Kalmyk DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Russia · Eastern Europe
The Kalmyks live on the steppes north-west of the Caspian Sea, in the Republic of Kalmykia, and form the only traditionally Buddhist nation in Europe. They are Oirats, western Mongols, who migrated from Dzungaria, in western Mongolia and northern Xinjiang, to the lower Volga in the early 17th century. Four centuries later, they remain genetically almost identical to the Oirats of Mongolia. In our model, the Kalmyk average is 68.9% Ancient Northeast Asian, 15.4% steppe-related, 6.2% Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related), 4.4% East Asian, 2.6% Iranian Neolithic and 2.5% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, very close to the Mongolian average (71.1% Ancient Northeast Asian, 15.7% steppe). The nearest modern averages are Oirat Mongols from Mongolia, Bayad (distance 0.0090), Dorbet and Torgut, closer even than the Kalmyk Torgut and Dorbet samples, while Buryats are much further away (above 0.04). The closest ancient group is a Late Medieval Mongol-period population from Mongolia (0.0221), followed by people with a Hun elite profile from Late Antique Hungary.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Ancient Northeast Asians 68.9%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 15.4%, Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related) 6.2%
- Closest modern population in our data: Mongol (Oirat Bayad Mongolia), distance 0.0090
- Closest ancient group in our data: Mongolia Late Medieval Mongol Period (Turanian-Mixed Profile), distance 0.0221
Kalmyk is one of the 335 modern populations in our population genetics atlas. The numbers on this page describe the average Global25 (G25) genome of the Kalmyk individuals sampled in Russia. Like every population average, it smooths over a lot of variation between individuals.
Ancient make-up of the Kalmyk average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Kalmyk average, 68.9%, goes to Ancient Northeast Asians, ahead of Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (15.4%) and Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related) (6.2%). The Ancient Northeast Asians component reflects ancestry most common today in East Asia. The Steppe herders (Yamnaya) share (15.4%) 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. With well over half of the total, this single source dominates the profile.
Smaller traces of East Asian, Iranian Neolithic farmers and Anatolian 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 0.039): 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.
Closest modern populations to Kalmyk
Ranking every modern population by genetic distance puts Mongol (Oirat Bayad Mongolia) first for Kalmyk, at 0.009, then Mongol (Oirat Dorbet Mongolia) and Mongol (Oirat Torgut Mongolia). By the tenth closest (Buryat (Zakamensky)) the distance grows to 0.051, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mongol (Oirat Bayad Mongolia) | 0.0090 | Very close |
| 2 | Mongol (Oirat Dorbet Mongolia) | 0.0102 | Very close |
| 3 | Mongol (Oirat Torgut Mongolia) | 0.0102 | Very close |
| 4 | Kalmyk (Torgut) | 0.0119 | Very close |
| 5 | Mongolian | 0.0121 | Very close |
| 6 | Kalmyk (Dorbet) | 0.0139 | Very close |
| 7 | Buryat (Irkutsk) | 0.0416 | Close |
| 8 | Buryat (Mongolia) | 0.0457 | Close |
| 9 | Buryat | 0.0504 | Moderate |
| 10 | Buryat (Zakamensky) | 0.0512 | 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 Kalmyk
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Kalmyk average is Mongolia Late Medieval Mongol Period (Turanian-Mixed Profile) (Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD), at 0.022. Hungary Late Antiquity Hun (Hun Elite Profile) and Kyrgyzstan High Medieval Nomad come next. That is a very close match, which suggests strong genetic continuity between those ancient people (or close relatives of theirs) and the modern population. 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 | Mongolia Late Medieval Mongol Period (Turanian-Mixed Profile) | Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD | 0.0221 |
| 2 | Hungary Late Antiquity Hun (Hun Elite Profile) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0280 |
| 3 | Kyrgyzstan High Medieval Nomad | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0320 |
| 4 | Kazakhstan Late Medieval Golden Horde Mausoleum of Bolghan Ana | Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD | 0.0325 |
| 5 | Kazakhstan High Medieval Nomad Janaturmus | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0365 |
| 6 | Romania Late Antiquity Hun (Hun Elite Profile) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0370 |
| 7 | Hungary Late Antiquity Roman (Hun Elite Profile) | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0385 |
| 8 | Kazakhstan Late Antiquity Aktas | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0408 |
| 9 | Hungary Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ostrogoth Period (Hun Elite Profile) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0421 |
| 10 | Ukraine Late Medieval Crimean Khanate Mamay-Gora (Nogai, Mongol Profile) | Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD | 0.0447 |
Ancient DNA from Russia
Our ancient DNA database holds 2,938 individuals excavated in present-day Russia, dated from about 208,050 BC to 1918 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R1a (370), R1b (317) and N1a (235), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are U5 (367), U4 (226) and U2 (150). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Kalmyk population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Russia
- The Yeniseian and Andronovo Substrates in the Gene Pools of the Indigenous Southern Siberian Populations Analyzed by Q and R1a Y-Haplogroups (2026)
- Ancient genomics study reveals low HLA diversity in eastern hunter-gatherers (2026)
- Comparison of Illumina NovaSeq 6000, GeneMind SURFSeq 5000, Salus Evo, and MGI DNBSEQ-G400 for Ancient DNA Whole-Genome Sequencing (2026)
- Biochip for Determination of 92 Human Y-Chromosome Haplogroups by SNP Markers and Frequency Distribution of These Haplogroups in Slavic Population of European Russia (2026)
- Modern descendants of Kyordyughen warrior (Yakutia, 4200 years before present) in populations of Far East (2026)
- Genetic history of Rus' (2025)
- Paratyphoid Fever and Relapsing Fever in 1812 Napoleon’s Devastated Army (2025)
- Pre-Slavic and Slavic Interaction at Eastern Periphery of Slavic Expansion in Northeastern Europe (Y-Gene Pools of Volga-Oka Region) (2025)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 2,938 from Russia.
Compare yourself with Kalmyk
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Kalmyk average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Kalmyk 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 Kalmyk. 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 Kalmyk average. For your own DNA, Advanced Ancestry Report (16€) gives a full ancestry breakdown with no regional focus, in a personal PDF report.
Comprehensive DNA analysis comparing your genetics to over 2,000 modern reference populations.
More populations from Eastern Europe
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Kalmyk?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Kalmyk average is about 68.9% Ancient Northeast Asians, 15.4% Steppe herders (Yamnaya) and 6.2% Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Kalmyk?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Kalmyk average are Mongol (Oirat Bayad Mongolia), Mongol (Oirat Dorbet Mongolia) and Mongol (Oirat Torgut Mongolia). The closest ancient matches are Mongolia Late Medieval Mongol Period (Turanian-Mixed Profile), Hungary Late Antiquity Hun (Hun Elite Profile) and Kyrgyzstan High Medieval Nomad.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Kalmyk?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Kalmyk 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 Kalmyk ancestry?
None of our regional reports is built for Kalmyk ancestry, so the full Advanced Ancestry Report (no regional focus) is the better choice. The DNA Mega-Analysis adds Neanderthal %, traits and closest ancient populations. The free Report Finder checks every report against your own DNA first.
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.