Iraqi Arab DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Iraq · West Asia
Iraq covers most of ancient Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and the Euphrates where Sumer, Akkad, Babylon and Assyria rose, and where Baghdad later became the capital of the Abbasid caliphate. In our model of the Iraqi Arab average, the largest share is Iranian Neolithic farmer ancestry (30.3%), followed by Anatolian Neolithic farmers (23.8%) and Natufians (23.6%), with Caucasus hunter-gatherers and steppe herders at 7.7% each, 5.2% Levantine Neolithic and 1.8% West African. That balance places Iraqi Arabs between the Zagros and Arabia: more Iranian-related ancestry than the Lebanese (20.7%), and far more Natufian ancestry than the Kurds of the northern mountains (2.3%). The closest modern averages are other Iraqi Arab samples, then Syrian Arabs from Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa on the middle Euphrates. The closest ancient group is a Late Antique to Early Medieval population from Bahrain (0.035), followed by Achaemenid and Neo-Assyrian to Neo-Babylonian individuals from Bakr Awa in Iraq.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Iranian Neolithic farmers 30.3%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 23.8%, Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) 23.6%
- Closest other population in our data: Syrian Arab (Deir ez-Zor, Syrio-Mesopotamian Arab Profile), distance 0.0148
- Closest ancient group in our data: Bahrain Late Antiquity-Early Medieval, distance 0.0350
Where does Iraqi Arab DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Iraqi Arab individuals sampled in Iraq, listed in the G25 sheet as "Iraqi" 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 Iraqi Arab average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Iraqi Arab average, 30.3%, goes to Iranian Neolithic farmers, ahead of Anatolian Neolithic farmers (23.8%) and Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) (23.6%). The Iranian Neolithic farmers component reflects the early farmers and herders of the Zagros mountains in Iran. The Anatolian Neolithic farmers share (23.8%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC. No single source dominates, so the profile is best read as a balanced blend of several ancient ancestries.
Smaller traces of West African (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 0.026): treat the proportions as a good approximation rather than exact values. 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 Iraqi Arab
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Iraqi Arab average is Iraqi Arab (Central), at a distance of 0.012 (very close). Next come Iraqi Arab (Mesopotamian Arab Profile) at 0.014 and Syrian Arab (Deir ez-Zor, Syrio-Mesopotamian Arab Profile) at 0.015. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Syrian Arab (Deir ez-Zor, Syrio-Mesopotamian Arab Profile) (0.015), Syrian Arab (Mesopotamian Arab Profile) (0.023) and Syrian Arab (Raqqa, Mesopotamian Arab Profile) (0.023). By the tenth closest (Lebanese Arab Muslim Sunni (Beirut)) the distance grows to 0.034, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iraqi Arab (Central) | 0.0123 | Very close |
| 2 | Iraqi Arab (Mesopotamian Arab Profile) | 0.0144 | Very close |
| 3 | Syrian Arab (Deir ez-Zor, Syrio-Mesopotamian Arab Profile) | 0.0148 | Very close |
| 4 | Syrian Arab (Mesopotamian Arab Profile) | 0.0225 | Very close |
| 5 | Syrian Arab (Raqqa, Mesopotamian Arab Profile) | 0.0234 | Very close |
| 6 | Syrian | 0.0242 | Very close |
| 7 | Turkmen (Iraq) | 0.0281 | Close |
| 8 | Emirati Arab (Mesopotamian Arab Profile) | 0.0289 | Close |
| 9 | Lebanese Sunni Muslim (Beirut) | 0.0305 | Close |
| 10 | Lebanese Arab Muslim Sunni (Beirut) | 0.0338 | 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 Iraqi Arab
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Iraqi Arab, Bahrain Late Antiquity-Early Medieval (Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD) comes first, at 0.035, with Iraq Achaemenid Bakr Awa (Mesopotamian Profile) 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 | Bahrain Late Antiquity-Early Medieval | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0350 |
| 2 | Iraq Achaemenid Bakr Awa (Mesopotamian Profile) | Achaemenid era, c. 550-330 BC | 0.0438 |
| 3 | Iraq IA Neo-Assyrian-Neo-Babylonian Bakr Awa | Iron Age | 0.0439 |
| 4 | Turkey Mesopotamia Parthian-Roman Empire Nevali Cori (Syrio-Mesopotamian Profile) | Parthian era, c. 250 BC-224 AD | 0.0446 |
| 5 | Iran IA Hasanlu (Mesopotamian/Armenian Highland Profile) | Iron Age | 0.0450 |
| 6 | Italy Lazio Roman Empire Rome (Mesopotamian Profile) | Roman era, c. 1-400 AD | 0.0451 |
| 7 | Syria Early Medieval Tell Masaikh (Umayyad-Abbasid, Syrio-Mesopotamian Arab Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0458 |
| 8 | Bahrain Early Medieval | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0458 |
| 9 | Italy Lazio Roman Republic Tarquinia (Mesopotamian Profile) | Roman Republic, c. 500-27 BC | 0.0477 |
| 10 | Iran IA Dinkha Tepe (Mesopotamian BA Profile) | Iron Age | 0.0482 |
Ancient DNA from Iraq
Our ancient DNA database holds 11 individuals excavated in present-day Iraq, dated from about 8,750 BC to 1,350 BC. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are F (1), G2a (1) and J (1), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are H (1), HV1 (1) and HV2 (1). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Iraqi Arab population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 11 from Iraq.
Compare yourself with Iraqi Arab
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Iraqi Arab average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Iraqi Arab 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 Iraqi Arab individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Iraqi Arab. 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 Iraqi Arab 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 West Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Iraqi Arab?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Iraqi Arab average is about 30.3% Iranian Neolithic farmers, 23.8% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 23.6% 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 Iraqi Arab?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Iraqi Arab (Central)), the closest modern populations to the Iraqi Arab average are Syrian Arab (Deir ez-Zor, Syrio-Mesopotamian Arab Profile), Syrian Arab (Mesopotamian Arab Profile) and Syrian Arab (Raqqa, Mesopotamian Arab Profile). The closest ancient matches are Bahrain Late Antiquity-Early Medieval, Iraq Achaemenid Bakr Awa (Mesopotamian Profile) and Iraq IA Neo-Assyrian-Neo-Babylonian Bakr Awa.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Iraqi Arab?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Iraqi Arab 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 Iraqi Arab ancestry?
For the Iraqi Arab 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.