Lebanese (Muslim) DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Lebanon · West Asia
Lebanon lies on the eastern Mediterranean coast, where the Levant meets the routes to Mesopotamia and Anatolia. This page uses the Lebanese Muslim average. In our model, the ancestry is 30.4% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, 20.7% Iranian Neolithic farmer, 17.1% Natufian hunter-gatherer, 12.8% Levantine Neolithic farmer, 10.3% Caucasus hunter-gatherer and 8.7% steppe. Ancient DNA shows that Bronze Age Levantines already combined local farmer ancestry with ancestry related to the Zagros and the Caucasus, and genomes from Bronze Age Sidon suggest that much of the ancestry of present-day Lebanese goes back to those Canaanite-era inhabitants, with later additions. The closest modern averages are Syrian Arabs with a Levantine profile and Lebanese Sunni and Shia samples. The closest ancient group is a Parthian to Roman-era population from Nevali Cori in Upper Mesopotamia (distance 0.0236), followed by Roman-era individuals with a Levantine profile.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Anatolian Neolithic farmers 30.4%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 20.7%, Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) 17.1%
- Closest modern population in our data: Syrian Arab (Levantine Profile), distance 0.0091
- Closest ancient group in our data: Turkey Mesopotamia Parthian-Roman Empire Nevali Cori (Syrio-Mesopotamian Profile), distance 0.0236
This page sums up what the DNA of the Lebanese (Muslim) sample tells us about deep origins. It is built from the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of individuals sampled in Lebanon, listed in the G25 sheet as "Lebanese_Muslim", 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 Lebanese (Muslim) average
The ancient make-up of the Lebanese (Muslim) average is led by Anatolian Neolithic farmers (30.4%), followed by Iranian Neolithic farmers (20.7%) and Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) (17.1%). The Anatolian Neolithic farmers component reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC. The Iranian Neolithic farmers share (20.7%) reflects the early farmers and herders of the Zagros mountains in Iran. No single source dominates, so the profile is best read as a balanced blend of several ancient ancestries.
The model fits well (fit distance 0.024), so these proportions are a reasonable summary. 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 Lebanese (Muslim)
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Lebanese (Muslim) average is Syrian Arab (Levantine Profile), at a distance of 0.009 (very close). Next come Lebanese Arab Muslim Sunni (Dinniyeh) at 0.009 and Lebanese Shia Muslim (Beirut) at 0.010. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Syrian Arab (Levantine Profile) (0.009), Syrian Arab (Idlib, Levantine Profile) (0.012) and Syrian Arab (Hama, Levantine Profile) (0.012). Even the tenth closest, Karaite Jew (Egypt), is only 0.018 away: Lebanese (Muslim) belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syrian Arab (Levantine Profile) | 0.0091 | Very close |
| 2 | Lebanese Arab Muslim Sunni (Dinniyeh) | 0.0093 | Very close |
| 3 | Lebanese Shia Muslim (Beirut) | 0.0098 | Very close |
| 4 | Syrian Arab (Idlib, Levantine Profile) | 0.0122 | Very close |
| 5 | Syrian Arab (Hama, Levantine Profile) | 0.0124 | Very close |
| 6 | Alawite (Turkey) | 0.0128 | Very close |
| 7 | Druze | 0.0145 | Very close |
| 8 | Druze (Israel) | 0.0154 | Very close |
| 9 | Druze (Lebanon) | 0.0156 | Very close |
| 10 | Karaite Jew (Egypt) | 0.0181 | Very 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 Lebanese (Muslim)
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Lebanese (Muslim) average is Turkey Mesopotamia Parthian-Roman Empire Nevali Cori (Syrio-Mesopotamian Profile) (Parthian era, c. 250 BC-224 AD), at 0.024. Italy Sicily Roman Empire Marsala (Levantine Profile) and Italy Lazio Roman Empire Rome (Mesopotamian Profile) 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 | Turkey Mesopotamia Parthian-Roman Empire Nevali Cori (Syrio-Mesopotamian Profile) | Parthian era, c. 250 BC-224 AD | 0.0236 |
