Nivkh DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Russia (Amur, Sakhalin) · Siberia
The Nivkh live at the mouth of the Amur River and on northern Sakhalin, in Russia's Far East, traditionally as fishers and sea-mammal hunters. Their language is an isolate, unrelated to the Tungusic languages of their neighbours. In our model, the Nivkh average is 88.0% Ancient Northeast Asian, the highest share of that component in our atlas, with 8.9% Arctic Siberian and small traces of other sources. That is no accident: the reference for this component comes from Devil's Gate Cave in Primorye, a Neolithic site further south on the same Pacific coast, and ancient DNA shows strong genetic continuity in this region over thousands of years. The closest ancient groups confirm it: Late Okhotsk people from Hamanaka in Hokkaido (0.0342), from a seafaring culture that spread from Sakhalin, then Middle Neolithic Boisman and Devil's Gate Cave itself. The closest modern averages are the Ulchi (0.0271), Nanai and Negidal, Tungusic-speaking neighbours on the lower Amur, then the Oroqen.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Ancient Northeast Asians 88.0%, Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related) 8.9%, South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) 1.8%
- Closest modern population in our data: Ulchi, distance 0.0271
- Closest ancient group in our data: Japan IA Late Okhotsk Hamanaka, distance 0.0342
Where does Nivkh DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Nivkh individuals sampled in Russia (Amur, Sakhalin) 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 Nivkh average
The ancient make-up of the Nivkh average is led by Ancient Northeast Asians (88.0%), followed by Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related) (8.9%) and South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) (1.8%). The Ancient Northeast Asians component reflects ancestry most common today in East Asia. With well over half of the total, this single source dominates the profile.
Smaller traces of South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) and Native American (Paleo-American) (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. 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 Nivkh
Genetically, the Nivkh average sits nearest to Ulchi at 0.027, Nanai at 0.044 and Negidal at 0.052. On our scale, a distance of 0.027 counts as close. By the tenth closest (Buryat (Duldurginsky)) the distance grows to 0.096, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ulchi | 0.0271 | Close |
| 2 | Nanai | 0.0444 | Close |
| 3 | Negidal | 0.0524 | Moderate |
| 4 | Oroqen | 0.0541 | Moderate |
| 5 | Evenk (Khabarovsk) | 0.0595 | Moderate |
| 6 | Hezhen | 0.0675 | Moderate |
| 7 | Daur | 0.0799 | Moderate |
| 8 | Khamnegan | 0.0915 | Distant |
| 9 | Buryat (Mongolia) | 0.0945 | Distant |
| 10 | Buryat (Duldurginsky) | 0.0957 | 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 Nivkh
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Nivkh average is Japan IA Late Okhotsk Hamanaka (Iron Age), at 0.034. Primorye MN Boisman and Primorye N Devils Gate Cave come 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 | Japan IA Late Okhotsk Hamanaka | Iron Age | 0.0342 |
| 2 | Primorye MN Boisman | Middle Neolithic | 0.0353 |
| 3 | Primorye N Devils Gate Cave | Neolithic | 0.0408 |
| 4 | China Heilongjiang MN Zhaodong | Middle Neolithic | 0.0447 |
| 5 | China Heilongjiang EN Zhaodong | Early Neolithic | 0.0453 |
| 6 | China Amur River 10600BP | c. 8650 BC | 0.0463 |
| 7 | China Amur River 11000BP | c. 9050 BC | 0.0475 |
| 8 | China Amur River 8900BP | c. 6950 BC | 0.0478 |
| 9 | China Amur River 10500BP | c. 8550 BC | 0.0504 |
| 10 | China Amur River 6320BP | c. 4350 BC | 0.0505 |
Ancient DNA from Russia
Our ancient DNA database holds 2,938 individuals excavated in present-day Russia, 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 Nivkh population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Russia
- 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.
Compare yourself with Nivkh
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Nivkh average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Nivkh 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
A word of caution: these figures describe the average of the Nivkh individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Nivkh. Individuals vary around that average, and identity is about history, language and family, not about a genetic score. Read this page as a map of deep ancestry, not as a definition.
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 Nivkh 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 Siberia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Nivkh?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Nivkh average is about 88.0% Ancient Northeast Asians, 8.9% Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related) and 1.8% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Nivkh?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Nivkh average are Ulchi, Nanai and Negidal. The closest ancient matches are Japan IA Late Okhotsk Hamanaka, Primorye MN Boisman and Primorye N Devils Gate Cave.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Nivkh?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Nivkh 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 Nivkh ancestry?
None of our regional reports is built for Nivkh ancestry, 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.