Bedouin (Negev) DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Israel · West Asia
The Negev Bedouin are Arabic-speaking tribes of the desert of southern Israel, traditionally herders of camels, goats and sheep, with family and tribal ties reaching into Sinai, Jordan and the Arabian Peninsula. In our model, 57.3% of their ancestry is Natufian, the second highest share in our atlas after the Kuwaitis, with 21.6% Levantine Neolithic farmer, 19.7% Iranian Neolithic farmer and only 1.4% Caucasus hunter-gatherer. There is no steppe or Anatolian farmer component above the 1% threshold, which sets the Bedouin apart from settled Levantine neighbours: Palestinians, for example, have 14.8% Anatolian farmer and 8.2% steppe ancestry. Their genetic neighbours are in Arabia: after another Bedouin sample from Jordan, the closest averages are Saudis and Emiratis. The closest ancient group is a High Medieval population from Socotra off Yemen (0.0258), followed closely by Late Medieval to Early Modern people from Tell el-Hesi, in southern Israel itself.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) 57.3%, Levantine Neolithic farmers 21.6%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 19.7%
- Closest other population in our data: Saudi, distance 0.0157
- Closest ancient group in our data: Yemen Socotra High Medieval, distance 0.0258
Where does Bedouin (Negev) DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Bedouin (Negev) individuals sampled in Israel, listed in the G25 sheet as "Bedouin_Negev" 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 Bedouin (Negev) average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Bedouin (Negev) average, 57.3%, goes to Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant), ahead of Levantine Neolithic farmers (21.6%) and Iranian Neolithic farmers (19.7%). The Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) component reflects the early farmers of the Levant and the Natufian foragers who came before them.
Smaller traces of Caucasus hunter-gatherers (under 5%) also appear. At that level they can reflect real minor ancestry, but also simple model noise, so they should not be over-read. The fit is loose (fit distance 0.048), which usually means that none of the available reference populations is a close stand-in for part of this ancestry, so read the percentages as rough. The model draws on West Eurasian ancient genomes, with modern West African and East Asian stand-ins.
Closest modern populations to Bedouin (Negev)
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Bedouin (Negev) average is Bedouin (Jordan), at a distance of 0.015 (very close). Next come Saudi at 0.016 and Saudi Arab at 0.016. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Saudi (0.016), Saudi Arab (0.016) and Emirati Arab (Arabian Profile) (0.017). Even the tenth closest, Yemeni Arab (Ma'rib), is only 0.023 away: Bedouin (Negev) belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bedouin (Jordan) | 0.0152 | Very close |
| 2 | Saudi | 0.0157 | Very close |
| 3 | Saudi Arab | 0.0160 | Very close |
| 4 | Emirati Arab (Arabian Profile) | 0.0167 | Very close |
| 5 | Bedouin (Sudan Rashaida) | 0.0199 | Very close |
| 6 | Sudan Arab (Rashaayda) | 0.0205 | Very close |
| 7 | Yemenite (Al Jawf) | 0.0215 | Very close |
| 8 | Yemenite (Ma'rib) | 0.0217 | Very close |
| 9 | Saudi Arab (Hejaz) | 0.0225 | Very close |
| 10 | Yemeni Arab (Ma'rib) | 0.0228 | 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 Bedouin (Negev)
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Bedouin (Negev), Yemen Socotra High Medieval (High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD) comes first, at 0.026, with Israel Late Medieval-Early Modern Tell el-Hesi next. That is a close match: much of the modern profile was already present then, while later movements of people added further layers. 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 | Yemen Socotra High Medieval | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0258 |
| 2 | Israel Late Medieval-Early Modern Tell el-Hesi | Late Medieval to Early Modern, c. 1300-1800 AD | 0.0263 |
| 3 | Yemen Socotra Early-High Medieval | Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD | 0.0327 |
| 4 | Yemen Socotra Early Medieval | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0327 |
| 5 | Yemen Socotra Early-Late Modern | Modern era, c. 1500-1950 AD | 0.0337 |
| 6 | Syria High Medieval Tell Masaikh (Arabian Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0407 |
| 7 | Syria Early Medieval Islamic Era Tell Qarassa | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0430 |
| 8 | Jordan EBA 'Ain Ghazal (Levant EBA South) | Early Bronze Age | 0.0556 |
| 9 | Egypt Late Period Abusir-el Meleq | Late Period Egypt, c. 660-330 BC | 0.0635 |
| 10 | Egypt Early Dynastic-Old Kingdom Neurat | Early Dynastic to Old Kingdom Egypt, c. 3100-2200 BC | 0.0691 |
Ancient DNA from Israel
Our ancient DNA database holds 128 individuals excavated in present-day Israel, dated from about 11,343 BC to 1550 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are J1a (18), E1b (13) and T1a (11), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are T2 (14), H (9) and J2 (8). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Bedouin (Negev) population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Israel
- Ancient DNA sheds light on the genetic origins of early Iron Age Philistines (2019)
- Ancient DNA from Chalcolithic Israel reveals the role of population mixture in cultural transformation (2018)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 128 from Israel.
Compare yourself with Bedouin (Negev)
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Bedouin (Negev) average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Bedouin (Negev) 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.
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About these numbers
A word of caution: these figures describe the average of the Bedouin (Negev) individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Bedouin (Negev). 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.
Go deeper than the average
This page describes the Bedouin (Negev) average. For your own DNA, Advanced Ancestry Report (16€) gives a full ancestry breakdown with no regional focus, in a personal PDF report.
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More populations from West Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Bedouin (Negev)?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Bedouin (Negev) average is about 57.3% Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant), 21.6% Levantine Neolithic farmers and 19.7% Iranian Neolithic farmers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Bedouin (Negev)?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Bedouin (Jordan)), the closest modern populations to the Bedouin (Negev) average are Saudi, Saudi Arab and Emirati Arab (Arabian Profile). The closest ancient matches are Yemen Socotra High Medieval, Israel Late Medieval-Early Modern Tell el-Hesi and Yemen Socotra Early-High Medieval.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Bedouin (Negev)?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Bedouin (Negev) 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 Bedouin (Negev) ancestry?
Our regional report for this part of the world does not fit the Bedouin (Negev) average closely, 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.