Crimean Tatar (Steppe) DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Ukraine · Eastern Europe
Crimean Tatars are the Turkic-speaking people of the Crimean peninsula, home of the Crimean Khanate from the 15th to the 18th century. They are traditionally divided into three regional groups, from the northern steppe, the mountains and the southern coast, which differ in dialect and history. This page uses the steppe group, which shows the clearest links with the nomads of the Eurasian steppe. In our model, it is 38.8% steppe-related and 25.2% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, with 19.2% Ancient Northeast Asian and 8.7% East Asian ancestry, much more eastern ancestry than the Volga Tatars (9.5% and 3.2%), plus small Arctic Siberian, Western hunter-gatherer and South Asian-related shares. The nearest modern averages are another steppe Crimean Tatar sample (distance 0.0105) and steppe Crimean Tatars from Dobruja (0.0270), then Lipka Tatars and Bashkirs. Ancient matches point to the steppe: individuals with an East Asian-mixed profile from Avar-period (0.0294) and Hungarian Conquest-period (0.0298) cemeteries in Hungary come first.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 38.8%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 25.2%, Ancient Northeast Asians 19.2%
- Closest population outside the Crimean Tatar samples: Tatar (Lipka), distance 0.0450
- Closest ancient group in our data: Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Early/Middle (East Asian-Mixed Profile), distance 0.0294
Where does Crimean Tatar (Steppe) DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Crimean Tatar (Steppe) individuals sampled in Ukraine, listed in the G25 sheet as "Tatar_Crimean_steppe" 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 Crimean Tatar (Steppe) average
The ancient make-up of the Crimean Tatar (Steppe) average is led by Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (38.8%), followed by Anatolian Neolithic farmers (25.2%) and Ancient Northeast Asians (19.2%). 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 (25.2%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC.
Smaller traces of Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related), Western hunter-gatherers, South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) and Iranian Neolithic farmers (under 5% each) 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 acceptable (fit distance 0.027): treat the proportions as a good approximation rather than exact values. This population was modelled with a global set of reference populations (ancient genomes, plus modern stand-ins where no suitable ancient genome exists), because West Eurasian sources alone cannot describe it.
Turan – Silk Road & Central Asian Ancestry Report
Closest modern populations to Crimean Tatar (Steppe)
Genetically, the Crimean Tatar (Steppe) average sits nearest to Crimean Tatar (Steppe) (other sample set) at 0.011, Crimean Tatar (Steppe Dobruja) at 0.027 and Tatar (Lipka) at 0.045. On our scale, a distance of 0.011 counts as very close. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Crimean Tatar (Steppe) (other sample set) (0.011), Crimean Tatar (Steppe Dobruja) (0.027) and Bashkir (Miyakinsky) (0.056). By the tenth closest (Turkmen (Uzbekistan)) the distance grows to 0.065, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crimean Tatar (Steppe) (other sample set) | 0.0105 | Very close |
| 2 | Crimean Tatar (Steppe Dobruja) | 0.0270 | Close |
| 3 | Tatar (Lipka) | 0.0450 | Close |
| 4 | Bashkir (Miyakinsky) | 0.0557 | Moderate |
| 5 | Tatar (Astrakhan) | 0.0567 | Moderate |
| 6 | Bashkir (Davlekanovo) | 0.0591 | Moderate |
| 7 | Uzbek (Khorezm) | 0.0609 | Moderate |
| 8 | Tajik (Tashkent) | 0.0625 | Moderate |
| 9 | Turkmen | 0.0653 | Moderate |
| 10 | Turkmen (Uzbekistan) | 0.0654 | Moderate |
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 Crimean Tatar (Steppe)
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Crimean Tatar (Steppe) average is Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Early/Middle (East Asian-Mixed Profile) (Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD), at 0.029. Hungary Early Medieval Conqueror Period (East Asian-Mixed Profile) and Russia Samara Early Medieval Novinki Novinki (East Asian-Mixed Profile) come 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 | Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Early/Middle (East Asian-Mixed Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0294 |
| 2 | Hungary Early Medieval Conqueror Period (East Asian-Mixed Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0298 |
| 3 | Russia Samara Early Medieval Novinki Novinki (East Asian-Mixed Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0345 |
| 4 | Hungary Late Antiquity Hun (Hun-Mixed Profile) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0349 |
| 5 | Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period (East Asian-Mixed Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0357 |
| 6 | Russia Samara Early Medieval Brusyany Novinki (East Asian-Mixed Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0362 |
| 7 | Kazakhstan Early Medieval Turk | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0509 |
| 8 | Ukraine High Medieval Cuman Mamay-Gora (East Asian-Mixed Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0515 |
| 9 | Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Middle (East Asian-Mixed Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0523 |
| 10 | Russia Samara IA-Early Medieval Novinki Novinki (East Asian-Mixed Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0544 |
Ancient DNA from Ukraine
Our ancient DNA database holds 533 individuals excavated in present-day Ukraine, dated from about 34,841 BC to 1700 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are I2a (70), R1b (49) and R1a (48), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are U5 (110), U4 (63) and T2 (31). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Crimean Tatar (Steppe) population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 533 from Ukraine.
Compare yourself with Crimean Tatar (Steppe)
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Crimean Tatar (Steppe) average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Crimean Tatar (Steppe) 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 Crimean Tatar (Steppe) individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Crimean Tatar (Steppe). 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 Crimean Tatar (Steppe) average. Your own DNA has its own story: Turan – Silk Road & Central Asian Ancestry 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 Central Asian / Silk Road Turkic ancestry: ancient regional core (Botai, Andronovo, BMAC Bactria-Margiana, Saka/Scythian, Wusun, Kushan Empire, Xiongnu, Turkic Khaganate, Golden Horde) versus non-regional...
More populations from Eastern Europe
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Crimean Tatar (Steppe)?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Crimean Tatar (Steppe) average is about 38.8% Steppe herders (Yamnaya), 25.2% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 19.2% Ancient Northeast Asians. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Crimean Tatar (Steppe)?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Tatar (Lipka)), the closest modern populations to the Crimean Tatar (Steppe) average are Crimean Tatar (Steppe) (other sample set), Crimean Tatar (Steppe Dobruja) and Bashkir (Miyakinsky). The closest ancient matches are Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Early/Middle (East Asian-Mixed Profile), Hungary Early Medieval Conqueror Period (East Asian-Mixed Profile) and Russia Samara Early Medieval Novinki Novinki (East Asian-Mixed Profile).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Crimean Tatar (Steppe)?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Crimean Tatar (Steppe) 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 Crimean Tatar (Steppe) ancestry?
Turan – Silk Road & Central Asian Ancestry Report is our regional report for this part of the world. On the Crimean Tatar (Steppe) average its fit test reads partial, so check your own DNA first: the free Report Finder runs that test on your file.
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.