Hazara DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Afghanistan · Central Asia
The Hazara live mainly in the central highlands of Afghanistan, the Hazarajat, with large communities in Quetta in Pakistan and in Iran. They speak Hazaragi, a dialect of Persian, and most are Shia Muslims. Their history is often linked to the Mongol and Timurid periods, when groups from Mongolia and Central Asia settled in the region and mixed with the local population. In our model, the Hazara average is 32.5% Ancient Northeast Asian, 21.9% steppe, 14.0% Iranian Neolithic, 12.9% East Asian, 8.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, 7.6% South Asian proxy and 2.6% Arctic Siberian. Compared with the Tajiks, who also speak Persian (9.6% Ancient Northeast Asian), the Hazara carry far more East Asian-related ancestry, close to half in all. The neighbours reflect that blend: after Hazara samples from Afghanistan and Pakistan, the closest are the Uyghurs of Xinjiang (0.0257), then Karakalpaks and Nogais. In ancient DNA, the best match is a Karakhanid-era group from Butakty in Kazakhstan (0.0359).
- Largest ancient components in our model: Ancient Northeast Asians 32.5%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 21.9%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 14.0%
- Closest other population in our data: Uygur, distance 0.0257
- Closest ancient group in our data: Kazakhstan Early-High Medieval Karakhanid Butakty, distance 0.0359
This page sums up what the DNA of the Hazara sample tells us about deep origins. It is built from the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of individuals sampled in Afghanistan, 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 Hazara average
The ancient make-up of the Hazara average is led by Ancient Northeast Asians (32.5%), followed by Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (21.9%) and Iranian Neolithic farmers (14.0%). The Ancient Northeast Asians component reflects ancestry most common today in East Asia. The Steppe herders (Yamnaya) share (21.9%) 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. No single source dominates, so the profile is best read as a balanced blend of several ancient ancestries.
Smaller traces of Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related) (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 0.023), so these proportions are a reasonable summary. 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.
Simorgh – Iranian Plateau Report
Closest modern populations to Hazara
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Hazara average is Hazara (Afghanistan), at a distance of 0.009 (very close). Next come Hazara (Pakistan) at 0.009 and Uygur at 0.026. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Uygur (0.026), Uyghur (0.026) and Karakalpak (0.044). By the tenth closest (Sart (Kalmyk)) the distance grows to 0.059, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hazara (Afghanistan) | 0.0089 | Very close |
| 2 | Hazara (Pakistan) | 0.0091 | Very close |
| 3 | Uygur | 0.0257 | Close |
| 4 | Uyghur | 0.0259 | Close |
| 5 | Karakalpak | 0.0442 | Close |
| 6 | Nogai (Stavropol) | 0.0448 | Close |
| 7 | Nogai (Dagestan) | 0.0476 | Close |
| 8 | Nogai | 0.0493 | Close |
| 9 | Nogai (Astrakhan) | 0.0571 | Moderate |
| 10 | Sart (Kalmyk) | 0.0587 | 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 Hazara
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Hazara average is Kazakhstan Early-High Medieval Karakhanid Butakty (Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD), at 0.036. Xinjiang HP Gongnaisi and Kazakhstan IA Mayemer 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 | Kazakhstan Early-High Medieval Karakhanid Butakty | Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD | 0.0359 |
| 2 | Xinjiang HP Gongnaisi | Historical period | 0.0401 |
| 3 | Kazakhstan IA Mayemer | Iron Age | 0.0405 |
| 4 | Kazakhstan Early Medieval Karluk Butakty | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0421 |
| 5 | Kazakhstan Early Medieval Nomad Issyk | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0423 |
| 6 | Kazakhstan Early-High Medieval Karluk Butakty | Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD | 0.0469 |
| 7 | China Inner Mongolia HP Tang Dynasty Naobaowan (Turanian-Mixed Profile) | Tang dynasty, 618-907 AD | 0.0504 |
| 8 | Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Bochkove (Bulgar, Central Asian Turkic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0549 |
| 9 | Xinjiang HP Simutasi | Historical period | 0.0556 |
| 10 | Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Verkhnii Saltiv (Alan, Central Asian Turkic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0564 |
Ancient DNA from Afghanistan
Our ancient DNA database holds 1 individual excavated in present-day Afghanistan. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R2 (1), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are H2 (1). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Hazara population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| R2 | 1 | Darra.I.Kur |
Most frequent mtDNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| H2 | 1 | Darra.I.Kur |
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 1 from Afghanistan.
Compare yourself with Hazara
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Hazara average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Hazara 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
Keep in mind that a population average is a statistical summary of a limited number of sampled individuals. Real people inside any group vary, some carry more of one ancestry and some less, and no genetic profile decides who is or is not Hazara. Use these numbers as a map of deep ancestry, not as a label.
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 Hazara average. Your own DNA has its own story: Simorgh – Iranian Plateau 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 Iranian-plateau ancestry: ancient regional core (Bronze/Iron Age Iranian Plateau, Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanid Persia) versus non-regional outside admixture, across 10 communities (Persian, Lur/Bakhtiari...
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Hazara?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Hazara average is about 32.5% Ancient Northeast Asians, 21.9% Steppe herders (Yamnaya) and 14.0% 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 Hazara?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Hazara (Afghanistan)), the closest modern populations to the Hazara average are Uygur, Uyghur and Karakalpak. The closest ancient matches are Kazakhstan Early-High Medieval Karakhanid Butakty, Xinjiang HP Gongnaisi and Kazakhstan IA Mayemer.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Hazara?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Hazara 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 Hazara ancestry?
For the Hazara average, the regional report to choose is Simorgh – Iranian Plateau Report, which our fit test rates as a good 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.