Americas Subclades of
Q-M346 (Q1b, as of 2019) were the predominant Y-DNA lineages among
pre-Columbian indigenous peoples of the Americas. These include, in particular, subclades of
Q-M3 (Q1b1a1a) and
Q-Z780 (Q1b1a2). Most were descendants of the major founding groups who migrated
from Asia into the Americas by crossing the
Bering Strait. 87% and about 80% in North American
Eskimo (
Inuit,
Yupik)–
Aleut populations. (Q-M3 occupies 46% among Q in North America) On the other hand, a 4000-year-old
Saqqaq individual belonging to Q1a-MEH2* has been found in
Greenland. Surprisingly, he turned out to be genetically more closely related to Far East Siberians such as
Koryaks and
Chukchi people rather than Native Americans. Today, the frequency of Q runs at 53.7% (122/227: 70 Q-NWT01, 52 Q-M3) in
Greenland, showing the highest in east
Sermersooq at 82% and the lowest in
Qeqqata at 30%. Q-M242 is estimated to occupy 3.1% of the whole US population in 2010:
Mesoamerica & South America Haplogroup Q-M242 has been found in approximately 94% of
Indigenous peoples of
Mesoamerica and
South America. The frequencies of Q among the whole male population of each country reach as follows: • 61% in
Bolivia. • 51% in
Guatemala, • 40.1% (159/397) • 37.3% (181/485) in
Mexico (30.8% (203/659) among the predominant
Spanish speaking Indigenous segment) • 31.2% (50/160) in
El Salvador, • 15.3% (37/242) to 21.8% (89/408) in
Panama, • 16.1% in
Colombia, • 15.2% (25/165) in
Nicaragua, • 9.7% (20/206) in
Chile, to 23.4% (181/775 in 8 provinces in central-west, central, northwest regions) in
Argentina, • 5% in
Costa Rica, • 3.95% in
Brazil, and so on.
Asia Q-M242 originated in
Asia (Altai region), and is widely distributed across it.
Altai people, China,
Uyghurs,
Korea, Japan,
Indonesia,
Pakistan,
Iraq,
Saudi Arabia,
Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan, and so on. (For details, see below.)
North Asia In
Siberia, the regions between
Altai and
Lake Baikal, which are famous for many prehistoric cultures and as the most likely birthplace of haplogroup Q, exhibit high frequencies of Q-M242. In a study (Dulik 2012), Q-M242 (mostly Q-M346 including some Q-M3) has been found in 24.3% (46/189: 45 Q-M346, 1 Q-M25) of all Altaian samples. Among them,
Chelkans show the highest frequency at 60.0% (15/25: all Q-M346), followed by
Tubalars at 41% (11/27: 1 Q-M25, 10 Q-M346) and Altaians-Kizhi at 17% (20/120). In a former study, Q-M242 is found in 4.2% of southern
Altaians and 32.0% of northern Altaians with the highest frequency of 63.6% in Kurmach-Baigol (Baygol). The frequency reaches 13.7% (20/146) in the whole samples. the frequency rises up to 25.8% (23/89: all Q-M346) in Altaians. Based on the results of these studies, the average frequency of Q-M242 in Altaians is about 21%.
Tuva, which is located on the east side of
Altai Republic and west of
Lake Baikal as well as on the north side of Mongolia, shows higher frequency of Q-M242. It is found in 14%~38.0% (41/108))~38.5% (10/26, all Q-M346(xM3)).
