Sundanese DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · Indonesia · Southeast Asia
The Sundanese are the people of West Java, and with around 40 million people they are Indonesia's second largest ethnic group. Sundanese is an Austronesian language distinct from Javanese, with its own music, such as the bamboo angklung, and the memory of the Hindu kingdom of Sunda, whose capital Pakuan Pajajaran stood near present-day Bogor. In our model, the Sundanese average is 84.3% Southeast Asian Neolithic farmer and 15.7% Southern Chinese Neolithic farmer, a little more of the Austronesian-related component than the Javanese (12.5%). The two are genetically very close (0.0089), and the closest modern average of all is an Indonesian sample from Jakarta (0.0066), the capital that grew on the edge of the Sundanese lands. Beyond Java and Bali, the next averages are the Kuy of Thailand and the Iban of Borneo (around 0.033). The closest ancient group is Neolithic Man Bac in Vietnam (0.0416), the site behind the Southeast Asian Neolithic reference.
- Ancient components in our model: Southeast Asian Neolithic farmers 84.3%, Southern Chinese Neolithic farmers 15.7%
- Closest modern population in our data: Indonesian (Jakarta, Java/Bali Profile), distance 0.0066
- Closest ancient group in our data: Vietnam N Man Bac, distance 0.0416
Where does Sundanese DNA sit on the genetic map of the world? To answer, we take the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the Sundanese individuals sampled in Indonesia 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 Sundanese average
In a model built from deep ancestral reference populations, the largest share of the Sundanese average, 84.3%, goes to Southeast Asian Neolithic farmers, ahead of Southern Chinese Neolithic farmers (15.7%). The Southeast Asian Neolithic farmers component reflects the Neolithic farmers of mainland Southeast Asia. The Southern Chinese Neolithic farmers share (15.7%) reflects the Neolithic rice and millet farmers of southern China, whose descendants spread into Southeast Asia. With well over half of the total, this single source dominates the profile.
The fit is acceptable (fit distance 0.038): 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.
Lapita – Austronesian & Pacific Report
Closest modern populations to Sundanese
Among the modern populations in the G25 data, the closest to the Sundanese average is Indonesian (Jakarta, Java/Bali Profile), at a distance of 0.007 (very close). Next come Javanese at 0.009 and Balinese at 0.014. By the tenth closest (Mlabri) the distance grows to 0.041, a common pattern for a population that shares ancestry with its neighbours while keeping a profile of its own.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indonesian (Jakarta, Java/Bali Profile) | 0.0066 | Very close |
| 2 | Javanese | 0.0089 | Very close |
| 3 | Balinese | 0.0140 | Very close |
| 4 | Kuy (Suay) | 0.0324 | Close |
| 5 | Iban | 0.0331 | Close |
| 6 | Khmer (Thailand) | 0.0354 | Close |
| 7 | Malay (Singapore) | 0.0368 | Close |
| 8 | Ma'anyan | 0.0372 | Close |
| 9 | Temuan | 0.0407 | Close |
| 10 | Mlabri | 0.0412 | 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 Sundanese
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Sundanese average is Vietnam N Man Bac (Neolithic), at 0.042. Laos LNBA Tam Pa Ping and Laos BA Tam Hang come next. That is a close match: much of the modern profile was already present then, while later movements of people added further 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 | Vietnam N Man Bac | Neolithic | 0.0416 |
| 2 | Laos LNBA Tam Pa Ping | Late Neolithic to Bronze Age | 0.0437 |
| 3 | Laos BA Tam Hang | Bronze Age | 0.0437 |
| 4 | India Uttarakhand Late Modern Roopkund (Southeast Asian Profile) | Late Modern, c. 1800-1950 AD | 0.0457 |
| 5 | Malaysia LN Gua Cha | Late Neolithic | 0.0462 |
| 6 | Vietnam LN Mai Da Dieu | Late Neolithic | 0.0477 |
| 7 | Vietnam LN Ha Long Hhon Hai Co Tien | Late Neolithic | 0.0585 |
| 8 | China Guangxi EN Dushan | Early Neolithic | 0.0669 |
| 9 | Vietnam LN Nam Tun | Late Neolithic | 0.0709 |
| 10 | Indonesia Flores N-Proto-Metallic Liang Bua | Neolithic | 0.0796 |
Ancient DNA from Indonesia
Our ancient DNA database holds 30 individuals excavated in present-day Indonesia, dated from about 5,300 BC to 1751 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are O2a (3), C1b (1) and M1a (1), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are B4 (4), Q1 (3) and E1 (2). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Sundanese population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| O2a | 3 | TanjungPinang6 TanjungPinang2 TOP002 |
| C1b | 1 | AMA001 |
| M1a | 1 | TOP004 |
| O1a | 1 | Uattamdi1 |
| O1b | 1 | In662 |
| S1a | 1 | TanjungPinang4 |
| S1d | 1 | TanjungPinang1 |
Most frequent mtDNA haplogroups
| Haplogroup | Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| B4 | 4 | AMA005 AMA001 TanjungPinang6 |
| Q1 | 3 | AMA003008 TanjungPinang2 AMA009 |
| E1 | 2 | Uattamdi1 LIT001 |
| E2 | 2 | TOP004 TOP002 |
| M1 | 2 | GUP001 |
| Q | 2 | TanjungPinang4 TanjungPinang1 |
| F1 | 1 | In661 |
| M17 | 1 | LIA001002 |
Ancient DNA studies on Indonesia
- Reconstructing the west-east genetic division in Indonesia using ancient genomes (2026)
- Onset of summer aridification and the decline of Homo floresiensis at Liang Bua 61,000 years ago (2025)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 30 from Indonesia.
Compare yourself with Sundanese
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Sundanese average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Sundanese 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 Sundanese individuals who were sampled, not every person who identifies as Sundanese. 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 Sundanese average. Your own DNA has its own story: Lapita – Austronesian & Pacific 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 Austronesian / Indo-Pacific ancestry: ancient regional core (the Taiwan Neolithic homeland, the Lapita culture, Guam Unai and Latte periods, the Medieval voyage to Madagascar) versus non-regional outside...
More populations from Southeast Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Sundanese?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Sundanese average is about 84.3% Southeast Asian Neolithic farmers and 15.7% Southern Chinese Neolithic farmers. These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Sundanese?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Sundanese average are Indonesian (Jakarta, Java/Bali Profile), Javanese and Balinese. The closest ancient matches are Vietnam N Man Bac, Laos LNBA Tam Pa Ping and Laos BA Tam Hang.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Sundanese?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Sundanese 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 Sundanese ancestry?
For the Sundanese average, the regional report to choose is Lapita – Austronesian & Pacific 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.