Alawite DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Syria · West Asia
The Alawites live mainly in the coastal mountains of western Syria, around Latakia and Tartus, with communities in Hatay in southern Turkey and in northern Lebanon. Their faith took shape in the 9th and 10th centuries as a branch of Shia Islam. In our model, the Alawite average is 32.8% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, 21.6% Iranian Neolithic farmer, 14.8% Levantine Neolithic farmer, 12.9% Natufian, 9.9% Caucasus hunter-gatherer and 7.9% steppe. That is more Anatolian farmer ancestry than the broader average on our Syrian page (25.8%), and less Natufian (12.9% against 19.0%). The neighbours stand out too: the three closest modern averages are all Druze samples, from Lebanon, Israel and our main Druze page, all within 0.008, ahead of Lebanese Shia and Sunni Muslims and Syrian Arabs. The closest ancient group is a Parthian to Roman-era population from Nevali Cori in Upper Mesopotamia (0.0203), and Bronze Age Alalakh in Hatay also appears among the ten closest.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Anatolian Neolithic farmers 32.8%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 21.6%, Levantine Neolithic farmers 14.8%
- Closest modern population in our data: Druze (Lebanon), distance 0.0073
- Closest ancient group in our data: Turkey Mesopotamia Parthian-Roman Empire Nevali Cori (Syrio-Mesopotamian Profile), distance 0.0203
Where does Alawite DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Alawite individuals sampled in Syria and compare them with deep ancestral reference populations, with other modern groups and with ancient genomes. It is one of 335 populations in our atlas.
Ancient make-up of the Alawite average
The ancient make-up of the Alawite average is led by Anatolian Neolithic farmers (32.8%), followed by Iranian Neolithic farmers (21.6%) and Levantine Neolithic farmers (14.8%). The Anatolian Neolithic farmers component reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC. The Iranian Neolithic farmers share (21.6%) reflects the early farmers and herders of the Zagros mountains in Iran. No single source dominates, so the profile is best read as a balanced blend of several ancient ancestries.
The fit is acceptable (fit distance 0.025): treat the proportions as a good approximation rather than exact values. The model draws on West Eurasian ancient genomes, with modern West African and East Asian stand-ins.
Ararat – Levant & Caucasus Report
Closest modern populations to Alawite
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Alawite average is Druze (Lebanon), at a distance of 0.007 (very close). Next come Druze at 0.008 and Druze (Israel) at 0.008. Even the tenth closest, Syrian Arab (Idlib, Levantine Profile), is only 0.016 away: Alawite belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Druze (Lebanon) | 0.0073 | Very close |
| 2 | Druze | 0.0075 | Very close |
| 3 | Druze (Israel) | 0.0078 | Very close |
| 4 | Druze (other sample set) | 0.0112 | Very close |
| 5 | Lebanese Shia Muslim (Beirut) | 0.0123 | Very close |
| 6 | Lebanese Arab Muslim Sunni (Dinniyeh) | 0.0127 | Very close |
| 7 | Lebanese (Muslim) | 0.0128 | Very close |
| 8 | Lebanese Arab Muslim Shia | 0.0139 | Very close |
| 9 | Syrian Arab (Levantine Profile) | 0.0142 | Very close |
| 10 | Syrian Arab (Idlib, Levantine Profile) | 0.0159 | Very close |
Distances are Euclidean distances between averaged G25 coordinates. On our scale, below 0.025 is very close, below 0.050 close, below 0.080 moderate, and beyond that distant.
Closest ancient populations to Alawite
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Alawite, Turkey Mesopotamia Parthian-Roman Empire Nevali Cori (Syrio-Mesopotamian Profile) (Parthian era, c. 250 BC-224 AD) comes first, at 0.020, with Italy Lazio Roman Empire Rome (Mesopotamian Profile) next. That is a very close match, which suggests strong genetic continuity between those ancient people (or close relatives of theirs) and the modern population. A close ancient match is not proof of direct descent: it means those individuals carried a similar overall mix of ancestry.
