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Genetic make-up of the Benelux [last update August 2009]
Based on the present data, the haplogroup distribution for the Netherlands (Holland), Belgium and Luxembourg is as follow.
|
Haplogroups
|
Benelux
|
Benelux (percentage)
|
Netherlands
|
Flanders
|
Wallonia
|
Luxembourg
|
| A |
1
|
0.2%
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| E1b1b |
26
|
5.2%
|
19
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
| F |
4
|
0.8%
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| G2a |
25
|
5%
|
10
|
12
|
2
|
1
|
| H |
1
|
0.2%
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| I1 |
72
|
14.4%
|
49
|
18
|
4
|
1
|
| I2a |
7
|
1.4%
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
| I2b |
24
|
4.8%
|
16
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
| J1 |
6
|
1.2%
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
| J2 |
29
|
5.8%
|
15
|
8
|
4
|
2
|
| T |
11
|
2.2%
|
6
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
| L |
3
|
0.6%
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
| N |
2
|
0.4%
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Q |
3
|
0.6%
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| R1a |
22
|
4.4%
|
13
|
6
|
3
|
0
|
| R1b |
268
|
53.2%
|
146
|
89
|
27
|
6
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| TOTAL |
504
|
100%
|
289
|
156
|
46
|
13
|
Analysis
Surnames in our database were analysed by region using the surname map of Belgium and the surname map of the Netherlands.
The dominant haplogroup in the Benelux is R1b, divided in the subclades R1b-S21 and R1b-S28. Both are present in all the Benelux, although R1b-S21 is much more prevalent in the Netherlands, while R1b-S28 peaks in south-east Wallonia and Luxembourg. Haplogroups associated with the Germanic people (I1, I2b and R1b-S21) are more common in the northern Netherlands, with a frequency progressively declining towards Luxembourg (lowest).
Near Eastern haplogroups (E1b1b, G2a, J2, T) , which were spread mostly by Neolithic farmers from Thessaly, and by the Romans, make up approximately 20% of the population, with little difference between the regions.
Haplogroup J1 is associated with people of Jewish descent. It was only found mostly in the Netherlands, notably around Amsterdam - a city known for welcoming Jewish immigrants in past centuries.
The coastal region of Flanders has an unusually high percentage of Near-Eastern haplogroups, such as E1b1b, T, G2a, but also a few cases of L (from South Asia) and A (from eastern Africa), which are very rare in North-Western Europe. It is possible that some of these southern haplogroups in coastal Flanders are descendants of merchants who came either during the Roman period, or during the Golden Age of Bruges in the late Middle Ages, or even later through the port of Antwerp.
Haplgroups in Wallonia show the expected admixture of Gallo-Roman (R1b-S28, J2, G2a, E1b1b) and Germanic (R1b-S21, I1, I2b) haplogroups. Based on the few samples available, the pattern seems to be that Germanic haplogroups are more common in the north, along the Sambre-Meuse axis, which is also the main population centre. This fits with the Frankish settlement pattern along the main rivers.
Genetic make-up of France [last update August 2009]
Here is the haplogroup distribution in France based on the data collected so far.
|
Haplogroups
|
France
|
France (percentage)
|
French names
|
German names
|
Foreign names
|
| E |
80
|
7.8%
|
62
|
5
|
13
|
| G |
59
|
5.8%
|
45
|
6
|
8
|
| H |
3
|
0.2%
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
| I1 |
114
|
11.2%
|
98
|
8
|
8
|
| I2a |
37
|
3.6%
|
32
|
1
|
4
|
| I2b |
46
|
4.5%
|
40
|
3
|
3
|
| J1 |
15
|
1.3%
|
11
|
2
|
2
|
| J2 |
64
|
6.2%
|
53
|
8
|
3
|
| T |
8
|
0.7%
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
| L |
2
|
0.1%
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| N |
4
|
0.2%
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
| Q |
4
|
0.2%
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
| R1a |
34
|
3.1%
|
30
|
4
|
0
|
| R1b |
594
|
59.5%
|
518
|
39
|
37
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| TOTAL |
1064
|
100%
|
901
|
81
|
82
|
Analysis
Note that the above statistics are strongly biased towards North Americans of French descent, as genealogical DNA tests have not yet become popular among French people.
The Alsace-Lorraine region has belonged alternatively to France and Germany. Although now part of France, a majority of surnames found in this region (especially Alsace) are German ones. A separate column was added to be able to compare the ethnic make-up of this region with the French average. Interestingly, Near-Eastern haplogroups such as E1b1b, G2a, J1, J2 and T are more common among the Alsatians. This is probably because Alsace is nearest from the Neolithic Danubian culture associated with the spread of these haplogroups from the Balkans. Southern Germany has a similar percentage of Near Eastern haplogroups.
Gascony, at the opposite end of France, has unsurprisingly the lowest percentage of haplogroups associated with Greco-Danubian Neolithic farmers. Only J2 is present in relatively high number there, and the near absence of E, G and T suggest an early colonization from southern Greece (Crete ?), or possibly by Romans from Central Italy. Subclade analysis will determine its origin.
The column "foreign names" includes people who claim French ancestry but probably not through the patrilineal line. These results should therefore be excluded for this project..
R1b is the most common haplogroup in France. It includes four main subclades : the Basque R1b1c4 (M153), Celiberian R1b1c6 (M167), the Germanic R1b1c9 (S21) and the Alpine Celtic R1b1c10 (S28). Too few subclade tests have been made to determine a geographic pattern, but it is likely that R1b1c4 is concentrated in the South-West, R1b1c6 is present on the Atlantic coast, R1b1c9 is more common in the North, and R1b1c10 in the East. R1b-L21 (the most common in the British Isles) has also been observed in the North-West..
Geographic distribution of ethnic features in France
This map shows an estimation of the dominant ancestry in each region of France based on anthropological studies. Will DNA confirm this general pattern ? Here is a summary of Y-DNA haplogroups found in France, and the ancient ethnicities associated with them :
- Germanic/Nordic : I1a I2b, (R1a), R1b-S21
- Gaulish, Belgic Celtic : R1b-S116, R1b-S28
- British Celts : R1b-S116, , R1b-L21
- Iberian Celts : R1b-S116, R1b-M167
- Basque : R1b-S116, R1b-M153
- Greco-Roman : R1b-M269, R1b-S116, R1b-S28, J2, G2a, E1b1b, T
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