After the Castilian conquest (15th–16th c.), autosomal data register substantial Iberian gene flow. Uniparental markers reveal a sex-biased admixture pattern—European Y lineages (e.g., R1b) increase while mtDNA retains more pre-Hispanic lineages—consistent with historical dynamics of colonization.

Modern Canarians: related, not identical

Present-day Spanish_Canarias individuals are shifted toward Iberians relative to ancient Guanche genomes, yet they preserve a measurable Guanche legacy. Centuries of European input, plus maritime Mediterranean/Atlantic contacts, forged a new island-specific profile distinct from the ancient islanders.

G25 Coordinates

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CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.027,-0.042115,0.126941,0.001508,-0.072998,0.035083,-0.032909,-0.032666,0.004615,0.067493,0.038270,0.011205,-0.008093,0.013677,-0.013487,0.029994,-0.017634,-0.003390,-0.027238,-0.050279,0.003377,-0.017968,-0.036354,0.019966,-0.002651,0.006586
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.012,-0.017073,0.135065,0.001508,-0.069768,0.044316,-0.036814,-0.023501,-0.002538,0.062380,0.026606,0.007307,-0.010341,0.009663,-0.022157,0.013708,-0.000796,0.021905,-0.021030,-0.038212,0.014007,-0.006863,-0.025720,0.020213,-0.005422,0.006826
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.038,-0.010244,0.131003,0.003771,-0.057817,0.037853,-0.020917,-0.026086,0.008307,0.067288,0.030980,0.004872,-0.006594,0.021110,-0.017065,0.019001,-0.026253,-0.011865,-0.019637,-0.040349,0.006378,-0.014100,-0.037714,0.017255,-0.008073,0.000120
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.041,-0.031870,0.129988,-0.000754,-0.066861,0.041854,-0.026495,-0.035252,-0.007384,0.069743,0.038087,0.000974,-0.020532,0.019921,-0.028488,0.022801,-0.002387,0.007432,-0.013049,-0.044246,0.010005,-0.026204,-0.040929,0.014173,0.002169,0.007544
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.040,-0.042115,0.143190,0.006411,-0.075582,0.037545,-0.049085,-0.019271,0.005077,0.065857,0.036083,-0.000487,-0.010790,0.012487,-0.017891,0.022258,-0.021214,-0.001695,-0.012669,-0.038841,0.019759,-0.005865,-0.037343,0.010476,-0.012411,-0.004550
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.030,-0.039838,0.131003,-0.001886,-0.067184,0.037545,-0.041276,-0.041127,0.009461,0.084673,0.034260,0.017863,-0.003597,0.028097,-0.019267,0.013029,-0.002387,0.006128,-0.026351,-0.062095,0.012381,-0.017220,-0.046864,0.029086,0.002410,0.006945
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.045,-0.042115,0.123895,-0.000754,-0.060078,0.040315,-0.049085,-0.035722,-0.001846,0.074856,0.028611,0.002111,-0.014387,0.023637,-0.017478,0.026465,-0.008221,0.011604,-0.015456,-0.052542,0.013506,-0.006863,-0.041671,0.028840,0.007712,0.000838
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.035,-0.033009,0.125926,0.003017,-0.081073,0.032314,-0.037929,-0.031961,0.004615,0.085082,0.035718,-0.003410,-0.014537,0.019029,-0.031928,0.014115,-0.000133,0.033118,-0.034966,-0.060586,0.003752,-0.014724,-0.056880,0.031305,-0.017472,0.016166
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.001,-0.061464,0.133034,0.003771,-0.072998,0.036622,-0.039324,-0.030551,0.012692,0.076287,0.032802,0.007957,-0.007194,0.023191,-0.018854,0.028230,-0.020286,-0.007432,-0.023944,-0.052039,0.007629,-0.020214,-0.038580,0.027114,-0.006145,0.006466
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.042,-0.046667,0.135065,-0.005657,-0.083334,0.028005,-0.033746,-0.030316,0.005538,0.075674,0.026789,0.005846,-0.013788,0.011150,-0.024497,0.022665,-0.001061,0.004563,-0.022804,-0.044623,0.000375,-0.016970,-0.042784,0.026745,-0.009399,0.005748
