Rajput (Rajasthan) DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · India · South Asia
Rajput identity is linked with the ruling and warrior lineages of Rajasthan and much of northern India, whose kingdoms, such as Mewar and Marwar, shaped the region's history from the early medieval period onwards. Rajput communities today include Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. This page uses the Rajasthan average. Iranian Neolithic farmers reach 35.0% here, just behind 38.9% South Asian hunter-gatherer related ancestry (Irula proxy), with steppe at 22.3% and Anatolian Neolithic farmers at 3.8%. Compared with the Jats of Haryana, the Iranian-related share is much higher (35.0% against 20.1%) and the steppe share lower, a profile closer to that of Sindh and the Indus valley. The closest modern averages bear this out: another Rajasthani Rajput sample (0.0063), then Gujars from Swat and Punjab, Potohar Rajputs and Sindhis, all within about 0.015. Two historical-period sites in the Swat valley come nearest among ancient groups: Saidu Sharif at 0.0208 and Aligrama at 0.0234.
- Largest ancient components in our model: South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) 38.9%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 35.0%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 22.3%
- Closest modern population in our data: Rajasthani (Rajput), distance 0.0063
- Closest ancient group in our data: Pakistan HP Saidu Sharif, distance 0.0208
This page sums up what the DNA of the Rajput (Rajasthan) sample tells us about deep origins. It is built from the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of individuals sampled in India, listed in the G25 sheet as "Rajput_Rajasthan", 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 Rajput (Rajasthan) average
Modelled as a mix of deep ancestral reference populations, the Rajput (Rajasthan) average comes out as 38.9% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy), 35.0% Iranian Neolithic farmers and 22.3% 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 Iranian Neolithic farmers share (35.0%) reflects the early farmers and herders of the Zagros mountains in Iran.
Smaller traces of Anatolian Neolithic farmers (under 5%) 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.
Sindhu – South Asian Report
Closest modern populations to Rajput (Rajasthan)
Ranking every modern population by genetic distance puts Rajasthani (Rajput) first for Rajput (Rajasthan), at 0.006, then Gujar (Swat) and Gujar (Punjab). Even the tenth closest, Gujar (Kashmir), is only 0.019 away: Rajput (Rajasthan) belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rajasthani (Rajput) | 0.0063 | Very close |
| 2 | Gujar (Swat) | 0.0108 | Very close |
| 3 | Gujar (Punjab) | 0.0121 | Very close |
| 4 | Pahari (Jat Muslim) | 0.0141 | Very close |
| 5 | Punjabi (Rajput Potohar) | 0.0142 | Very close |
| 6 | Saraiki (Jat) | 0.0145 | Very close |
| 7 | Sindhi | 0.0148 | Very close |
| 8 | Jat (Pahari) | 0.0174 | Very close |
| 9 | Rajput (Potohar) | 0.0174 | Very close |
| 10 | Gujar (Kashmir) | 0.0188 | 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 Rajput (Rajasthan)
Among ancient genomes, the closest match to the modern Rajput (Rajasthan) average is Pakistan HP Saidu Sharif (Historical period), at 0.021, followed by Pakistan HP Aligrama and Pakistan IA Katelai. 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 | Pakistan HP Saidu Sharif | Historical period | 0.0208 |
| 2 | Pakistan HP Aligrama | Historical period | 0.0234 |
| 3 | Pakistan IA Katelai | Iron Age | 0.0243 |
| 4 | Pakistan HP Butkara | Historical period | 0.0281 |
| 5 | Pakistan IA Loebanr | Iron Age | 0.0282 |
| 6 | Pakistan IA Udegram | Iron Age | 0.0303 |
| 7 | Pakistan HP Barikot | Historical period | 0.0319 |
| 8 | Pakistan IA Gogdara | Iron Age | 0.0323 |
| 9 | Pakistan IA Butkara | Iron Age | 0.0352 |
| 10 | Pakistan High Medieval Barikot | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0368 |
Ancient DNA from India
Our ancient DNA database holds 59 individuals excavated in present-day India, dated from about 2,350 BC to 1860 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R2a (4), H1a (3) and J2b (3), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are M3 (6), H1 (4) and U2 (4). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Rajput (Rajasthan) population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on India
- Blending borders: reconstructing the genetic history of the Sindhi population (2026)
- Blending borders: reconstructing the genetic history of the Sindhi population (2026)
- The Old Lady spider cave skeletons in Ladakh have diverse maternal genetic origin (2026)
- Layers in the sand: The genetic imprint of migration, culture, and Indus craft in the Thar desert (2026)
- Admixture and Genetic Connectivity: Autosomal Insights Into Indo-Aryan Speakers at the Eastern Edge of the Indian Subcontinent (2026)
- Novel 4400-year-old ancestral component in a tribe speaking a Dravidian language (2025)
- Ancient mitogenomes from Neolithic, megalithic and medieval burials suggest complex genetic history of Kashmir valley, India (2025)
- 50,000 years of evolutionary history of India: Impact on health and disease variation (2025)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 59 from India.
Compare yourself with Rajput (Rajasthan)
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Rajput (Rajasthan) average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Rajput (Rajasthan) 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 Rajput (Rajasthan) individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Rajput (Rajasthan). 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 Rajput (Rajasthan) average. Your own DNA has its own story: Sindhu – South Asian 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 South Asian ancestry: ancient regional core (Indus Valley Civilization, BMAC, Steppe migration, Himalayan Iron Age & Classical layers) versus non-regional outside admixture, across 13 communities (Punjabi...
More populations from South Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Rajput (Rajasthan)?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Rajput (Rajasthan) average is about 38.9% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy), 35.0% Iranian Neolithic farmers and 22.3% 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 Rajput (Rajasthan)?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Rajput (Rajasthan) average are Rajasthani (Rajput), Gujar (Swat) and Gujar (Punjab). The closest ancient matches are Pakistan HP Saidu Sharif, Pakistan HP Aligrama and Pakistan IA Katelai.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Rajput (Rajasthan)?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Rajput (Rajasthan) 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 Rajput (Rajasthan) ancestry?
For the Rajput (Rajasthan) average, the regional report to choose is Sindhu – South Asian Report, which our fit test rates as an excellent match. 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.