Kuwaiti DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Kuwait · West Asia
Kuwait lies at the head of the Gulf, where the Arabian desert meets southern Mesopotamia, and many Kuwaiti families trace their roots to tribes of the Arabian interior. In our model, the Kuwaiti average is 58.1% Natufian, 23.4% Levantine Neolithic farmer and 18.5% Iranian Neolithic farmer, with no other component above 1%. That Natufian share is the highest in our whole atlas, and it makes a sharp contrast with Iraqi Arabs just across the border, who carry 30.3% Iranian Neolithic ancestry and 23.6% Natufian. Its closest modern averages are Bedouin groups: the Rashaida of Sudan, an Arab tribe that crossed the Red Sea from Arabia in the 19th century, and the Negev Bedouin, followed by Saudis and the Mehri of eastern Yemen. The closest ancient group is a Late Medieval to Early Modern population from Tell el-Hesi in southern Israel (0.0322). The fit (0.058) is at the rough end of the usual range.
- Ancient components in our model: Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) 58.1%, Levantine Neolithic farmers 23.4%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 18.5%
- Closest modern population in our data: Bedouin (Sudan Rashaida), distance 0.0190
- Closest ancient group in our data: Israel Late Medieval-Early Modern Tell el-Hesi, distance 0.0322
Where does Kuwaiti DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Kuwaiti individuals sampled in Kuwait, listed in the G25 sheet as "Kuwaiti_Arab" 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 Kuwaiti average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Kuwaiti average, 58.1%, goes to Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant), ahead of Levantine Neolithic farmers (23.4%) and Iranian Neolithic farmers (18.5%). The Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) component reflects the early farmers of the Levant and the Natufian foragers who came before them.
The fit is loose (fit distance 0.058), which usually means that none of the available reference populations is a close stand-in for part of this ancestry, so read the percentages as rough. The model draws on West Eurasian ancient genomes, with modern West African and East Asian stand-ins.
Closest modern populations to Kuwaiti
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Kuwaiti average is Bedouin (Sudan Rashaida), at a distance of 0.019 (very close). Next come Sudan Arab (Rashaayda) at 0.019 and Bedouin (Negev) at 0.023. By the tenth closest (Bedouin (Jordan)) the distance grows to 0.032, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bedouin (Sudan Rashaida) | 0.0190 | Very close |
| 2 | Sudan Arab (Rashaayda) | 0.0191 | Very close |
| 3 | Bedouin (Negev) | 0.0232 | Very close |
| 4 | Saudi | 0.0244 | Very close |
| 5 | Yemeni Mehri (Mahra) | 0.0254 | Close |
| 6 | Emirati Arab (Arabian Profile) | 0.0269 | Close |
| 7 | Kuwaiti Arab (Al-Awazem) | 0.0291 | Close |
| 8 | Yemenite (Al Jawf) | 0.0293 | Close |
| 9 | Saudi Arab | 0.0306 | Close |
| 10 | Bedouin (Jordan) | 0.0319 | 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 Kuwaiti
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Kuwaiti, Israel Late Medieval-Early Modern Tell el-Hesi (Late Medieval to Early Modern, c. 1300-1800 AD) comes first, at 0.032, with Yemen Socotra High Medieval 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 | Israel Late Medieval-Early Modern Tell el-Hesi | Late Medieval to Early Modern, c. 1300-1800 AD | 0.0322 |
| 2 | Yemen Socotra High Medieval | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0381 |
| 3 | Syria Early Medieval Islamic Era Tell Qarassa | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0413 |
| 4 | Yemen Socotra Early Medieval | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0421 |
| 5 | Yemen Socotra Early-Late Modern | Modern era, c. 1500-1950 AD | 0.0432 |
| 6 | Yemen Socotra Early-High Medieval | Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD | 0.0449 |
| 7 | Syria High Medieval Tell Masaikh (Arabian Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0460 |
| 8 | Jordan EBA 'Ain Ghazal (Levant EBA South) | Early Bronze Age | 0.0633 |
| 9 | Egypt Late Period Abusir-el Meleq | Late Period Egypt, c. 660-330 BC | 0.0774 |
| 10 | Egypt Early Dynastic-Old Kingdom Neurat | Early Dynastic to Old Kingdom Egypt, c. 3100-2200 BC | 0.0776 |
Compare yourself with Kuwaiti
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Kuwaiti average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Kuwaiti 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 Kuwaiti individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Kuwaiti. 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 Kuwaiti 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 West Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Kuwaiti?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Kuwaiti average is about 58.1% Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant), 23.4% Levantine Neolithic farmers and 18.5% 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 Kuwaiti?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Kuwaiti average are Bedouin (Sudan Rashaida), Sudan Arab (Rashaayda) and Bedouin (Negev). The closest ancient matches are Israel Late Medieval-Early Modern Tell el-Hesi, Yemen Socotra High Medieval and Syria Early Medieval Islamic Era Tell Qarassa.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Kuwaiti?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Kuwaiti 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 Kuwaiti ancestry?
None of our regional reports is built for Kuwaiti 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.