| # | Ancient sample or group | Period | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkey Mesopotamia Parthian-Roman Empire Nevali Cori (Syrio-Mesopotamian Profile) | Parthian era, c. 250 BC-224 AD | 0.0203 |
| 2 | Italy Lazio Roman Empire Rome (Mesopotamian Profile) | Roman era, c. 1-400 AD | 0.0262 |
| 3 | Serbia Roman Empire Viminacium Pirivoj (Levantine Profile) | Roman era, c. 1-400 AD | 0.0271 |
| 4 | Turkey Mesopotamia Early Medieval Midyat (Mixed Assyrian+Levantine Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0283 |
| 5 | Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ej-Jaouze (Byzantine) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0285 |
| 6 | Lebanon High Medieval | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0290 |
| 7 | Turkey Mesopotamia Early Medieval Dara (Mesopotamian Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0290 |
| 8 | Lebanon Late Antiquity Qornet ed-Deir | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0305 |
| 9 | Lebanon IAIII Beirut | Iron Age | 0.0305 |
| 10 | Turkey Levant Hatay LBA Alalakh | Late Bronze Age | 0.0307 |
Ancient DNA from Syria
Our ancient DNA database holds 51 individuals excavated in present-day Syria, dated from about 7,450 BC to 1222 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are J1a (6), E1b (3) and G2a (1), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are K (7), R0 (5) and J1 (4). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Alawite population.
Ancient sample data compiled by Nomad on the GenArchivist forum.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups in ancient samples from Syria
| Haplogroup | Ancient individuals | Example samples |
|---|---|---|
| J1a | 6 | ETM012 ETM005 ETM001 |
| E1b | 3 | ETM010 CGG_2_101879 CGG_2_101880 |
| G2a | 1 | ETM018 |
| L1b | 1 | CGG_2_101883 |
| T | 1 | ETM021 |
| T1a | 1 | ETM026 |
Most frequent mtDNA haplogroups in ancient samples from Syria
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 51 from Syria.
Compare yourself with Alawite
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Alawite average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Alawite and its neighbours. To find out which of our reports actually fits your DNA, run the free Report Finder: it runs the same fit test that every report uses before an order.
No G25 coordinates yet? Get a free simulated G25 from your raw DNA file, or order G25 coordinates.
About these numbers
Keep in mind that a population average is a statistical summary of a limited number of sampled individuals. Real people inside any group vary, some carry more of one ancestry and some less, and no genetic profile decides who is or is not Alawite. Use these numbers as a map of deep ancestry, not as a label.
Method: averaged G25 coordinates, Euclidean distances to other modern and ancient averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations (data generated 2026-10-01). Read the full method.
Thanks: to Nomad (GenArchivist) for the population and ancient sample collection this atlas is built on, and to Davidski (Eurogenes) for Global25.
Go deeper than the average
This page describes the Alawite average. Your own DNA has its own story: Ararat – Levant & Caucasus Report (15€) models your genome against the ancient sources and modern communities of the region, era by era, in a personal PDF report.
A report built for people of Levant or Caucasus ancestry: ancient regional core (Levant Iron Age, Caucasus Hunter-Gatherer, Kura-Araxes Bronze Age) versus non-regional outside admixture, across 13 communities (Maronite, Druze, Sunni...
More populations from West Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Alawite?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Alawite average is about 32.8% Anatolian Neolithic farmers, 21.6% Iranian Neolithic farmers and 14.8% Levantine Neolithic farmers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Alawite?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Alawite average are Druze (Lebanon), Druze and Druze (Israel). The closest ancient matches are Turkey Mesopotamia Parthian-Roman Empire Nevali Cori (Syrio-Mesopotamian Profile), Italy Lazio Roman Empire Rome (Mesopotamian Profile) and Serbia Roman Empire Viminacium Pirivoj (Levantine Profile).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Alawite?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Alawite average and to its neighbours. If you have G25 coordinates, paste them in the comparison box on this page to check that for free.
Which ExploreYourDNA report suits Alawite ancestry?
For the Alawite average, the regional report to choose is Ararat – Levant & Caucasus Report, which our fit test rates as an excellent match. Your own DNA may differ from the average, so the free Report Finder checks every report against your file before you buy.
Where does the data on this page come from?
From the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the sampled individuals: genetic distances to other modern and ancient population averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations. The full method is described at https://www.exploreyourdna.com/populations#method.