Bavarian DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Germany · Western Europe
Bavaria, in the south-east of Germany, reaches south to the Alps, and the Bavarian dialects of its southern and eastern parts form one group with those of Austria. The Bavarii first appear in written sources in the 6th century AD, in lands that had been Roman frontier provinces. This page uses a Bavarian sample. In our model, it is 47.5% steppe-related, 42.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmer and 10.0% Western hunter-gatherer, close to the German average (46.6% steppe) but with a little less hunter-gatherer ancestry (10.0% against 12.7%). The sample sits somewhat apart from all reference averages: the nearest is the Austrian one, at a moderate distance of 0.0264, ahead of Germans from Erlangen in Franconia and the German average, which mirrors the old linguistic and political ties between Bavaria and Austria. The closest ancient groups are High Medieval people of the Arpadian period in Hungary with a Central European profile (0.0244), then Late Antique Ostrogoths.
- Ancient components in our model: Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 47.5%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 42.5%, Western hunter-gatherers 10.0%
- Closest modern population in our data: Austrian, distance 0.0264
- Closest ancient group in our data: Hungary High Medieval Arpadian Period Late (Central Euro Profile), distance 0.0244
Where does Bavarian DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Bavarian individuals sampled in Germany, listed in the G25 sheet as "German_Bavaria" 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 Bavarian average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Bavarian average, 47.5%, goes to Steppe herders (Yamnaya), ahead of Anatolian Neolithic farmers (42.5%) and Western hunter-gatherers (10.0%). 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 0.039): 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 Bavarian
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Bavarian average is Austrian, at a distance of 0.026 (close). Next come German (Erlangen) at 0.030 and German at 0.032. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Austrian (0.026), German (0.032) and Austrian (Upper Austria) (0.032). By the tenth closest (Rusyn) the distance grows to 0.035, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austrian | 0.0264 | Close |
| 2 | German (Erlangen) | 0.0299 | Close |
| 3 | German | 0.0319 | Close |
| 4 | Austrian (Upper Austria) | 0.0321 | Close |
| 5 | German (North Bohemia) | 0.0326 | Close |
| 6 | Croat (Dalmatia) | 0.0332 | Close |
| 7 | Transylvanian (Saxon) | 0.0335 | Close |
| 8 | French Oïl (Grand Est Moselle) | 0.0337 | Close |
| 9 | Hungarian | 0.0344 | Close |
| 10 | Rusyn | 0.0347 | 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 Bavarian
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Bavarian, Hungary High Medieval Arpadian Period Late (Central Euro Profile) (High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD) comes first, at 0.024, with Hungary Late Antiquity Ostrogoth (Central Euro 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 | Hungary High Medieval Arpadian Period Late (Central Euro Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0244 |
| 2 | Hungary Late Antiquity Ostrogoth (Central Euro Profile) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0270 |
| 3 | Hungary Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0275 |
| 4 | Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Late (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0275 |
| 5 | Hungary Early Medieval Lombard Period (Western Euro Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0277 |
| 6 | Hungary Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Profile) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0280 |
| 7 | Hungary High Medieval Arpadian Period Early (Carpathian Basin Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0293 |
| 8 | Hungary Late Antiquity Hun (Central Euro Profile) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0297 |
| 9 | Hungary Early Medieval Lombard Period (Central Euro Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0301 |
| 10 | Austria Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0304 |
Ancient DNA from Germany
Our ancient DNA database holds 2,647 individuals excavated in present-day Germany, dated from about 118,000 BC to 2012 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R1b (283), I2a (193) and R1a (144), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are U5 (253), H1 (192) and T2 (183). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Bavarian population.
Ancient sample data compiled by Nomad on the GenArchivist forum.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups in ancient samples from Germany
| Haplogroup | Ancient individuals | Example samples |
|---|---|---|
| R1b | 283 | XN191 Bla59 I0559 |
| I2a | 193 | HohleFels49 HohleFels10_79 Burkhardtshohle |
| R1a | 144 | RISE434 RISE436 RISE446 |
| G2a | 67 | I2020 I2021 I2026 |
| I1a | 65 | KUC023 HVN010 STRAZ_I_29 |
| E1b | 42 | UNTA89_FK231 STRAZ_I_37 RTW002 |
| I1 | 20 | OST003 KH200218 KH200127 |
| H2d | 15 | XN167 XN205 SMH013 |
Most frequent mtDNA haplogroups in ancient samples from Germany
Ancient DNA studies on Germany
- Reconstructing their genomes confirms the historically attested genealogy of the two medieval emperors Otto I (“the Great”) and Heinrich II (“Saint Henry”) (2026)
- Demography and life histories across the Roman frontier in Germany 400–700 ce (2026)
- Historic Genomes Uncover Demographic Shifts and Kinship Structures in Post-Roman Central Europe (2026)
- Reconstructing their genomes confirms the historically attested genealogy of the two medieval emperors Otto I (the Great) and Heinrich II (Saint Henry) (2026)
- Genetic and Isotopic Analyses of Medieval Skeletons (1150–1349) at St. Peter’s Churchyard, Berlin/Cölln, Germany (2026)
- Genetic and Isotopic Analysis of Medieval Skeletons from St. Peter's Churchyard, Berlin/Cölln, Germany (2025)
- Kinship practices at the early bronze age site of Leubingen in Central Germany (2024)
- Genetic analysis of multiple burials from the medieval churchyard from the St. Peters church of old Cölln/Berlin (2024)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 2,647 from Germany.
Compare yourself with Bavarian
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Bavarian average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Bavarian 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
A word of caution: these figures describe the average of the Bavarian individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Bavarian. Individuals vary around that average, and identity is about history, language and family, not about a genetic score. Read this page as a map of deep ancestry, not as a definition.
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 Bavarian 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.
More populations from Western Europe
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Bavarian?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Bavarian average is about 47.5% Steppe herders (Yamnaya), 42.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 10.0% 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 Bavarian?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as German (Erlangen)), the closest modern populations to the Bavarian average are Austrian, German and Austrian (Upper Austria). The closest ancient matches are Hungary High Medieval Arpadian Period Late (Central Euro Profile), Hungary Late Antiquity Ostrogoth (Central Euro Profile) and Hungary Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Slavic Profile).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Bavarian?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Bavarian 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 Bavarian ancestry?
None of our regional reports is built for Bavarian 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.