Selkup DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Russia · Siberia
The Selkup live in the taiga of western Siberia, along the Taz river and the middle Ob, between the Khanty to the west and the Kets to the east. Theirs is the last surviving language of the southern branch of Samoyedic, part of the Uralic family, and Selkup life was long built on fishing, hunting and some reindeer herding. In our model, the Selkup average is 58.8% Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related), 21.6% Ancient North Eurasian, 7.5% Eastern hunter-gatherer, 6.0% East Asian, 4.0% Anatolian Neolithic farmer and 2.1% Levantine Neolithic. The Ancient North Eurasian share, the deep Ice Age Siberian ancestry represented by Afontova Gora, is among the highest in our atlas, close to the Khanty (22.2%) and well above the Nenets (12.6%). After another Selkup sample, the closest modern averages are the Nenets (0.0412), fellow Samoyedic speakers, and the Kets (0.056). The fit (0.0706) is rough, and the closest ancient group, medieval Ivanov-Mys in the Omsk region (0.0672), is moderately far.
- Largest ancient components in our model: Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related) 58.8%, Ancient North Eurasians 21.6%, Eastern hunter-gatherers 7.5%
- Closest other population in our data: Nenets, distance 0.0412
- Closest ancient group in our data: Omsk High Medieval Ust-Ishim Ivanov-Mys, distance 0.0672
Where does Selkup DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Selkup individuals sampled in Russia 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 Selkup average
The ancient make-up of the Selkup average is led by Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related) (58.8%), followed by Ancient North Eurasians (21.6%) and Eastern hunter-gatherers (7.5%). The Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related) component reflects the ancestry of the peoples of northern Siberia. The Ancient North Eurasians share (21.6%) reflects the Ice Age hunters of Siberia known as Ancient North Eurasians.
Smaller traces of Anatolian Neolithic farmers and Levantine Neolithic farmers (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 loose (fit distance 0.071), 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. 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 Selkup
Genetically, the Selkup average sits nearest to Selkup (Taz) at 0.010, Nenets at 0.041 and Nenets (Forest) at 0.048. On our scale, a distance of 0.010 counts as very close. Leaving aside the other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet, the nearest other populations are Nenets (0.041), Nenets (Forest) (0.048) and Nenets (Tundra) (0.051). By the tenth closest (Shor (Khakassia)) the distance grows to 0.130, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Selkup (Taz) | 0.0097 | Very close |
| 2 | Nenets | 0.0412 | Close |
| 3 | Nenets (Forest) | 0.0482 | Close |
| 4 | Nenets (Tundra) | 0.0508 | Moderate |
| 5 | Ket | 0.0560 | Moderate |
| 6 | Khanty (Obdorsk) | 0.0839 | Distant |
| 7 | Khanty | 0.0898 | Distant |
| 8 | Enets | 0.0943 | Distant |
| 9 | Mansi | 0.1157 | Distant |
| 10 | Shor (Khakassia) | 0.1301 | 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 Selkup
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Selkup, Omsk High Medieval Ust-Ishim Ivanov-Mys (High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD) comes first, at 0.067, with Khanty-Mansia Early Medieval Nizhneobskaya Barsov-Gorodok next. That is only a moderate match: part of the modern profile was already present then, but later movements of people added substantial 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 | Omsk High Medieval Ust-Ishim Ivanov-Mys | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0672 |
| 2 | Khanty-Mansia Early Medieval Nizhneobskaya Barsov-Gorodok | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0709 |
| 3 | Omsk Early-High Medieval Ust-Ishim Panovo | Early to High Medieval, c. 500-1300 AD | 0.0817 |
| 4 | Krasnoyarsk LBA Bazaikha | Late Bronze Age | 0.0907 |
| 5 | Krasnoyarsk LBA Afontova Gora | Late Bronze Age | 0.0977 |
| 6 | Khanty-Mansia BA Seima-Turbino Satyga | Bronze Age | 0.1147 |
| 7 | Omsk BA Seima-Turbino Rostovka (Intermediate West Siberia BA Profile) | Bronze Age | 0.1216 |
| 8 | Krasnoyarsk LN Afontova Gora | Late Neolithic | 0.1235 |
| 9 | Irkutsk Late Medieval Ust-Belaya | Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD | 0.1250 |
| 10 | Altai N Kuznetsk-Altai Nizhnetytkesken | Neolithic | 0.1257 |
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 Selkup 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 Selkup
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Selkup average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Selkup 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 Selkup individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Selkup. 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 Selkup 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 Selkup?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Selkup average is about 58.8% Arctic Siberian (Nganasan-related), 21.6% Ancient North Eurasians and 7.5% Eastern hunter-gatherers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Selkup?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Selkup (Taz)), the closest modern populations to the Selkup average are Nenets, Nenets (Forest) and Nenets (Tundra). The closest ancient matches are Omsk High Medieval Ust-Ishim Ivanov-Mys, Khanty-Mansia Early Medieval Nizhneobskaya Barsov-Gorodok and Omsk Early-High Medieval Ust-Ishim Panovo.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Selkup?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Selkup 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 Selkup ancestry?
None of our regional reports is built for Selkup 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.