Karakalpak DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Uzbekistan (Karakalpakstan) · Central Asia
The Karakalpaks live in Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic of Uzbekistan in the delta of the Amu Darya, on the shores of the shrinking Aral Sea. Their name means black hats, and their Kipchak Turkic language belongs with Kazakh and Nogai, a link that goes back to the nomadic confederations of the Golden Horde and the Nogai Horde. In our model, the Karakalpak average is 41.9% Ancient Northeast Asian, 28.8% steppe, 11.0% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, 5.6% East Asian, 4.8% Arctic Siberian and 4.7% Iranian Neolithic, with small Levantine and South Asian shares. The genes follow that history rather than modern borders: the four closest modern averages are all Nogai samples, from Astrakhan, Stavropol and Dagestan (0.0193 to 0.0242), ahead of Kazakhs from Kyzylorda, while the Uzbeks who share their country fall outside the ten closest. The closest ancient groups are medieval people with a Turkic profile, from Ivanovo in Russia (0.0289) and from Bulgar and Alan sites of the Saltovo-Mayaki culture.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Ancient Northeast Asians 41.9%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 28.8%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 11.0%
- Closest modern population in our data: Nogai (Astrakhan), distance 0.0193
- Closest ancient group in our data: Russia Ivanovo High Medieval Viking Age (Turkic Profile), distance 0.0289
This page sums up what the DNA of the Karakalpak sample tells us about deep origins. It is built from the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of individuals sampled in Uzbekistan (Karakalpakstan), 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 Karakalpak average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Karakalpak average, 41.9%, goes to Ancient Northeast Asians, ahead of Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (28.8%) and Anatolian Neolithic farmers (11.0%). The Ancient Northeast Asians component reflects ancestry most common today in East Asia. The Steppe herders (Yamnaya) share (28.8%) 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.
Smaller traces of Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related), Iranian Neolithic farmers, Levantine Neolithic farmers and South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) (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 0.026): 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.
Turan – Silk Road & Central Asian Ancestry Report
Closest modern populations to Karakalpak
Ranking every modern population by genetic distance puts Nogai (Astrakhan) first for Karakalpak, at 0.019, then Nogai and Nogai (Stavropol). By the tenth closest (Hazara) the distance grows to 0.044, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nogai (Astrakhan) | 0.0193 | Very close |
| 2 | Nogai | 0.0201 | Very close |
| 3 | Nogai (Stavropol) | 0.0213 | Very close |
| 4 | Nogai (Dagestan) | 0.0242 | Very close |
| 5 | Kazakh (Kazakhstan Kyzylorda) | 0.0346 | Close |
| 6 | Kazakh (Kazakhstan Pavlodar) | 0.0349 | Close |
| 7 | Kazakh (Kazakhstan Mangystau) | 0.0353 | Close |
| 8 | Kazakh | 0.0406 | Close |
| 9 | Sart (Kalmyk) | 0.0432 | Close |
| 10 | Hazara | 0.0442 | 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 Karakalpak
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Karakalpak average is Russia Ivanovo High Medieval Viking Age (Turkic Profile) (Viking Age, c. 800-1050 AD), at 0.029. Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Bochkove (Bulgar, Central Asian Turkic Profile) and Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Verkhnii Saltiv (Alan, Central Asian Turkic Profile) 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 | Russia Ivanovo High Medieval Viking Age (Turkic Profile) | Viking Age, c. 800-1050 AD | 0.0289 |
| 2 | Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Bochkove (Bulgar, Central Asian Turkic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0307 |
| 3 | Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Verkhnii Saltiv (Alan, Central Asian Turkic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0310 |
| 4 | Kazakhstan IA Mayemer | Iron Age | 0.0330 |
| 5 | Kazakhstan Early-High Medieval Karakhanid Butakty | Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD | 0.0339 |
| 6 | Kazakhstan Early Medieval Nomad Issyk | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0344 |
| 7 | Xinjiang HP Simutasi | Historical period | 0.0366 |
| 8 | Ukraine High Medieval Cuman Kumy (Central Asian Turkic Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0398 |
| 9 | Kazakhstan Early Medieval Karluk Butakty | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0445 |
| 10 | Kazakhstan Early Medieval Uygur Period Karakaba | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0453 |
Ancient DNA from Uzbekistan
Our ancient DNA database holds 70 individuals excavated in present-day Uzbekistan, dated from about 4,406 BC to 525 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R1a (7), J2a (6) and R2a (3), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are J1 (5), U7 (5) and K1 (4). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Karakalpak population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Uzbekistan
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 70 from Uzbekistan.
Compare yourself with Karakalpak
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Karakalpak average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Karakalpak 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 Karakalpak. 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 Karakalpak average. Your own DNA has its own story: Turan – Silk Road & Central Asian 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 Central Asian / Silk Road Turkic ancestry: ancient regional core (Botai, Andronovo, BMAC Bactria-Margiana, Saka/Scythian, Wusun, Kushan Empire, Xiongnu, Turkic Khaganate, Golden Horde) versus non-regional...
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Karakalpak?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Karakalpak average is about 41.9% Ancient Northeast Asians, 28.8% Steppe herders (Yamnaya) and 11.0% Anatolian Neolithic farmers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Karakalpak?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Karakalpak average are Nogai (Astrakhan), Nogai and Nogai (Stavropol). The closest ancient matches are Russia Ivanovo High Medieval Viking Age (Turkic Profile), Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Bochkove (Bulgar, Central Asian Turkic Profile) and Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Verkhnii Saltiv (Alan, Central Asian Turkic Profile).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Karakalpak?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Karakalpak 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 Karakalpak ancestry?
For the Karakalpak average, the regional report to choose is Turan – Silk Road & Central Asian Ancestry 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.