Latvian DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Latvia · Northern Europe
Latvian and Lithuanian are the only living Baltic languages, a branch of Indo-European that once covered a much larger area of north-eastern Europe. In our model, the Latvian average is 43.9% steppe-related, 25.1% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, 17.3% Western hunter-gatherer and 13.7% Eastern hunter-gatherer. Its early farmer share is the lowest of the three Baltic states in our atlas, below Lithuania (28.7%) and Estonia (28.1%), and both hunter-gatherer components are high, in line with ancient DNA showing that hunter-gatherer ancestry persisted unusually long around the eastern Baltic. The nearest modern averages are Lithuanians from Samogitia (Zemaitija), the western region bordering Latvia, at very close distances (0.0091 and 0.0092), then other Lithuanians and Estonians. The closest ancient groups are Viking Age individuals with a Baltic profile buried on Gotland in Sweden (0.0171) and Viking Age people from Latvia itself. With a fit distance of 0.081, the model describes Latvians only loosely, as it does other Baltic populations.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 43.9%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 25.1%, Western hunter-gatherers 17.3%
- Closest modern population in our data: Lithuanian (North Zemaitija), distance 0.0091
- Closest ancient group in our data: Sweden Early Medieval Viking Age Gotland (Baltic Profile), distance 0.0171
Where does Latvian DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Latvian individuals sampled in Latvia 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 Latvian average
The ancient make-up of the Latvian average is led by Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (43.9%), followed by Anatolian Neolithic farmers (25.1%) and Western hunter-gatherers (17.3%). The Steppe herders (Yamnaya) component 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. The Anatolian Neolithic farmers share (25.1%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC.
The fit is loose (fit distance 0.081), 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.
Sarmatia – Balto-Slavic Ancestry Report
Closest modern populations to Latvian
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Latvian average is Lithuanian (North Zemaitija), at a distance of 0.009 (very close). Next come Lithuanian (SZ) at 0.009 and Lithuanian (PZ) at 0.012. By the tenth closest (Russian) the distance grows to 0.038, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lithuanian (North Zemaitija) | 0.0091 | Very close |
| 2 | Lithuanian (SZ) | 0.0092 | Very close |
| 3 | Lithuanian (PZ) | 0.0124 | Very close |
| 4 | Lithuanian | 0.0189 | Very close |
| 5 | Estonian | 0.0231 | Very close |
| 6 | Russian (Pskov) | 0.0250 | Close |
| 7 | Russian (Saint Petersburg) | 0.0286 | Close |
| 8 | Belarusian | 0.0316 | Close |
| 9 | Russian (Latvia) | 0.0328 | Close |
| 10 | Russian | 0.0383 | 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 Latvian
Among ancient genomes, the closest match to the modern Latvian average is Sweden Early Medieval Viking Age Gotland (Baltic Profile) (Viking Age, c. 800-1050 AD), at 0.017, followed by Hungary LIA Sarmatian (Balto-Slavic Profile) and Latvia Early Medieval Viking Age. 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 | Sweden Early Medieval Viking Age Gotland (Baltic Profile) | Viking Age, c. 800-1050 AD | 0.0171 |
| 2 | Hungary LIA Sarmatian (Balto-Slavic Profile) | Late Iron Age | 0.0191 |
| 3 | Latvia Early Medieval Viking Age | Viking Age, c. 800-1050 AD | 0.0223 |
| 4 | Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Early (Balto-Slavic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0240 |
| 5 | Lithuania IA-Early Medieval Marvele | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0244 |
| 6 | Lithuania IA East Lithuanian Barrow Bailuliai | Iron Age | 0.0250 |
| 7 | Poland High Medieval Legowo (Balto-Slavic Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0250 |
| 8 | Russia Ingria IA | Iron Age | 0.0258 |
| 9 | Czechia Early Medieval Early Slav Brandysek (Balto-Slavic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0262 |
| 10 | Finland IA-Early Medieval Levanluhta (Baltic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0268 |
Ancient DNA from Latvia
Our ancient DNA database holds 65 individuals excavated in present-day Latvia, dated from about 7,279 BC to 1602 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R1b (9), I2a (8) and R1a (8), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are U5 (29), U4 (10) and H1 (5). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Latvian population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Most frequent mtDNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| U5 | 29 | ZV305 I4630 ZV170 |
| U4 | 10 | I4438 I4440 ZV162 |
| H1 | 5 | ZV35 Kivutkalns42 Kivutkalns207 |
| U2 | 3 | I4626 I4595 LAU002 |
| H10 | 2 | Kivutkalns19 VAM001 |
| H28 | 1 | Kivutkalns25 |
| J1 | 1 | Kivutkalns209 |
| T1 | 1 | Kivutkalns194 |
Ancient DNA studies on Latvia
- A multiple burial from the viking age in semigallia, Latvia (2026)
- Yersinia pestis strains from Latvia show depletion of the pla virulence gene at the end of the second plague pandemic (2020)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 65 from Latvia.
Compare yourself with Latvian
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Latvian average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Latvian 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 Latvian. 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 Latvian average. Your own DNA has its own story: Sarmatia – Balto-Slavic 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 from Eastern and Central-Eastern Europe of Balto-Slavic ancestry: ancient regional core (Corded Ware, Bronze Age cultures, Scythian, Sarmatian and Baltic Iron Age, Przeworsk, Wielbark and Chernyakhiv, Early Slavs...
More populations from Northern Europe
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Latvian?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Latvian average is about 43.9% Steppe herders (Yamnaya), 25.1% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 17.3% Western hunter-gatherers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Latvian?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Latvian average are Lithuanian (North Zemaitija), Lithuanian (SZ) and Lithuanian (PZ). The closest ancient matches are Sweden Early Medieval Viking Age Gotland (Baltic Profile), Hungary LIA Sarmatian (Balto-Slavic Profile) and Latvia Early Medieval Viking Age.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Latvian?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Latvian 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 Latvian ancestry?
For the Latvian average, the regional report to choose is Sarmatia – Balto-Slavic 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.