Haplogroup R1b – Western Europe

Haplogroup R1b in Europe

Haplogroup R1b is common among populations of Western Europe with specific distribution in Ireland, Western Wales, Scottish Highlands, Atlantic fringes of France, North Sea coast of Europe, Catalonia and Basque country. It has also been traced among populations in Anatolia and Caucasus, Central and South Asia as well as in some parts of Russia. Other hotspots populated with people with this haplogroup include Armenia, Po valley in the north-central parts of Italy, Turkmenistan, among Hazara populations in Afghanistan, Uyghurs of China who dwell in North-West of the country and in Nepal among the Newars.
Currently, the subclade R1b is dominant among ethnic minorities of Russia living in Volga-Ural region. R1b is present among the Xinjiang of north-west China, among the Yaghnobi populations living in Tajikistan and Bashkirs of Russia.

Among the most prominent personalities with R1b-L11 subclade is John Adams who was the second president of US and his son John Quincy Adams who was the 6th president of the US.

Haplogroup R1b in Africa

A subclade R1b-V88 has been traced among specific populations of sub-Saharan Africa and in the northern parts of Cameroon. The R1b tribes are descendants of mammoth hunters dating back to the Neolithic period, about 12 000 years ago. The original homeland of R1b is believed to be Cayӧnü Tepesi in Turkey and Dja’de el-Mughara in Iraq. The haplogroup has been traced among the populations that lived in Egypt and Southern Levant around 7, 000 – 6 500 BCE. These people led a nomadic lifestyle and must have roamed the Sahara desert which by this Neolithic Subpluvial period about 7250-3250 BCE must have been more humid, presenting perfect conditions for the savannah grass to grow leading to ideal environment for herding cattle.

Currently, R1b-V88 subclade is found among the Lebanese, Jews and Druze and in most parts of Africa to the north of the equator. The Berbers living on the Egypt-Libyan border and among the Sudanese populations, Hausa population of Sudan, among the Sahel of the Niger and Chadic tribes Nigeria. This subclade has also been traced among the native populations of South Africa, Rwanda, Congo, Namibia, Gabon, Congo, Angola, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

Haplogroup R1b in America

The Ojibwe appear to be nearly 80% R1B and only 4% other “European” Y haplotypes. Some of the other tribes that have elevated levels of R1b are in northwestern Canada and in some cases are Dene. There are apparently high rates of R1b among the Dene who migrated into the southern U.S. about 400 years ago (the Navaho and Apache). Of course, there are other tribes in eastern and central North America that have significant amounts of R1b but they also have significant amounts of other “European” Y haplotypes and a history of heavy intermarriage with whites, so I wouldn’t make too much of the R1b in those tribes – examples are MicMac, Quebec Cree and Cherokee.

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Categories: R

Tags: Anatolia, Basque country, Catalonia, Caucasus, Druze, Hazara, Iraq, Ireland, Jews, Lebanese, Native American, Scottish Highlands, Turkey, Uyghurs, Western Wales

Y Haplogroup G Haplogroup I – North Europe, Balkans