Lebanese (Christian) DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Lebanon · West Asia
Lebanon's Christians (Maronite, Greek Orthodox, Melkite and other churches) have deep roots in Mount Lebanon and the coastal cities. This page uses the Lebanese Christian average, a counterpart to the Lebanese Muslim average on our Lebanese page. In our model, the ancestry is 28.5% Levantine Neolithic farmer, 28.2% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, 20.8% Iranian Neolithic farmer, 8.1% Natufian, 8.0% Caucasus hunter-gatherer and 6.3% steppe. Compared with the Muslim average, it carries more of the local Levantine farmer component (28.5% against 12.8%) and less of the Natufian component that peaks in Arabian populations in our atlas (8.1% against 17.1%). Both averages are built from the same deep sources, only in different proportions. The closest ancient group is an Iron Age population from Beirut (distance 0.0164), from the Phoenician era, followed by Late Antique and Byzantine-era Lebanese from Ej-Jaouze and Qornet ed-Deir. The closest modern averages are other Lebanese Christian samples, then Palestinian and Syrian Christians and the Druze.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Levantine Neolithic farmers 28.5%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 28.2%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 20.8%
- Closest other population in our data: Palestinian Arab Christian, distance 0.0128
- Closest ancient group in our data: Lebanon IAIII Beirut, distance 0.0164
This page sums up what the DNA of the Lebanese (Christian) 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_Christian", 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 (Christian) average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Lebanese (Christian) average, 28.5%, goes to Levantine Neolithic farmers, ahead of Anatolian Neolithic farmers (28.2%) and Iranian Neolithic farmers (20.8%). The Levantine Neolithic farmers component reflects the early farmers of the Levant and the Natufian foragers who came before them. The Anatolian Neolithic farmers share (28.2%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC. No single source dominates, so the profile is best read as a balanced blend of several ancient ancestries.
The fit is acceptable (fit distance 0.027): treat the proportions as a good approximation rather than exact values. 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 (Christian)
Ranking every modern population by genetic distance puts Lebanese Arab Christian first for Lebanese (Christian), at 0.007, then Lebanese Arab Christian (Greek Orthodox Koura) and Palestinian Arab Christian. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Palestinian Arab Christian (0.013), Syrian Arab Christian (Melkite Greek Catholic) (0.016) and Druze (Lebanon) (0.016). Even the tenth closest, Syrian Arab Christian (Greek Orthodox), is only 0.019 away: Lebanese (Christian) belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lebanese Arab Christian | 0.0070 | Very close |
| 2 | Lebanese Arab Christian (Greek Orthodox Koura) | 0.0086 | Very close |
| 3 | Palestinian Arab Christian | 0.0128 | Very close |
| 4 | Syrian Arab Christian (Melkite Greek Catholic) | 0.0156 | Very close |
| 5 | Druze (Lebanon) | 0.0159 | Very close |
| 6 | Druze | 0.0164 | Very close |
| 7 | Druze (other sample set) | 0.0165 | Very close |
| 8 | Jordanian Arab Christian | 0.0167 | Very close |
| 9 | Druze (Israel) | 0.0175 | Very close |
| 10 | Syrian Arab Christian (Greek Orthodox) | 0.0192 | 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 (Christian)
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Lebanese (Christian) average is Lebanon IAIII Beirut (Iron Age), at 0.016. Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ej-Jaouze (Byzantine-Rashidun) and Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ej-Jaouze (Byzantine) 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 | Lebanon IAIII Beirut | Iron Age | 0.0164 |
| 2 | Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ej-Jaouze (Byzantine-Rashidun) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0204 |
| 3 | Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ej-Jaouze (Byzantine) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0205 |
| 4 | Lebanon Late Antiquity Qornet ed-Deir | Late Antiquity, c. 250-600 AD | 0.0208 |
| 5 | Lebanon High Medieval | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0214 |
| 6 | Turkey Levant Hatay LBA Alalakh | Late Bronze Age | 0.0225 |
| 7 | Turkey Levant Hatay MBA Alalakh | Middle Bronze Age | 0.0247 |
| 8 | Italy Lazio Roman Empire Isola Sacra (Levantine Profile) | Roman era, c. 1-400 AD | 0.0252 |
| 9 | Turkey Mesopotamia Early Medieval Midyat (Mixed Assyrian+Levantine Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0254 |
| 10 | Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Chhim (Byzantine) | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0262 |
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 (Christian) 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 (Christian)
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Lebanese (Christian) average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Lebanese (Christian) 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 (Christian). 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 (Christian) 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 (Christian)?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Lebanese (Christian) average is about 28.5% Levantine Neolithic farmers, 28.2% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 20.8% 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 Lebanese (Christian)?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Lebanese Arab Christian), the closest modern populations to the Lebanese (Christian) average are Palestinian Arab Christian, Syrian Arab Christian (Melkite Greek Catholic) and Druze (Lebanon). The closest ancient matches are Lebanon IAIII Beirut, Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ej-Jaouze (Byzantine-Rashidun) and Lebanon Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Ej-Jaouze (Byzantine).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Lebanese (Christian)?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Lebanese (Christian) 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 (Christian) ancestry?
For the Lebanese (Christian) 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.