Rusyn DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Ukraine · Eastern Europe
Rusyns are an East Slavic people of the Carpathian mountains, living mainly in Zakarpattia in western Ukraine and in neighbouring parts of Slovakia and Poland, with related highland groups such as the Lemkos and Boykos. This page uses a Rusyn sample from Ukraine. In our model, it is 51.8% steppe-related, 38.9% Anatolian Neolithic farmer and 9.3% Western hunter-gatherer: the second highest steppe-related share in our atlas, after the Frisians, well above the Ukrainian average (43.2%), and, unlike most East Slavs, no Eastern hunter-gatherer share above 1% (Ukrainians have 10.0%). No modern average is very close: the nearest are Ukrainians from Zakarpattia (distance 0.0184), then Croats, Poles from Podolia and Germans from Thuringia, at around 0.021 to 0.022. The closest ancient groups have a Central European Slavic profile, from medieval Gornji Kosinj and Velim in Croatia (0.0186 and 0.0189) and Conquest-period Hungary.
- Ancient components in our model: Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 51.8%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers 38.9%, Western hunter-gatherers 9.3%
- Closest modern population in our data: Ukrainian (Zakarpattia), distance 0.0184
- Closest ancient group in our data: Croatia High Medieval Gornji Kosinj (Central Euro Slavic Profile), distance 0.0186
Where does Rusyn DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Rusyn individuals sampled in Ukraine, listed in the G25 sheet as "Rusyn_Ukraine" 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 Rusyn average
Modelled as a mix of deep ancestral reference populations, the Rusyn average comes out as 51.8% Steppe herders (Yamnaya), 38.9% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 9.3% Western hunter-gatherers. The Steppe herders (Yamnaya) component 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 Anatolian Neolithic farmers share (38.9%) reflects the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, who carried agriculture into Europe from about 6500 BC.
The fit is loose (fit distance 0.048), which usually means that none of the available reference populations is a close stand-in for part of this ancestry, so read the percentages as rough. The model draws on West Eurasian ancient genomes, with modern West African and East Asian stand-ins.
Sarmatia – Balto-Slavic Ancestry Report
Closest modern populations to Rusyn
Genetically, the Rusyn average sits nearest to Ukrainian (Zakarpattia) at 0.018, Croat at 0.021 and Polish (Ukraine Podolia) at 0.022. On our scale, a distance of 0.018 counts as very close. Even the tenth closest, Slovak, is only 0.024 away: Rusyn belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukrainian (Zakarpattia) | 0.0184 | Very close |
| 2 | Croat | 0.0209 | Very close |
| 3 | Polish (Ukraine Podolia) | 0.0217 | Very close |
| 4 | Croatian | 0.0218 | Very close |
| 5 | German (Thuringia) | 0.0221 | Very close |
| 6 | Slovene | 0.0233 | Very close |
| 7 | Ukrainian (Ternopil) | 0.0238 | Very close |
| 8 | Hungarian | 0.0241 | Very close |
| 9 | Croat (Dalmatia) | 0.0241 | Very close |
| 10 | Slovak | 0.0242 | 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 Rusyn
Among ancient genomes, the closest match to the modern Rusyn average is Croatia High Medieval Gornji Kosinj (Central Euro Slavic Profile) (High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD), at 0.019, followed by Croatia Early Medieval Old Croat Velim (Central Euro Slavic Profile) and Hungary Early Medieval Conqueror Period (Central Euro Slavic Profile). 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 | Croatia High Medieval Gornji Kosinj (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0186 |
| 2 | Croatia Early Medieval Old Croat Velim (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0189 |
| 3 | Hungary Early Medieval Conqueror Period (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0200 |
| 4 | Austria Early Medieval Avar Period (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0208 |
| 5 | Hungary High Medieval Arpadian Period (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0214 |
| 6 | Hungary Early-High Medieval Conqueror-Early Arpadian Period (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD | 0.0216 |
| 7 | Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Early (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0222 |
| 8 | Ukraine High Medieval Kievan Rus'-Golden Horde Pidhirtsi (Central Euro Slavic Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0227 |
| 9 | Poland Early Medieval Grodek | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0230 |
| 10 | Montenegro High Medieval Doclea (South Slavic Profile) | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0232 |
Ancient DNA from Ukraine
Our ancient DNA database holds 533 individuals excavated in present-day Ukraine, dated from about 34,841 BC to 1700 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are I2a (70), R1b (49) and R1a (48), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are U5 (110), U4 (63) and T2 (31). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Rusyn population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 533 from Ukraine.
Compare yourself with Rusyn
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Rusyn average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Rusyn 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 Rusyn. 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 Rusyn average. Your own DNA has its own story: Sarmatia – Balto-Slavic 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 from Eastern and Central-Eastern Europe of Balto-Slavic ancestry: ancient regional core (Corded Ware, Bronze Age cultures, Scythian, Sarmatian and Baltic Iron Age, Przeworsk, Wielbark and Chernyakhiv, Early Slavs...
More populations from Eastern Europe
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Rusyn?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Rusyn average is about 51.8% Steppe herders (Yamnaya), 38.9% Anatolian Neolithic farmers and 9.3% Western hunter-gatherers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Rusyn?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Rusyn average are Ukrainian (Zakarpattia), Croat and Polish (Ukraine Podolia). The closest ancient matches are Croatia High Medieval Gornji Kosinj (Central Euro Slavic Profile), Croatia Early Medieval Old Croat Velim (Central Euro Slavic Profile) and Hungary Early Medieval Conqueror Period (Central Euro Slavic Profile).
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Rusyn?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Rusyn 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 Rusyn ancestry?
For the Rusyn average, the regional report to choose is Sarmatia – Balto-Slavic Ancestry 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.