Austrian DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Austria · Western Europe
Austria lies along the Danube where the Alps meet the Pannonian plain, at the meeting point of the German, Slavic and Hungarian worlds. In our model, the Austrian average is 45.9% steppe-related, 42.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmer and 11.6% Western hunter-gatherer, very close to the German average (46.6% steppe). Its neighbours show that position: after Germans from Erlangen (distance 0.0119) and a second Austrian sample from Upper Austria, the nearest averages are Hungarians and the German average (both 0.0165), followed by Volga Germans, Slovenes and Croats. The closest ancient groups are early medieval people with a Central European profile from Avar-period cemeteries in Austria (0.0138) and Hungary, then Hungarian Conquest-period and Arpadian-era people. From the late 6th to the early 9th century the Avar Khaganate ruled the Carpathian Basin, including what is now eastern Austria, and many people buried in its cemeteries had local European ancestry.
- Ancient components in our model: Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 45.9%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 42.5%, Western hunter-gatherers 11.6%
- Closest modern population in our data: German (Erlangen), distance 0.0119
- Closest ancient group in our data: Austria Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Profile), distance 0.0138
Where does Austrian DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Austrian individuals sampled in Austria 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 Austrian average
Modelled as a mix of deep ancestral reference populations, the Austrian average comes out as 45.9% Steppe herders (Yamnaya), 42.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 11.6% Western hunter-gatherers. The Steppe herders (Yamnaya) component reflects the Bronze Age herders of the Pontic-Caspian steppe (Yamnaya and related groups), whose ancestry spread across Europe and into Asia from about 3000 BC. The Anatolian Neolithic farmers share (42.5%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC.
The fit is acceptable (fit distance 0.033): 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.
Closest modern populations to Austrian
Genetically, the Austrian average sits nearest to German (Erlangen) at 0.012, Austrian (Upper Austria) at 0.014 and Hungarian at 0.017. On our scale, a distance of 0.012 counts as very close. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are German (Erlangen) (0.012), Hungarian (0.017) and German (0.017). Even the tenth closest, Slovenian, is only 0.021 away: Austrian belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German (Erlangen) | 0.0119 | Very close |
| 2 | Austrian (Upper Austria) | 0.0137 | Very close |
| 3 | Hungarian | 0.0165 | Very close |
| 4 | German | 0.0165 | Very close |
| 5 | German (Russia Volga) | 0.0178 | Very close |
| 6 | Slovene | 0.0182 | Very close |
| 7 | German (North Bohemia) | 0.0191 | Very close |
| 8 | Croatian | 0.0196 | Very close |
| 9 | Croat | 0.0205 | Very close |
| 10 | Slovenian | 0.0205 | 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 Austrian
Among ancient genomes, the closest match to the modern Austrian average is Austria Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Profile) (Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD), at 0.014, followed by Hungary Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Profile) and Hungary Early Medieval Conqueror Period (Central Euro Profile). 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 | Austria Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0138 |
| 2 | Hungary Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Profile) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0139 |
| 3 | Hungary Early Medieval Conqueror Period (Central Euro Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0140 |
| 4 | Hungary High Medieval Arpadian Period (Central Euro Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0149 |
| 5 | Denmark Early Medieval Viking Age Langeland (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | Viking Age, c. 800-1050 AD | 0.0175 |
| 6 | Hungary Late Antiquity Hun (Central Euro Profile) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0179 |
| 7 | Hungary High Medieval Arpadian Period Early (Central Euro Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0180 |
| 8 | Hungary High Medieval Arpadian Period Early (Carpathian Basin Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0192 |
| 9 | Hungary Early-High Medieval Conqueror-Early Arpadian Period (Central Euro Profile) | Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD | 0.0194 |
| 10 | Austria Early Medieval Moedling Lerchengasse (Central Euro Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0205 |
Ancient DNA from Austria
Our ancient DNA database holds 1,054 individuals excavated in present-day Austria, dated from about 28,296 BC to 838 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R1b (88), C2a (71) and R1a (68), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are T2 (84), H1 (82) and U5 (77). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Austrian population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Austria
- Tracing social mechanisms and interregional connections in Early Bronze Age Societies in Lower Austria (2025)
- Tracing social mechanisms and interregional connections in Early Bronze Age Societies in Lower Austria (2025)
- Ancient DNA reveals reproductive barrier despite shared Avar-period culture (2025)
- High-status Avar warriors identified. Differences in the prevalence of the horse riding syndrome in “high-status” vs. “low-status” adult male burials in the Avar cemetery of Wien 11-Csokorgasse (seventh–eighth century AD) (2024)
- Double feature: First genetic evidence of a mother-daughter double burial in Roman period Austria (2024)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 1,054 from Austria.
Compare yourself with Austrian
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Austrian average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Austrian 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 Austrian. 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.
Go deeper than the average
This page describes the Austrian average. For your own DNA, Advanced Ancestry Report (16€) gives a full ancestry breakdown with no regional focus, in a personal PDF report.
Comprehensive DNA analysis comparing your genetics to over 2,000 modern reference populations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Austrian?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Austrian average is about 45.9% Steppe herders (Yamnaya), 42.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 11.6% Western hunter-gatherers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Austrian?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Austrian (Upper Austria)), the closest modern populations to the Austrian average are German (Erlangen), Hungarian and German. The closest ancient matches are Austria Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Profile), Hungary Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Profile) and Hungary Early Medieval Conqueror Period (Central Euro Profile).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Austrian?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Austrian 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 Austrian ancestry?
None of our regional reports is built for Austrian ancestry, so the full Advanced Ancestry Report (no regional focus) is the better choice. The DNA Mega-Analysis adds Neanderthal %, traits and closest ancient populations. The free Report Finder checks every report against your own DNA first.
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.