Lezgin DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Russia and Azerbaijan · Caucasus
The Lezgins live in southern Dagestan and northern Azerbaijan, on both sides of the Samur river, which has formed the border between Russia and Azerbaijan since 1991. Lezgian gives its name to the Lezgic branch of the North-East Caucasian languages, which also includes Tabasaran, Rutul and Tsakhur. In our model, the Lezgin average is 35.8% steppe-related, 23.9% Anatolian Neolithic farmer, 19.3% Caucasus hunter-gatherer, 16.8% Iranian Neolithic, 2.1% Natufian and 2.0% East Asian. Compared with the Avars to the north, Lezgins carry more Iranian-related ancestry (16.8% against 10.3%) and less Caucasus-related ancestry (19.3% against 26.9%), a more southern profile in keeping with their position next to the South Caucasus. No modern average is very close: the nearest are Bagvalals, Tabasarans and Laks, at around 0.023 to 0.024, then Tats from Dzhalgan near Derbent, with the Avars at 0.0267. The closest ancient groups, Early Bronze Age Novosvobodnaya (0.0350) and Middle Bronze Age Trialeti people from Armenia, are also moderately distant.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 35.8%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 23.9%, Caucasus hunter-gatherers 19.3%
- Closest modern population in our data: Bagvalal, distance 0.0229
- Closest ancient group in our data: Adygea EBA Maykop Novosvobodnaya Tsarskaya, distance 0.0350
Where does Lezgin DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Lezgin individuals sampled in Russia and Azerbaijan 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 Lezgin average
Modelled as a mix of deep ancestral reference populations, the Lezgin average comes out as 35.8% Steppe herders (Yamnaya), 23.9% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 19.3% Caucasus hunter-gatherers. 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 (23.9%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC.
Smaller traces of Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) and East Asian (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 0.032): 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 Lezgin
Genetically, the Lezgin average sits nearest to Bagvalal at 0.023, Tabasaran at 0.023 and Bagvalin at 0.024. On our scale, a distance of 0.023 counts as very close. Even the tenth closest, Godoberi, is only 0.027 away: Lezgin belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bagvalal | 0.0229 | Very close |
| 2 | Tabasaran | 0.0231 | Very close |
| 3 | Bagvalin | 0.0239 | Very close |
| 4 | Lak | 0.0242 | Very close |
| 5 | Tat (Dagestan Dzhalgan) | 0.0256 | Close |
| 6 | Karata (Ciscaucasian Profile) | 0.0258 | Close |
| 7 | Botlikh | 0.0260 | Close |
| 8 | Kaitag | 0.0261 | Close |
| 9 | Avar | 0.0267 | Close |
| 10 | Godoberi | 0.0267 | 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 Lezgin
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Lezgin, Adygea EBA Maykop Novosvobodnaya Tsarskaya (Early Bronze Age) comes first, at 0.035, with Armenia MBA Trialeti 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 | Adygea EBA Maykop Novosvobodnaya Tsarskaya | Early Bronze Age | 0.0350 |
| 2 | Armenia MBA Trialeti | Middle Bronze Age | 0.0359 |
| 3 | Ukraine IA Scythian Pisochyn (Ciscaucasian Profile) | Iron Age | 0.0365 |
| 4 | Armenia EIA Lchashen-Metsamor Karnut | Early Iron Age | 0.0372 |
| 5 | Turkey Armenian Highland Van IA Urartian-Median/Achaemenid | Achaemenid era, c. 550-330 BC | 0.0381 |
| 6 | North Ossetia Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Alan | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0386 |
| 7 | Georgia EIA Kistauri | Early Iron Age | 0.0388 |
| 8 | Karachay-Cherkessia Late Antiquity-Early Medieval Alan | Late Antiquity to Early Medieval, c. 250-1000 AD | 0.0394 |
| 9 | Ukraine Early Medieval Saltovo-Mayaki Bochkove (Bulgar, Ciscaucasian Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0398 |
| 10 | Armenia LBA Lchashen-Metsamor Beniamin | Late Bronze Age | 0.0402 |
Ancient DNA from Russia and Azerbaijan
Our ancient DNA database holds 2,945 individuals excavated in present-day Russia and Azerbaijan, dated from about 208,050 BC to 1918 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R1a (370), R1b (317) and N1a (235), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are U5 (367), U4 (226) and U2 (150). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Lezgin population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Russia and Azerbaijan
- The Yeniseian and Andronovo Substrates in the Gene Pools of the Indigenous Southern Siberian Populations Analyzed by Q and R1a Y-Haplogroups (2026)
- Ancient genomics study reveals low HLA diversity in eastern hunter-gatherers (2026)
- Comparison of Illumina NovaSeq 6000, GeneMind SURFSeq 5000, Salus Evo, and MGI DNBSEQ-G400 for Ancient DNA Whole-Genome Sequencing (2026)
- Biochip for Determination of 92 Human Y-Chromosome Haplogroups by SNP Markers and Frequency Distribution of These Haplogroups in Slavic Population of European Russia (2026)
- Modern descendants of Kyordyughen warrior (Yakutia, 4200 years before present) in populations of Far East (2026)
- Genetic history of Rus' (2025)
- Paratyphoid Fever and Relapsing Fever in 1812 Napoleon’s Devastated Army (2025)
- Pre-Slavic and Slavic Interaction at Eastern Periphery of Slavic Expansion in Northeastern Europe (Y-Gene Pools of Volga-Oka Region) (2025)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 2,938 from Russia, 7 from Azerbaijan.
Compare yourself with Lezgin
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Lezgin average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Lezgin 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 Lezgin. 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 Lezgin 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 Caucasus
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Lezgin?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Lezgin average is about 35.8% Steppe herders (Yamnaya), 23.9% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 19.3% Caucasus hunter-gatherers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Lezgin?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Lezgin average are Bagvalal, Tabasaran and Bagvalin. The closest ancient matches are Adygea EBA Maykop Novosvobodnaya Tsarskaya, Armenia MBA Trialeti and Ukraine IA Scythian Pisochyn (Ciscaucasian Profile).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Lezgin?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Lezgin 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 Lezgin ancestry?
Ararat – Levant & Caucasus Report is our regional report for this part of the world. On the Lezgin average its fit test reads partial, so check your own DNA first: the free Report Finder runs that test on your file.
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.