Sherpa DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Nepal · South Asia
The Sherpa live in the high valleys of eastern Nepal, around Mount Everest in the Khumbu region, and are famous for Himalayan mountaineering. Their traditions say that their ancestors came from Kham in eastern Tibet about five centuries ago, and their language is closely related to Tibetan. In our model, the Sherpa average is 73.9% East Asian, 14.9% Ancient Northeast Asian and 11.2% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy), very close to the Tibetan profile. The fit (0.0576) is loose, which is common for small, long-isolated highland populations. The ancient matches tell a long story: after medieval Tibetans from Longsangquduo (0.0152), the closest groups are Iron Age people from Mebrak and Classical-period people from Samdzong, both in Mustang in the Nepalese Himalaya, showing that people of the high plateau lived on the southern side of the range long before the Sherpa arrived. The closest modern averages are other Sherpa samples, then Tibetans from Shigatse and the Tibetan average itself.
- Ancient components in our model: East Asian 73.9%, Ancient Northeast Asians 14.9%, South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) 11.2%
- Closest modern population in our data: Sherpa (Khumbu), distance 0.0098
- Closest ancient group in our data: Tibet Medieval Longsangquduo, distance 0.0152
Where does Sherpa DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Sherpa individuals sampled in Nepal 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 Sherpa average
Modelled as a mix of deep ancestral reference populations, the Sherpa average comes out as 73.9% East Asian, 14.9% Ancient Northeast Asians and 11.2% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy). The East Asian component reflects ancestry most common today in East Asia. With well over half of the total, this single source dominates the profile.
The fit is loose (fit distance 0.058), 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 Sherpa
Genetically, the Sherpa average sits nearest to Sherpa (Khumbu) at 0.010, Sherpa (West Bengal) at 0.011 and Tibetan (Shigatse) at 0.014. 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 Tibetan (Shigatse) (0.014), Tibetan (0.014) and Tibetan (McLeod Ganj) (0.014). By the tenth closest (Qiang (Daofu)) the distance grows to 0.030, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sherpa (Khumbu) | 0.0098 | Very close |
| 2 | Sherpa (West Bengal) | 0.0114 | Very close |
| 3 | Tibetan (Shigatse) | 0.0136 | Very close |
| 4 | Tibetan | 0.0137 | Very close |
| 5 | Tibetan (McLeod Ganj) | 0.0140 | Very close |
| 6 | Tibetan (Shannan) | 0.0144 | Very close |
| 7 | Nepali (Sherpa Rolwaling) | 0.0150 | Very close |
| 8 | Rai | 0.0218 | Very close |
| 9 | Tamang (Tashinam) | 0.0261 | Close |
| 10 | Qiang (Daofu) | 0.0304 | 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 Sherpa
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Sherpa, Tibet Medieval Longsangquduo (Medieval, c. 500-1500 AD) comes first, at 0.015, with Nepal IA Mebrak next. 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 | Tibet Medieval Longsangquduo | Medieval, c. 500-1500 AD | 0.0152 |
| 2 | Nepal IA Mebrak | Iron Age | 0.0155 |
| 3 | Nepal Classical Samdzong | Classical period | 0.0166 |
| 4 | Tibet Medieval Latuotanggu | Medieval, c. 500-1500 AD | 0.0175 |
| 5 | Tibet IA Jiesang | Iron Age | 0.0186 |
| 6 | Tibet IA Pulanduowa | Iron Age | 0.0188 |
| 7 | Nepal IA Kyang | Iron Age | 0.0189 |
| 8 | China Qinghai Early Medieval Tubo Dulan | Early Medieval, c. 500-1000 AD | 0.0192 |
| 9 | Tibet IA Ounie | Iron Age | 0.0199 |
| 10 | Tibet Pre-IA Ousui (LNBA) | Iron Age | 0.0208 |
Ancient DNA from Nepal
Our ancient DNA database holds 35 individuals excavated in present-day Nepal, dated from about 1,425 BC to 675 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are O2a (15) and D1a (1), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are M9 (16), F1 (10) and A17 (1). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Sherpa population.
Ancient DNA studies on Nepal
- Dynamic human admixture histories over the past ~1300 years at the northern Himalayan frontier (2025)
- The genetic demographic history of the last hunter-gatherer population of the Himalayas (2025)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 35 from Nepal.
Compare yourself with Sherpa
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Sherpa average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Sherpa 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 Sherpa. 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 Sherpa 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 South Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Sherpa?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Sherpa average is about 73.9% East Asian, 14.9% Ancient Northeast Asians and 11.2% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Sherpa?
Leaving aside other regional samples listed under the same name in the G25 sheet (such as Sherpa (Khumbu)), the closest modern populations to the Sherpa average are Tibetan (Shigatse), Tibetan and Tibetan (McLeod Ganj). The closest ancient matches are Tibet Medieval Longsangquduo, Nepal IA Mebrak and Nepal Classical Samdzong.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Sherpa?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Sherpa 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 Sherpa ancestry?
Our regional report for this part of the world does not fit the Sherpa average closely, 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.