Puerto Rican DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Puerto Rico · Americas
Puerto Rican ancestry combines European, African and Indigenous Caribbean roots, a mix shaped by Spanish colonisation, the forced transport of enslaved Africans and the survival of Taino ancestry. In our model, the European side is described by Anatolian Neolithic farmers (41.4%), steppe herders (22.1%) and Western hunter-gatherers (7.1%), the Indigenous side by Native American ancestry (14.2%), and the African side by West African ancestry (9.8%). The 5.4% North African hunter-gatherer share is a signal also found in many Iberians. Ancient DNA from the Caribbean confirms that ancestry from the islands' pre-colonial inhabitants survives in present-day Puerto Ricans. The closest modern average is Venezuelan (Blanco), at 0.0295, while other Latin American averages are already at a moderate distance. No ancient group matches closely: the nearest are medieval people from Andalusia and Madrid, about 0.12 away, since they reflect only the Iberian part.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Anatolian Neolithic farmers 41.4%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 22.1%, Native American (Paleo-American) 14.2%
- Closest modern population in our data: Venezuelan (Blanco), distance 0.0295
- Model fit: 0.0199, a close fit (global model)
Where does Puerto Rican DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Puerto Rican individuals sampled in Puerto Rico, listed in the G25 sheet as "Puerto_Rican" 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 Puerto Rican average
The ancient make-up of the Puerto Rican average is led by Anatolian Neolithic farmers (41.4%), followed by Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (22.1%) and Native American (Paleo-American) (14.2%). The Anatolian Neolithic farmers component reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC. The Steppe herders (Yamnaya) share (22.1%) 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 model fits well (fit distance 0.020), 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.
Karukera – Caribbean Creole Ancestry Report
Closest modern populations to Puerto Rican
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Puerto Rican average is Venezuelan (Blanco), at a distance of 0.030 (close). Next come Uruguayan Euro-Mestizo at 0.061 and Panamanian Euro-Mestizo at 0.064. By the tenth closest (Ecuadorian Euro-Mestizo) the distance grows to 0.094, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venezuelan (Blanco) | 0.0295 | Close |
| 2 | Uruguayan Euro-Mestizo | 0.0609 | Moderate |
| 3 | Panamanian Euro-Mestizo | 0.0636 | Moderate |
| 4 | Guatemalan (Euro-Ladino) | 0.0647 | Moderate |
| 5 | Costa Rican (Euro-Mestizo) | 0.0739 | Moderate |
| 6 | Brazilian (Branco) | 0.0740 | Moderate |
| 7 | Mexican Euro-Mestizo | 0.0768 | Moderate |
| 8 | Colombian Euro-Mestizo | 0.0802 | Distant |
| 9 | Chilean Euro-Mestizo | 0.0862 | Distant |
| 10 | Ecuadorian Euro-Mestizo | 0.0941 | 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 Puerto Rican
Among ancient genomes, the closest match to the modern Puerto Rican average is Spain Andalusia Late Medieval (Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD), at 0.120, followed by Spain Madrid Early Medieval Visigoth-Ummayad Camino de las Yeseras and Spain Galicia Early Medieval. Even the best ancient match is distant, so the modern population is better described as a blend of several ancestral sources than as the continuation of one. 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 | Spain Andalusia Late Medieval | Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD | 0.1195 |
| 2 | Spain Madrid Early Medieval Visigoth-Ummayad Camino de las Yeseras | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.1221 |
| 3 | Spain Galicia Early Medieval | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.1227 |
| 4 | Portugal High Medieval Almoravid-Kingdom of Portugal Loule Muslim | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.1229 |
| 5 | Portugal Early Medieval Visigoth-Ummayad Monte da Nora | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.1230 |
| 6 | Portugal Roman Empire Idanha-a-Velha (North African-Mixed Profile) | Roman era, c. 1-400 AD | 0.1239 |
| 7 | Portugal Early Medieval Visigoth-Ummayad Gruta do Caldeirao | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.1247 |
| 8 | Portugal Early Medieval Ummayad Monte da Nora | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.1253 |
| 9 | Italy Sicily High Medieval Segesta Muslim (North African-Mixed Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.1258 |
| 10 | Spain Valencia High-Late Medieval Vall d'Uixo Muslim | High to Late Medieval, c. 1000-1500 AD | 0.1258 |
Ancient DNA from Puerto Rico
Our ancient DNA database holds 140 individuals excavated in present-day Puerto Rico, dated from about 483 AD to 1338 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are Q1b (12), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are A2 (37), C1 (35) and H2 (31). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Puerto Rican population.
Ancient DNA studies on Puerto Rico
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 140 from Puerto Rico.
Compare yourself with Puerto Rican
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Puerto Rican average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Puerto Rican 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 Puerto Rican. 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 Puerto Rican average. Your own DNA has its own story: Karukera – Caribbean Creole Ancestry 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 mixed Creole Caribbean ancestry: your combined Taíno/indigenous, West/Central African, and European-colonial roots, given roughly equal weight rather than centering one layer, across 8 communities (Haitian...
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Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Puerto Rican?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Puerto Rican average is about 41.4% Anatolian Neolithic farmers, 22.1% Steppe herders (Yamnaya) and 14.2% 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 Puerto Rican?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Puerto Rican average are Venezuelan (Blanco), Uruguayan Euro-Mestizo and Panamanian Euro-Mestizo. The closest ancient matches are Spain Andalusia Late Medieval, Spain Madrid Early Medieval Visigoth-Ummayad Camino de las Yeseras and Spain Galicia Early Medieval.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Puerto Rican?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Puerto Rican 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 Puerto Rican ancestry?
Karukera – Caribbean Creole Ancestry Report is the report built for this heritage, and its reference panel fits the Puerto Rican 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.