Nubian DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Sudan · North Africa
The Nubians live along the Nile in northern Sudan and southern Egypt, and their languages, such as Dongolawi and Nobiin, belong to the Nilo-Saharan family. The average used here is Danagla, from the Dongola reach of the Nile, where Old Dongola was the capital of Makuria, one of the Christian Nubian kingdoms of the Middle Ages. In our model, fitted with the global set of sources, the ancestry is 45.3% Nilotic East African (Dinka stand-in), 30.7% Natufian, 12.7% Levantine Neolithic, 5.8% Iranian Neolithic, 3.8% Caucasus hunter-gatherer and 1.7% Iberomaurusian. That is a little more Nilotic and less Natufian ancestry than the Ja'alin Arabs (42.0% and 39.8%). Language and genes do not line up neatly here: the closest modern average is the Shaigia, an Arabic-speaking group from the neighbouring stretch of the Nile (0.0132), ahead of Nobiin-speaking Mahas Nubians. Medieval Christian Nubians buried at Kulubnarti are the closest ancient group (0.0292), with Neolithic pastoralists from Kenya much further away.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Nilotic East African 45.3%, Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) 30.7%, Levantine Neolithic farmers 12.7%
- Closest modern population in our data: Sudanese Arab (Shaigia), distance 0.0132
- Closest ancient group in our data: Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti R, distance 0.0292
This page sums up what the DNA of the Nubian sample tells us about deep origins. It is built from the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of individuals sampled in Sudan, listed in the G25 sheet as "Nubian_Danagla", 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 Nubian average
The ancient make-up of the Nubian average is led by Nilotic East African (45.3%), followed by Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) (30.7%) and Levantine Neolithic farmers (12.7%). The Nilotic East African component reflects ancestry found in East African populations. The Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) share (30.7%) reflects the early farmers of the Levant and the Natufian foragers who came before them.
Smaller traces of Caucasus hunter-gatherers and North African hunter-gatherers (Iberomaurusian) (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 0.026): 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 Nubian
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Nubian average is Sudanese Arab (Shaigia), at a distance of 0.013 (very close). Next come Nubian (Nobiin Mahas) at 0.018 and Sudanese Arab (Ja'alin) at 0.027. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Sudanese Arab (Shaigia) (0.013), Sudanese Arab (Ja'alin) (0.027) and Sudan Arab (Kababish) (0.035). By the tenth closest (Amhara (other sample set)) the distance grows to 0.044, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sudanese Arab (Shaigia) | 0.0132 | Very close |
| 2 | Nubian (Nobiin Mahas) | 0.0181 | Very close |
| 3 | Sudanese Arab (Ja'alin) | 0.0270 | Close |
| 4 | Sudan Arab (Kababish) | 0.0345 | Close |
| 5 | Baggara Arab (Chad A) | 0.0386 | Close |
| 6 | Baggara (Chad A) | 0.0392 | Close |
| 7 | Afar (Ethiopia) | 0.0405 | Close |
| 8 | Beja (Hadendowa) | 0.0443 | Close |
| 9 | Amhara | 0.0444 | Close |
| 10 | Amhara (other sample set) | 0.0444 | 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 Nubian
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Nubian, Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti R (Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD) comes first, at 0.029, with Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti S 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 | Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti R | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0292 |
| 2 | Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti S | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0369 |
| 3 | Kenya Early Pastoral N | Neolithic | 0.0634 |
| 4 | Kenya Pastoral N Elmenteitan | Neolithic | 0.0793 |
| 5 | Tanzania Pastoral N | Neolithic | 0.0817 |
| 6 | Kenya Pastoral N Hyrax Hill 2300BP | c. 350 BC | 0.0825 |
| 7 | Kenya Pastoral N | Neolithic | 0.0887 |
| 8 | Tanzania Luxmanda 3000BP | c. 1050 BC | 0.0906 |
| 9 | Kenya Pastoral N Lukenya Hill 3500BP | c. 1550 BC | 0.1013 |
| 10 | Kenya Pastoral N Molo Cave 1500BP | c. 450 AD | 0.1184 |
Ancient DNA from Sudan
Our ancient DNA database holds 108 individuals excavated in present-day Sudan, dated from about 2,076 BC to 1175 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are E1b (17), G2a (3) and J2a (3), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are H2 (22), L2 (22) and U5 (13). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Nubian population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on Sudan
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 108 from Sudan.
Compare yourself with Nubian
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Nubian average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Nubian 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 Nubian. 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 Nubian 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 North Africa
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Nubian?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Nubian average is about 45.3% Nilotic East African, 30.7% Natufian hunter-gatherers (Levant) and 12.7% Levantine Neolithic farmers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Nubian?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Nubian (Nobiin Mahas)), the closest modern populations to the Nubian average are Sudanese Arab (Shaigia), Sudanese Arab (Ja'alin) and Sudan Arab (Kababish). The closest ancient matches are Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti R, Sudan Nubia Early Medieval Christian Era Kulubnarti S and Kenya Early Pastoral N.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Nubian?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Nubian 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 Nubian ancestry?
None of our regional reports is built for Nubian 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.