| 2 | Italy Sicily Roman Empire Marsala (Levantine Profile) | Roman era, c. 1-400 AD | 0.0307 |
| 3 | Italy Lazio Roman Empire Rome (Mesopotamian Profile) | Roman era, c. 1-400 AD | 0.0316 |
| 4 | Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ej-Jaouze (Byzantine) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0321 |
| 5 | Serbia Roman Empire Viminacium Pirivoj (Levantine Profile) | Roman era, c. 1-400 AD | 0.0323 |
| 6 | Lebanon High Medieval | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0332 |
| 7 | Turkey Mesopotamia Achaemenid Batman (Mesopotamia BA Profile) | Achaemenid era, c. 550-330 BC | 0.0332 |
| 8 | Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ej-Jaouze (Byzantine-Rashidun) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0337 |
| 9 | Turkey Mesopotamia Early Medieval Midyat (Mixed Assyrian+Levantine Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0342 |
| 10 | Lebanon Late Antiquity Qornet ed-Deir | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0342 |
Ancient DNA from Lebanon
Our ancient DNA database holds 85 individuals excavated in present-day Lebanon, dated from about 1,825 BC to 1252 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R1b (12), J1a (7) and E1b (6), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are J1 (9), T2 (9) and H2 (6). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Lebanese (Muslim) population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| R1b | 12 | R3477 R3476 ERS3189343 |
| J1a | 7 | ERS1790733 CGG_2_104257 SFI-55 |
| E1b | 6 | CGG_2_104298 SFI-12 R9818 |
| J2a | 6 | CGG_2_104256 CGG_2_104281 CGG_2_104315 |
| J2b | 6 | CGG_2_104258 CGG_2_104304 CGG_2_104308 |
| T1a | 6 | CGG_2_104299 CGG_2_104313 QED-2 |
| G2a | 3 | SFI-47 SFI-15 SFI-11 |
| Q1b | 3 | SFI-5 ERS3189355 SI-45 |
Most frequent mtDNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| J1 | 9 | CGG_2_104300 CGG_2_104313 CGG_2_104309 |
| T2 | 9 | CGG_2_104256 CGG_2_104281 SFI-43 |
| H2 | 6 | SFI-55 SFI-42 ERS3189342 |
| K1 | 6 | CGG_2_104302 CGG_2_104307 CGG_2_104314 |
| HV1 | 5 | ERS1790732 ERS3189338 QED-7 |
| H | 4 | CGG_2_104304 MS10562 QED-9 |
| H32 | 4 | CGG_2_104258 CGG_2_104303 CGG_2_104306 |
| T1 | 4 | SFI-34 SFI-33 ERS3189333 |
Ancient DNA studies on Lebanon
- Anatolian genetic ancestry in North Lebanese populations (2024)
- Ancient DNA investigation of the 17 Maronite patriarchs of Qanubin (2023)
- A Transient Pulse of Genetic Admixture from the Crusaders in the Near East Identified from Ancient Genome Sequences (2019)
- Ancient mitogenomes of Phoenicians from Sardinia and Lebanon: A story of settlement, integration, and female mobility (2018)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 85 from Lebanon.
Compare yourself with Lebanese (Muslim)
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Lebanese (Muslim) average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Lebanese (Muslim) 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 Lebanese (Muslim). 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 Lebanese (Muslim) 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 Lebanese (Muslim)?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Lebanese (Muslim) average is about 30.4% Anatolian Neolithic farmers, 20.7% Iranian Neolithic farmers and 17.1% 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 Lebanese (Muslim)?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Lebanese Arab Muslim Sunni (Dinniyeh)), the closest modern populations to the Lebanese (Muslim) average are Syrian Arab (Levantine Profile), Syrian Arab (Idlib, Levantine Profile) and Syrian Arab (Hama, Levantine Profile). The closest ancient matches are Turkey Mesopotamia Parthian-Roman Empire Nevali Cori (Syrio-Mesopotamian Profile), Italy Sicily Roman Empire Marsala (Levantine Profile) and Italy Lazio Roman Empire Rome (Mesopotamian Profile).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Lebanese (Muslim)?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Lebanese (Muslim) 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 Lebanese (Muslim) ancestry?
For the Lebanese (Muslim) 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.