Mapuche (Huilliche) DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Chile · Americas
The Mapuche are the largest Indigenous people of Chile, with communities on both sides of the southern Andes, and their language, Mapudungun, is usually classed as a language isolate. They resisted Inca expansion and then remained largely independent south of the Biobío river until the late 19th century. This page uses the average of the Huilliche, the southern Mapuche of the Los Lagos region and Chiloé. In our model, it is 100.0% Native American (Paleo-American), with a close fit (0.0187), so the early Holocene Brazilian reference describes it well. The neighbours show how far shared ancestry reaches: the closest modern averages are Bolivians from La Paz (0.0159), Tzotzil Maya from Chiapas in Mexico (0.0164) and Cachi samples. Among ancient groups, Classic Maya people from Chichen Itza come first (0.0158), but closer to home are a 7,700-year-old individual from Arroyo Seco in the Argentine Pampas (0.0175) and the Kawésqar of the western Patagonian channels about 1,000 years ago (0.0181).
- Ancient components in our model: Native American (Paleo-American) 100.0%
- Closest modern population in our data: Bolivian, distance 0.0159
- Closest ancient group in our data: Mexico Classic Maya Chichen Itza, distance 0.0158
Where does Mapuche (Huilliche) DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Mapuche (Huilliche) individuals sampled in Chile, listed in the G25 sheet as "Mapuche_Huilliche_Chile" 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 Mapuche (Huilliche) average
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Mapuche (Huilliche) average is explained almost entirely by Native American (Paleo-American) (100.0%). The Native American (Paleo-American) component reflects the ancestry of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. That does not make the population uniform: the model simply has no finer reference population for this part of the world, and the closest populations below show the detail it cannot.
The model fits well (fit distance 0.019), so these proportions are a reasonable summary. This population was modelled with a global set of reference populations (ancient genomes, plus modern stand-ins where no suitable ancient genome exists), because West Eurasian sources alone cannot describe it.
Raíces – Latin American Bloodline
Closest modern populations to Mapuche (Huilliche)
Genetically, the Mapuche (Huilliche) average sits nearest to Bolivian at 0.016, Maya (Tzotzil) at 0.016 and Cachi at 0.017. On our scale, a distance of 0.016 counts as very close. Even the tenth closest, Aymara (Bolivia), is only 0.022 away: Mapuche (Huilliche) belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bolivian | 0.0159 | Very close |
| 2 | Maya (Tzotzil) | 0.0164 | Very close |
| 3 | Cachi | 0.0166 | Very close |
| 4 | Yanesha (High Selva) | 0.0170 | Very close |
| 5 | Quechua (Peru) | 0.0171 | Very close |
| 6 | Colla | 0.0179 | Very close |
| 7 | Amerindian (Ecuador) | 0.0179 | Very close |
| 8 | Quechua (Peru Titicaca) | 0.0193 | Very close |
| 9 | Maya (other sample set) | 0.0205 | Very close |
| 10 | Aymara (Bolivia) | 0.0221 | 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 Mapuche (Huilliche)
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Mapuche (Huilliche), Mexico Classic Maya Chichen Itza (Classic Mesoamerica, c. 250-900 AD) comes first, at 0.016, with Argentina ArroyoSeco2 7700BP 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 | Mexico Classic Maya Chichen Itza | Classic Mesoamerica, c. 250-900 AD | 0.0158 |
| 2 | Argentina ArroyoSeco2 7700BP | c. 5750 BC | 0.0175 |
| 3 | Brazil Jabuticabeira II 2400BP | c. 450 BC | 0.0176 |
| 4 | Chile Kaweskar 1000BP | c. 950 AD | 0.0181 |
| 5 | Cuba Archaic-Ceramic | Archaic to Ceramic Age Caribbean | 0.0185 |
| 6 | Brazil Cabecuda 3400BP | c. 1450 BC | 0.0193 |
| 7 | Mexico Colonial Period (Amerindian Profile) | Colonial era, c. 1500-1850 AD | 0.0194 |
| 8 | Argentina Fuego Patagonian | 0.0196 | |
| 9 | Cuba Ceramic | Ceramic Age, c. 500 BC-1500 AD | 0.0196 |
| 10 | Chile Yamana 1000BP | c. 950 AD | 0.0197 |
Ancient DNA from Chile
Our ancient DNA database holds 69 individuals excavated in present-day Chile, dated from about 9,935 BC to 1880 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are Q1b (18), C (1) and C1b (1), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are D1 (12), D4 (11) and B2 (10). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Mapuche (Huilliche) population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Chile
- The genomic identity of early smallpox in South America (2026)
- Palaeogenomics reveals 1,500 years of population history of the peoples of the Chonos Archipelago, Chile. (2025)
- The genomic and cultural diversity of the Inka Qhapaq hucha ceremony in Chile and Argentina (2024)
- The genetic history of the Southern Andes from present-day Mapuche ancestry (2023)
- The genetic history of the Southern Andes from present-day Mapuche ancestry (2023)
- Genomic insights into the recent population history of Mapuche Native Americans (2021)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 69 from Chile.
Compare yourself with Mapuche (Huilliche)
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Mapuche (Huilliche) average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Mapuche (Huilliche) 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 Mapuche (Huilliche). 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 Mapuche (Huilliche) average. Your own DNA has its own story: Raíces – Latin American Bloodline (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 only for Latinos: pick your country and we model your DNA against its indigenous peoples plus every Old-World source of Latin American history, on an interactive map.
More populations from Americas
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Mapuche (Huilliche)?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Mapuche (Huilliche) average is about 100.0% Native American (Paleo-American). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Mapuche (Huilliche)?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Mapuche (Huilliche) average are Bolivian, Maya (Tzotzil) and Cachi. The closest ancient matches are Mexico Classic Maya Chichen Itza, Argentina ArroyoSeco2 7700BP and Brazil Jabuticabeira II 2400BP.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Mapuche (Huilliche)?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Mapuche (Huilliche) 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 Mapuche (Huilliche) ancestry?
Raíces – Latin American Bloodline is the report built for this heritage, and its reference panel fits the Mapuche (Huilliche) average closely. 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.