Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Ethiopia · Sub-Saharan Africa
The Beta Israel lived for many centuries in northern Ethiopia, especially around Gondar and Lake Tana, following a form of Judaism based on the Bible and their own texts in Ge'ez. Most of the community moved to Israel in the 1980s and 1990s, notably during Operation Moses and Operation Solomon. In our model, the Beta Israel average is 52.2% Natufian (Levantine-related) and 43.6% Nilotic East African, with small Iranian-related (2.7%) and Caucasus-related (1.5%) shares, almost exactly the profile of the Amhara (52.3% and 42.4%). The Natufian share here stands for the West Eurasian ancestry that reached the Horn of Africa in ancient times. The nearest modern averages are their Ethiopian neighbours: Amhara (distance 0.0116), Afar and Agaw, then Tigrayans and Eritreans, which points to deep local roots in the Ethiopian highlands. The closest ancient group is an early pastoralist population from Kenya (0.0309), followed by Christian-era Nubians from Kulubnarti in Sudan.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) 52.2%, Nilotic East African 43.6%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 2.7%
- Closest modern population in our data: Amhara, distance 0.0116
- Closest ancient group in our data: Kenya Early Pastoral N, distance 0.0309
Where does Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) individuals sampled in Ethiopia, listed in the G25 sheet as "Ethiopian_Jew" 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 Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) average
The ancient make-up of the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) average is led by Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) (52.2%), followed by Nilotic East African (43.6%) and Iranian Neolithic farmers (2.7%). The Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) component reflects the early farmers of the Levant and the Natufian foragers who came before them. The Nilotic East African share (43.6%) reflects ancestry found in East African populations.
Smaller traces of Iranian Neolithic farmers and Caucasus hunter-gatherers (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 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. 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.
Am Yisrael – Jewish Diaspora Report
Closest modern populations to Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish)
Genetically, the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) average sits nearest to Amhara at 0.012, Afar (Ethiopia) at 0.014 and Amhara (other sample set) at 0.015. On our scale, a distance of 0.012 counts as very close. By the tenth closest (Beja (Hadendowa)) the distance grows to 0.038, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amhara | 0.0116 | Very close |
| 2 | Afar (Ethiopia) | 0.0136 | Very close |
| 3 | Amhara (other sample set) | 0.0151 | Very close |
| 4 | Ethiopian (Agaw) | 0.0160 | Very close |
| 5 | Afar | 0.0173 | Very close |
| 6 | Tigrayan | 0.0226 | Very close |
| 7 | Eritrean (Tigrinya) | 0.0231 | Very close |
| 8 | Saho (Eritrean) | 0.0307 | Close |
| 9 | Eritrean | 0.0327 | Close |
| 10 | Beja (Hadendowa) | 0.0380 | 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 Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish)
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish), Kenya Early Pastoral N (Neolithic) comes first, at 0.031, with Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti R 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 | Kenya Early Pastoral N | Neolithic | 0.0309 |
| 2 | Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti R | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0445 |
| 3 | Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti S | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0515 |
| 4 | Kenya Pastoral N Elmenteitan | Neolithic | 0.0672 |
| 5 | Tanzania Pastoral N | Neolithic | 0.0699 |
| 6 | Kenya Pastoral N Hyrax Hill 2300BP | c. 350 BC | 0.0723 |
| 7 | Kenya Pastoral N | Neolithic | 0.0787 |
| 8 | Tanzania Luxmanda 3000BP | c. 1050 BC | 0.0853 |
| 9 | Kenya Pastoral N Lukenya Hill 3500BP | c. 1550 BC | 0.0915 |
| 10 | Kenya Pastoral N Molo Cave 1500BP | c. 450 AD | 0.1161 |
Ancient DNA from Ethiopia
Our ancient DNA database holds 1 individual excavated in present-day Ethiopia. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are E1b (1), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are L3 (1). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| E1b | 1 | I5950 |
Most frequent mtDNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| L3 | 1 | I5950 |
Ancient DNA studies on Ethiopia
- Evidence of the interplay of genetics and culture in Ethiopia (2021)
- Structure and ancestry patterns of Ethiopians in genome-wide autosomal DNA (2021)
- West Asian sources of the Eurasian component in Ethiopians: a reassessment (2019)
- Ancient Ethiopian genome reveals extensive Eurasian admixture in Eastern Africa (2015)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 1 from Ethiopia.
Compare yourself with Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish)
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) 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 Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish). 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 Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) average. Your own DNA has its own story: Am Yisrael – Jewish Diaspora 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 Jewish ancestry: ancient Israelite & Levantine core (Canaanite, Iron Age, Phoenician) plus the host admixture of your diaspora community, on a Jerusalem-centred animated map.
More populations from Sub-Saharan Africa
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish)?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) average is about 52.2% Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant), 43.6% Nilotic East African and 2.7% 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 Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish)?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) average are Amhara, Afar (Ethiopia) and Amhara (other sample set). The closest ancient matches are Kenya Early Pastoral N, Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti R and Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti S.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish)?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) 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 Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) ancestry?
Am Yisrael – Jewish Diaspora Report is the report built for this heritage, and its reference panel fits the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) average closely. 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.