Circassian (Adyghe) DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Russia (North Caucasus) · Caucasus
The Circassians, who call themselves Adyghe, are one of the native peoples of the north-western Caucasus, and their language, with its eastern form Kabardian, belongs to the North-West Caucasian family alongside Abkhaz and Abaza. After the Russo-Circassian War ended in 1864, most Circassians were expelled or fled to the Ottoman Empire, and large communities live today in Turkey, Jordan and Syria. This page uses a Circassian average from the North Caucasus. In our model, it is 39.0% Caucasus hunter-gatherer, 26.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, 21.4% steppe-related, 6.4% East Asian, 5.4% Natufian and 1.3% Iranian Neolithic. The nearest modern averages are Kabardian Circassians (distance 0.0066), the Karachay (0.0088), the Cherkes sample and Balkars, a tight cluster of North Caucasus peoples regardless of language. The closest ancient groups are medieval people from Anapa on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar region, from the High Medieval (0.0243) and Khazar periods, in the historic Circassian lands.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Caucasus hunter-gatherers 39.0%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 26.5%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 21.4%
- Closest modern population in our data: Circassian (Kabardian), distance 0.0066
- Closest ancient group in our data: Krasnodar High Medieval Anapa, distance 0.0243
This page sums up what the DNA of the Circassian (Adyghe) sample tells us about deep origins. It is built from the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of individuals sampled in Russia (North Caucasus), listed in the G25 sheet as "Circassian", and it is one of 335 populations in our atlas. An average describes the group as a whole, not any single person in it.
Ancient make-up of the Circassian (Adyghe) average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Circassian (Adyghe) average, 39.0%, goes to Caucasus hunter-gatherers, ahead of Anatolian Neolithic farmers (26.5%) and Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (21.4%). The Caucasus hunter-gatherers component reflects the hunter-gatherers of the Caucasus, a deep ancestry shared by the Caucasus, Anatolia and the Iranian plateau. The Anatolian Neolithic farmers share (26.5%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC.
Smaller traces of Iranian Neolithic farmers (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 model fits well (fit distance 0.025), so these proportions are a reasonable summary. 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 Circassian (Adyghe)
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Circassian (Adyghe) average is Circassian (Kabardian), at a distance of 0.007 (very close). Next come Karachay at 0.009 and Cherkes at 0.009. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Karachay (0.009), Cherkes (0.009) and Balkar (0.011). Even the tenth closest, Adygei, is only 0.024 away: Circassian (Adyghe) belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Circassian (Kabardian) | 0.0066 | Very close |
| 2 | Karachay | 0.0088 | Very close |
| 3 | Cherkes | 0.0090 | Very close |
| 4 | Balkar | 0.0107 | Very close |
| 5 | Kabardian | 0.0112 | Very close |
| 6 | Abazin | 0.0143 | Very close |
| 7 | Circassian (Adyghe) (other sample set) | 0.0204 | Very close |
| 8 | North Ossetian | 0.0218 | Very close |
| 9 | Ossetian (North Ossetia) | 0.0230 | Very close |
| 10 | Adygei | 0.0236 | 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 Circassian (Adyghe)
Among ancient genomes, the closest match to the modern Circassian (Adyghe) average is Krasnodar High Medieval Anapa (High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD), at 0.024, followed by Krasnodar Early Medieval Khazar Khaganate Anapa and Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Verkhnii Saltiv (Alan, Ciscaucasian 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 | Krasnodar High Medieval Anapa | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0243 |
| 2 | Krasnodar Early Medieval Khazar Khaganate Anapa | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0288 |
| 3 | Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Verkhnii Saltiv (Alan, Ciscaucasian Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0336 |
| 4 | Lithuania IA Flat Burials Marvele (Ciscaucasian Profile) | Iron Age | 0.0357 |
| 5 | North Ossetia Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Alan | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0372 |
| 6 | Karachay-Cherkessia Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Alan | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0376 |
| 7 | Ukraine IA Scythian Pisochyn (Ciscaucasian Profile) | Iron Age | 0.0395 |
| 8 | Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Bochkove (Bulgar, Ciscaucasian Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0416 |
| 9 | North Ossetia Early-Late Medieval Alan | Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD | 0.0461 |
| 10 | Armenia IA Lchashen-Metsamor/Urartian Bardzryal | Iron Age | 0.0477 |
Ancient DNA from Russia
Our ancient DNA database holds 2,938 individuals excavated in present-day Russia, dated from about 208,050 BC to 1918 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R1a (370), R1b (317) and N1a (235), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are U5 (367), U4 (226) and U2 (150). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Circassian (Adyghe) population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Russia
- The Yeniseian and Andronovo Substrates in the Gene Pools of the Indigenous Southern Siberian Populations Analyzed by Q and R1a Y-Haplogroups (2026)
- Ancient genomics study reveals low HLA diversity in eastern hunter-gatherers (2026)
- Comparison of Illumina NovaSeq 6000, GeneMind SURFSeq 5000, Salus Evo, and MGI DNBSEQ-G400 for Ancient DNA Whole-Genome Sequencing (2026)
- Biochip for Determination of 92 Human Y-Chromosome Haplogroups by SNP Markers and Frequency Distribution of These Haplogroups in Slavic Population of European Russia (2026)
- Modern descendants of Kyordyughen warrior (Yakutia, 4200 years before present) in populations of Far East (2026)
- Genetic history of Rus' (2025)
- Paratyphoid Fever and Relapsing Fever in 1812 Napoleon’s Devastated Army (2025)
- Pre-Slavic and Slavic Interaction at Eastern Periphery of Slavic Expansion in Northeastern Europe (Y-Gene Pools of Volga-Oka Region) (2025)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 2,938 from Russia.
Compare yourself with Circassian (Adyghe)
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Circassian (Adyghe) average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Circassian (Adyghe) 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 Circassian (Adyghe) individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Circassian (Adyghe). 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 Circassian (Adyghe) 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 Caucasus
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Circassian (Adyghe)?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Circassian (Adyghe) average is about 39.0% Caucasus hunter-gatherers, 26.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 21.4% Steppe herders (Yamnaya). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Circassian (Adyghe)?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Circassian (Kabardian)), the closest modern populations to the Circassian (Adyghe) average are Karachay, Cherkes and Balkar. The closest ancient matches are Krasnodar High Medieval Anapa, Krasnodar Early Medieval Khazar Khaganate Anapa and Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Verkhnii Saltiv (Alan, Ciscaucasian Profile).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Circassian (Adyghe)?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Circassian (Adyghe) 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 Circassian (Adyghe) ancestry?
For the Circassian (Adyghe) 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.