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.048,-0.047806,0.131003,-0.007920,-0.072352,0.030159,-0.034304,-0.035722,0.007615,0.082219,0.029887,0.008931,-0.008992,0.024826,-0.015414,0.023615,-0.022142,-0.004433,-0.021157,-0.047891,0.009630,-0.019091,-0.037343,0.022308,-0.007712,0.006227
CanaryIslands_Guanche:gun002.SG,-0.051220,0.123895,-0.007165,-0.076551,0.024312,-0.036535,-0.037367,0.012923,0.071583,0.046652,0.006333,-0.005095,0.026016,-0.021332,0.019408,-0.010077,-0.001695,-0.015076,-0.045126,0.010380,-0.006239,-0.044268,0.033277,0.004217,0.003353
CanaryIslands_Guanche:gun011.SG,-0.045529,0.132019,-0.008674,-0.065569,0.028005,-0.036814,-0.034782,0.008769,0.074856,0.028976,0.009094,-0.011240,0.024678,-0.011147,0.024158,-0.018563,-0.010431,-0.013049,-0.054427,0.008129,-0.018717,-0.048472,0.024526,-0.008435,0.009700
CanaryIslands_Guanche:gun012.SG,-0.056912,0.138112,-0.004525,-0.076874,0.024312,-0.033467,-0.024911,0.003923,0.080582,0.023144,0.007632,-0.006594,0.013082,-0.025460,0.027416,-0.012729,0.011604,-0.019130,-0.050405,0.009379,-0.010606,-0.043278,0.026129,-0.007832,0.007185
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.018,-0.011382,0.131003,0.009805,-0.047804,0.037545,-0.027331,-0.024676,0.008077,0.062993,0.028976,0.007307,-0.001948,0.014271,-0.010046,0.012215,-0.018297,0.011083,-0.016089,-0.034064,0.003001,-0.008235,-0.025843,0.019227,-0.016147,-0.011975
CanaryIslands_Guanche:LLD-0057,-0.019350,0.134050,0.009805,-0.059755,0.022466,-0.019522,-0.028201,0.016845,0.064630,0.039727,0.004872,-0.006294,0.016055,-0.018166,0.019544,-0.014187,0.005215,-0.024198,-0.032681,0.010255,-0.015348,-0.029306,0.012325,0.004097,0.002754
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.008,-0.017073,0.136081,-0.003394,-0.071060,0.041854,-0.035698,-0.023031,0.008077,0.065039,0.034807,0.004060,-0.009591,0.023340,-0.017340,0.019408,-0.009414,0.005085,-0.023057,-0.045503,0.005503,-0.013351,-0.031779,0.020952,-0.001325,0.009819
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.011,-0.025041,0.131003,-0.003394,-0.052326,0.036007,-0.019801,-0.031491,-0.003000,0.056244,0.026242,0.015752,0.007493,0.004906,-0.015964,0.017644,-0.016574,0.002999,-0.013049,-0.034316,-0.014632,-0.009858,-0.021639,0.025389,-0.004820,0.014729
CanaryIslands_Guanche:LLD-0056,-0.023903,0.147252,-0.017348,-0.057817,0.024004,-0.022032,-0.033842,-0.009230,0.075469,0.052848,0.025495,-0.014537,0.012487,-0.013762,0.032437,-0.010872,0.004824,-0.014316,-0.035573,0.003377,-0.025829,-0.038703,0.012448,-0.018195,-0.007305
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.003,-0.051220,0.135065,0.005657,-0.074936,0.032314,-0.036814,-0.027026,0.011076,0.075469,0.034443,0.003897,-0.005095,0.024529,-0.019267,0.026873,-0.010209,0.007171,-0.019763,-0.052416,0.013757,-0.008235,-0.042289,0.028717,-0.006025,0.002036
CanaryIslands_Guanche:LLD-0058,-0.020488,0.129988,0.017725,-0.048450,0.039392,-0.036535,-0.026086,-0.002077,0.071992,0.040274,-0.009581,0.003297,0.002527,-0.008257,0.024701,-0.009812,-0.001956,-0.023564,-0.026145,0.010380,-0.002121,-0.023989,0.020706,-0.013375,0.004191
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.034,-0.033009,0.141159,-0.007542,-0.075259,0.040931,-0.041276,-0.030316,0.000000,0.075674,0.036629,0.016564,-0.004646,0.020069,-0.018304,0.020765,-0.028507,0.016428,-0.025844,-0.047137,0.016133,-0.020838,-0.032150,0.027484,-0.007230,-0.002634
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.004,-0.060326,0.137096,-0.004525,-0.076228,0.034160,-0.032072,-0.024911,0.011769,0.064834,0.025149,0.005684,-0.000150,0.028692,-0.021607,0.025787,-0.016706,-0.010691,-0.015583,-0.044749,0.001876,-0.020963,-0.037838,0.024280,-0.001807,0.008981
