Sinhalese DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Sri Lanka · South Asia
The Sinhalese make up the majority of Sri Lanka's population and speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language whose closest relatives are spoken in northern India and the Maldives. According to the island's traditional chronicles, the first Sinhalese kingdom was founded by settlers from northern India in the mid first millennium BC, and Buddhism has been central to Sinhalese culture since the 3rd century BC. Genetically, though, they belong to the southern cluster. In our model, their average is 79.5% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy), 15.8% Iranian Neolithic farmer and 4.7% steppe, almost the same as the Sri Lankan Tamil average (77.3%, 17.4% and 5.4%). Apart from another Sinhala sample (0.0062), the closest modern averages are Tamil groups: Paravar from the Tamil Nadu coast (0.0092), Sri Lankan Tamils (0.0095) and Mukkulathor Kallar, a reminder that language and ancestry do not always travel together. Only Roopkund, around 800 AD, comes at all near among ancient groups (0.0508).
- Ancient components in our model: South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) 79.5%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 15.8%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 4.7%
- Closest modern population in our data: Sinhala, distance 0.0062
- Closest ancient group in our data: India Uttarakhand Early Medieval Roopkund c.800CE (South Asian Profile), distance 0.0508
Where does Sinhalese DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Sinhalese individuals sampled in Sri Lanka 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 Sinhalese average
The ancient make-up of the Sinhalese average is led by South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) (79.5%), followed by Iranian Neolithic farmers (15.8%) and Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (4.7%). 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 (15.8%) reflects the early farmers and herders of the Zagros mountains in Iran. With well over half of the total, this single source dominates the profile.
Smaller traces of Steppe herders (Yamnaya) (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 0.025): 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 Sinhalese
Genetically, the Sinhalese average sits nearest to Sinhala at 0.006, Tamil (Paravar Tamil Nadu) at 0.009 and Tamil at 0.010. On our scale, a distance of 0.006 counts as very close. Even the tenth closest, Pattapu (Kapu), is only 0.013 away: Sinhalese belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sinhala | 0.0062 | Very close |
| 2 | Tamil (Paravar Tamil Nadu) | 0.0092 | Very close |
| 3 | Tamil | 0.0095 | Very close |
| 4 | Tamil (Mukkulathor Kallar) | 0.0116 | Very close |
| 5 | Sri Lankan | 0.0122 | Very close |
| 6 | Tamil (Nadar Tamil Nadu) | 0.0124 | Very close |
| 7 | South Indian | 0.0124 | Very close |
| 8 | Yerukala | 0.0126 | Very close |
| 9 | Konkani Brahmin (Gaud Saraswat Telangana) | 0.0129 | Very close |
| 10 | Pattapu (Kapu) | 0.0132 | 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 Sinhalese
If we search ancient DNA for the best match to Sinhalese, India Uttarakhand Early Medieval Roopkund c.800CE (South Asian Profile) (c. 800 AD) comes first, at 0.051, with Iran EBA Shahr-i-Sokhta (IVC Profile) 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 | India Uttarakhand Early Medieval Roopkund c.800CE (South Asian Profile) | c. 800 AD | 0.0508 |
| 2 | Iran EBA Shahr-i-Sokhta (IVC Profile) | Early Bronze Age | 0.0965 |
| 3 | Pakistan IA Aligrama | Iron Age | 0.1131 |
| 4 | Pakistan HP Butkara | Historical period | 0.1215 |
| 5 | Pakistan HP Aligrama | Historical period | 0.1304 |
| 6 | China Shaanxi HP Northern Zhou Dynasty Xi'an (Burusho Profile) | Northern Zhou dynasty, 557-581 AD | 0.1378 |
| 7 | Pakistan HP Saidu Sharif | Historical period | 0.1389 |
| 8 | Pakistan IA Katelai | Iron Age | 0.1520 |
| 9 | Pakistan HP Barikot | Historical period | 0.1527 |
| 10 | Pakistan IA Gogdara | Iron Age | 0.1542 |
Ancient DNA from Sri Lanka
Our database lists the ancient DNA studies linked to Sri Lanka below.
Ancient DNA studies on Sri Lanka
Compare yourself with Sinhalese
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Sinhalese average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Sinhalese 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 Sinhalese individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Sinhalese. 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 Sinhalese 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 Sinhalese?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Sinhalese average is about 79.5% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy), 15.8% Iranian Neolithic farmers and 4.7% 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 Sinhalese?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Sinhalese average are Sinhala, Tamil (Paravar Tamil Nadu) and Tamil. The closest ancient matches are India Uttarakhand Early Medieval Roopkund c.800CE (South Asian Profile), Iran EBA Shahr-i-Sokhta (IVC Profile) and Pakistan IA Aligrama.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Sinhalese?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Sinhalese 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 Sinhalese ancestry?
Sindhu – South Asian Report is our regional report for this part of the world. On the Sinhalese average its fit test reads partial, so check your own DNA first: the free Report Finder runs that test on your file.
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.