Hadza DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Tanzania · Sub-Saharan Africa
The Hadza live around Lake Eyasi in northern Tanzania and are among the last people in Africa to live mainly by hunting and gathering. They number only about a thousand, and their language, Hadzane, which uses click consonants, is usually treated as an isolate. In our model, no single source describes them: the Hadza average is spread over 62.0% Nilotic East African, 11.7% San, 9.2% Natufian, 8.2% BiAka and 6.2% Mbuti, plus a 2.7% trace of the South Asian proxy that should not be read literally. Spreading across three forager sources is the model's way of showing that the Hadza carry a distinct forager ancestry of their own. The neighbour list confirms how distinct they are: the closest modern average, the Sandawe (0.0694), another click-language people of Tanzania, is already far, and all others are beyond 0.10. The closest ancient groups are foragers too: the 4,500-year-old Mota individual from Ethiopia (0.0421) and Later Stone Age Jawuoyo in Kenya (0.0456).
- Largest ancient components in our model: Nilotic East African 62.0%, Southern African foragers (San) 11.7%, Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) 9.2%
- Closest modern population in our data: Sandawe, distance 0.0694
- Closest ancient group in our data: Ethiopia LSA Mota 4500BP, distance 0.0421
Where does Hadza DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Hadza individuals sampled in Tanzania 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 Hadza average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Hadza average, 62.0%, goes to Nilotic East African, ahead of Southern African foragers (San) (11.7%) and Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) (9.2%). The Nilotic East African component reflects ancestry found in East African populations. With well over half of the total, this single source dominates the profile.
Smaller traces of South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) (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 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.
Sankofa – African Ancestry Report
Closest modern populations to Hadza
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Hadza average is Sandawe, at a distance of 0.069 (moderate). Next come Ethiopian (Gumuz) at 0.100 and Kalenjin at 0.104. No modern population in the data is very close (the nearest is 0.069 away), which points to a distinctive genetic profile, often the mark of long isolation or of a mix that is rare elsewhere.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sandawe | 0.0694 | Moderate |
| 2 | Ethiopian (Gumuz) | 0.1002 | Distant |
| 3 | Kalenjin | 0.1037 | Distant |
| 4 | Sengwer | 0.1067 | Distant |
| 5 | Ari (Blacksmith) | 0.1093 | Distant |
| 6 | Hema | 0.1094 | Distant |
| 7 | Ethiopian (Mursi) | 0.1123 | Distant |
| 8 | Kikuyu | 0.1138 | Distant |
| 9 | Ari | 0.1160 | Distant |
| 10 | Ari (Cultivator) | 0.1196 | Distant |
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 Hadza
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Hadza, Ethiopia LSA Mota 4500BP (c. 2550 BC) comes first, at 0.042, with Kenya LSA Jawuoyo 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 | Ethiopia LSA Mota 4500BP | c. 2550 BC | 0.0421 |
| 2 | Kenya LSA Jawuoyo | Later Stone Age | 0.0456 |
| 3 | Kenya Early Modern Kilifi 400BP | c. 1550 AD | 0.0678 |
| 4 | Tanzania Pemba 1400BP | c. 550 AD | 0.0702 |
| 5 | Kenya LSA Nyarindi 3500BP | c. 1550 BC | 0.0720 |
| 6 | Tanzania Gishimangeda 1600BP | c. 350 AD | 0.0776 |
| 7 | Kenya LSA Kakapel 3900BP | c. 1950 BC | 0.0862 |
| 8 | Tanzania Kisese 7000BP | c. 5050 BC | 0.0907 |
| 9 | Tanzania Zanzibar 1300BP | c. 650 AD | 0.0961 |
| 10 | Kenya High Medieval Kakapel 900BP | c. 1050 AD | 0.1279 |
Ancient DNA from Tanzania
Our ancient DNA database holds 27 individuals excavated in present-day Tanzania, dated from about 16,550 BC to 1653 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are E1b (8), B2b (2) and C (1), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are L3 (11), L0 (4) and L4 (4). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Hadza population.
Ancient sample data compiled by Nomad on the GenArchivist forum.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups in ancient samples from Tanzania
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 27 from Tanzania.
Compare yourself with Hadza
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Hadza average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Hadza 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 Hadza individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Hadza. 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 Hadza average. Your own DNA has its own story: Sankofa – African 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 predominantly Sub-Saharan African (SSA) ancestry: modelling against 230+ regional African populations (West, Central, East & Southern Africa, the Horn of Africa, Madagascar) plus the European, Amerindian and...
More populations from Sub-Saharan Africa
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Hadza?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Hadza average is about 62.0% Nilotic East African, 11.7% Southern African foragers (San) and 9.2% Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Hadza?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Hadza average are Sandawe, Ethiopian (Gumuz) and Kalenjin. The closest ancient matches are Ethiopia LSA Mota 4500BP, Kenya LSA Jawuoyo and Kenya Early Modern Kilifi 400BP.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Hadza?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Hadza 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 Hadza ancestry?
Sankofa – African Ancestry Report is the report built for this heritage, and its reference panel fits the Hadza 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.