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.009,-0.001138,-0.084289,0.007542,-0.060078,0.043700,-0.001673,-0.018801,0.002077,0.050313,0.012574,-0.018188,-0.006594,0.016353,-0.012661,0.011943,-0.008884,0.000000,-0.003294,-0.024511,0.000625,-0.002995,-0.018301,0.015283,-0.000120,0.004071
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.002,-0.044391,0.131003,0.004903,-0.078166,0.023697,-0.037929,-0.027261,0.010846,0.071583,0.033896,0.006658,-0.004646,0.020367,-0.010735,0.020222,-0.023468,-0.011865,-0.017103,-0.039092,0.004752,-0.015722,-0.038456,0.019103,-0.001687,0.006586
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.005,-0.021626,0.137096,-0.001131,-0.066538,0.037853,-0.026774,-0.021621,0.011538,0.073220,0.032620,0.006983,-0.004196,0.020069,-0.015689,0.016965,-0.022010,-0.009648,-0.020524,-0.036704,0.005378,-0.016097,-0.034252,0.017748,-0.011447,0.012813
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.014,-0.020488,0.136081,-0.001131,-0.062662,0.026466,-0.029562,-0.029141,0.002538,0.063402,0.027518,0.006333,-0.008692,0.013974,-0.015138,0.010858,-0.007955,0.003129,-0.025211,-0.036075,0.009129,-0.010981,-0.032892,0.010846,-0.003253,0.013891
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.017,-0.015935,0.138112,0.003394,-0.062985,0.036007,-0.034582,-0.021856,0.012461,0.066675,0.031891,0.002273,-0.003597,0.020069,-0.018304,0.021172,-0.008486,0.007953,-0.020777,-0.032933,0.015507,-0.006863,-0.027575,0.023047,0.001687,-0.003113
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.020,-0.011382,0.133034,-0.000754,-0.051357,0.047086,-0.029562,-0.021621,0.019153,0.070561,0.038999,-0.004384,0.003597,-0.002973,-0.006331,0.017372,-0.034473,-0.009648,-0.024958,-0.039972,0.006878,-0.008485,-0.037343,0.025389,-0.003253,-0.000479
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.031,-0.034147,0.136081,-0.007920,-0.071383,0.034776,-0.035140,-0.031726,0.009000,0.068311,0.030980,0.008931,-0.008093,0.024826,-0.024497,0.020087,-0.014320,-0.001304,-0.022044,-0.040600,0.012381,-0.018093,-0.041671,0.022308,0.001446,0.006826
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.036,-0.044391,0.131003,-0.004525,-0.072675,0.031698,-0.033746,-0.038777,0.005769,0.077310,0.031162,0.014615,-0.004946,0.018731,-0.022295,0.019408,-0.023336,-0.001173,-0.019003,-0.045377,0.009505,-0.018592,-0.043031,0.021815,-0.017954,0.002036
CanaryIslands_Guanche:CAN.046,-0.029594,0.129988,-0.027530,-0.073321,0.023081,-0.037650,-0.022796,-0.000692,0.084059,0.029158,0.013641,-0.010641,0.028097,-0.015827,0.022394,-0.015115,0.002868,-0.021410,-0.030922,0.032015,-0.008111,-0.045504,0.023540,-0.006145,0.014969
CanaryIslands_Guanche:gun005.SG,-0.017073,0.123895,0.003017,-0.056525,0.046162,-0.025658,-0.034782,0.008307,0.063607,0.028247,0.006008,-0.011090,0.019475,-0.012248,0.019544,0.003315,0.015646,-0.023437,-0.034944,0.014882,-0.010981,-0.025102,0.020089,-0.005904,-0.013053
CanaryIslands_Guanche:gun008.SG,-0.027318,0.140143,-0.001508,-0.066215,0.038776,-0.036814,-0.021856,0.005307,0.062380,0.037541,0.009743,0.003297,0.015312,-0.018717,0.026737,-0.025325,-0.010561,-0.016596,-0.042863,0.005753,-0.019216,-0.029058,0.016022,-0.000241,-0.002515
Spanish_Canarias,0.081294,0.145702,0.030269,-0.012903,0.037837,-0.006224,-0.006494,0.000814,0.031604,0.029052,-0.000496,0.005261,-0.007175,-0.013617,0.011022,-0.002198,-0.002738,-0.003487,-0.010843,0.000987,0.000604,-0.00643,0.001641,-0.003418,0.001702

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