Newar DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Nepal · South Asia
The Newar are the historic people of the Kathmandu valley, builders of the temple cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur and keepers of both Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Their language, Newar or Nepal Bhasa, belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family, and the valley has long linked South Asia and the Himalaya. Their genetic profile is an even balance of the two: in our model, 43.7% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) and 40.7% East Asian, with 8.9% steppe, 4.1% Iranian Neolithic farmer and 2.5% Ancient Northeast Asian. That puts them about halfway between the Chhetri (19.1% East Asian) and the Sherpa (73.9%). The closest modern average is a Magar sample with a Newar-like profile (0.0202), followed by the Nyishi of Arunachal Pradesh, then eastern Nepalese and Manipuri Brahmin samples, a sign of how few populations share this exact mix. The closest ancient group is an Early Modern population from the Guge kingdom in western Tibet, at a moderate 0.0502.
- Largest ancient components in our model: South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) 43.7%, East Asian 40.7%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 8.9%
- Closest modern population in our data: Magar (Newar Profile), distance 0.0202
- Closest ancient group in our data: Tibet Early Modern Guge Kingdom Guge Ganshidong, distance 0.0502
Where does Newar DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Newar individuals sampled in Nepal 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 Newar average
Modelled as a mix of deep ancestral reference populations, the Newar average comes out as 43.7% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy), 40.7% East Asian and 8.9% Steppe herders (Yamnaya). The South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) component reflects the deep hunter-gatherer ancestry of South Asia (Ancient Ancestral South Indians). The East Asian share (40.7%) reflects ancestry most common today in East Asia.
Smaller traces of Iranian Neolithic farmers and Ancient Northeast Asians (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 0.030): treat the proportions as a good approximation rather than exact values. 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.
Closest modern populations to Newar
Genetically, the Newar average sits nearest to Magar (Newar Profile) at 0.020, Nyishi at 0.021 and Nepalese (E) at 0.032. On our scale, a distance of 0.020 counts as very close. By the tenth closest (Garhwali (Rajput)) the distance grows to 0.107, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magar (Newar Profile) | 0.0202 | Very close |
| 2 | Nyishi | 0.0208 | Very close |
| 3 | Nepalese (E) | 0.0316 | Close |
| 4 | Manipuri Brahmin | 0.0316 | Close |
| 5 | Rajbanshi (West Bengal) | 0.0590 | Moderate |
| 6 | Tharu | 0.0631 | Moderate |
| 7 | Kusunda | 0.0727 | Moderate |
| 8 | Nepalese (D) | 0.0836 | Distant |
| 9 | Tibetan Muslim (Srinagar) | 0.0895 | Distant |
| 10 | Garhwali (Rajput) | 0.1069 | Distant |
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 Newar
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Newar, Tibet Early Modern Guge Kingdom Guge Ganshidong (Early Modern, c. 1500-1800 AD) comes first, at 0.050, with China Yunnan EN Xingyi next. That is only a moderate match: part of the modern profile was already present then, but later movements of people added substantial 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 | Tibet Early Modern Guge Kingdom Guge Ganshidong | Early Modern, c. 1500-1800 AD | 0.0502 |
| 2 | China Yunnan EN Xingyi | Early Neolithic | 0.1155 |
| 3 | Tibet Late Modern Gelintang | Late Modern, c. 1800-1950 AD | 0.1185 |
| 4 | Xinjiang HP Tang Dynasty-Uygur Period Lafuqueke (Intermediate Profile) | Tang dynasty, 618-907 AD | 0.1200 |
| 5 | China Tianyuan | Early Upper Palaeolithic | 0.1218 |
| 6 | India Himachal Pradesh Early Medieval | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.1255 |
| 7 | China Heilongjiang EUP Acheng | Early Upper Palaeolithic | 0.1258 |
| 8 | China Inner Mongolia HP Tang Dynasty Naobaowan (Turanian-Mixed Profile) | Tang dynasty, 618-907 AD | 0.1321 |
| 9 | Xinjiang HP Baiyanghe | Historical period | 0.1321 |
| 10 | Laos Hoabinhian | Hoabinhian foragers (pre-Neolithic) | 0.1332 |
Ancient DNA from Nepal
Our ancient DNA database holds 35 individuals excavated in present-day Nepal, dated from about 1,425 BC to 675 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are O2a (15) and D1a (1), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are M9 (16), F1 (10) and A17 (1). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Newar population.
Ancient DNA studies on Nepal
- Dynamic human admixture histories over the past ~1300 years at the northern Himalayan frontier (2025)
- The genetic demographic history of the last hunter-gatherer population of the Himalayas (2025)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 35 from Nepal.
Compare yourself with Newar
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Newar average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Newar 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 Newar. 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 Newar average. For your own DNA, Advanced Ancestry Report (16€) gives a full ancestry breakdown with no regional focus, in a personal PDF report.
Comprehensive DNA analysis comparing your genetics to over 2,000 modern reference populations.
More populations from South Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Newar?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Newar average is about 43.7% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy), 40.7% East Asian and 8.9% Steppe herders (Yamnaya). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Newar?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Newar average are Magar (Newar Profile), Nyishi and Nepalese (E). The closest ancient matches are Tibet Early Modern Guge Kingdom Guge Ganshidong, China Yunnan EN Xingyi and Tibet Late Modern Gelintang.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Newar?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Newar 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 Newar ancestry?
Our regional report for this part of the world does not fit the Newar average closely, so the full Advanced Ancestry Report (no regional focus) is the better choice. The DNA Mega-Analysis adds Neanderthal %, traits and closest ancient populations. The free Report Finder checks every report against your own DNA first.
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.