Baraba Tatars, who represent one out of three major groups of
Siberian Tatars, have almost 50% of haplogroup Q-M242, and are represented by two lineages: Q-YP4000 and Q-L330. The
Ishtyako-Tokuz sub-group of
Tobol-Irtysh group of
Siberian Tatars has a frequency of Q-M242 at 38%, while
Eushta Tatars have 17.6% of haplogroup Q and Iskero-Tobolsk Tatars 16.7%. The highest frequencies of Q-M242 in Eurasia are witnessed in
Kets (central Siberia) at 93.8% (45/48) and in
Selkups (north Siberia) at 66.4% (87/131). and, more controversially, the
language of the Huns. (See: L. Lieti, E. Pulleybank,
E. Vajda, A. Vovin, etc.) Q-M346 is also found at lower rates in Sojots (7.1%, Q-M346),
Khakassians (6.3%, Q-M346),
Kalmyks (3.4%, Q-M25, Q-M346) and so on. In far eastern Siberia, Q-M242 is found in 35.3% of
Nivkhs (Gilyaks) in the lower
Amur River, and 33.3% of
Chukchi people and 39.2% of
Siberian Yupik people in Chukotka (
Chukchi Peninsula). It is found in 30.8% of
Yukaghirs who live in the basin of the
Kolyma River, which is located northwest of
Kamchatka. Based on these studies, the average frequency of Q-M242 in Mongols is estimated to be about 4~5%. However, most of Q-M242 people in
East Asia belong to subclade Q-M120, which distributes most intensively across northern China (the provinces of which the capitals locate northern to
Huai River-
Qin Mountains line). Q-M242 ranged from 4~8% in
northwest China (
Xinjiang,
Gansu,
Shaanxi),
north China (
Shanxi,
Hebei),
central China (
Henan), and upper
east China (
Shandong) to 3~4% in
northeast China. The average frequency of Q-M242 in northern China is around 4.5%. However, it decreases to about 2% in southern China. In another study published in 2011, Hua Zhong
et al. found haplogroup Q-M242 in 3.99% (34/853, including 30/853 Q-M120, 3/853 Q-M346, and 1/853 Q-M25) of a pool of samples of Han Chinese from northern China and 1.71% (15/876, including 14/876 Q-M120 and 1/876 Q-M346) of a pool of samples of Han Chinese from southern China. Q1a1-M120 is unique to East Asians. It is not found in South east Asia except with low diversity in Y-STR among southern Han Chinese indicating it spread during the Neolithic with Han Chinese culture to southern China from northern China. Q1a3*-M346 is only found among Hui and southern Han Chinese in South East Asia in southern China but not found in non-Han indigenous peoples at all. It came from northern China (north east Asia) with the Han. Only Native Americans have Q1a3a-M3, which is a descendant haplogroup of Q1a3*-M346. The Americas was populated by migrants from Central Asia in prehistoric times. Q1a1 is attested in over 3,000 year old Han Chinese ancestral remains in the Shang and Zhou dynasties from the Hengbei archeological site. Modern northern Han Chinese Y haplogroups and mtdna match those of ancient northern Han Chinese ancestors 3,000 years ago from the Hengbei archeological site. 89 ancient samples were taken. Y haplogroups O3a, O3a3, M, O2a, Q1a1, and O* were all found in Hengbei samples. Q-M242 has been found with notable frequency in some samples of
Uyghurs: 15.38% (22/143, including 6/143 Q-M378, 5/143 Q-P36.2*, 4/143 Q-M120, 4/143 Q-M346, 1/143 Q-M25) of a sample of Uyghurs from the Turpan area (吐鲁番地区), 7.9% (6/76, including 2/76 Q1b1-L215/Page82/S325, 1/76 Q1a2-M346*, 1/76 Q1a1a1-M120, 1/76 Q1a2a1c-L330*, 1/76 Q1a2a1c1-L332) of a sample of Dolan Uyghurs (刀郎人) from Horiqol Township of Awat County, However, other studies have found haplogroup Q in much smaller percentages of Uyghur samples: 3.0% (2/67) Q-P36 Uygur, Haplogroup Q was not observed in a sample of 39 Keriyan Uyghurs (克里雅人) from the village of Darya Boyi, located on the Keriya River deep in the Taklamakan Desert. but this haplogroup was not observed in a sample of males from Tibet (
n=105) in a third study. showing the highest frequency in
Seoul and
Gyeonggi Province at 2.7% and decreasing to the south (Kim 2010). It has been found in about 0.3% of
Japanese Southeast Asia Haplogroup Q shows low frequencies in
Southeast Asia. In a study, the frequencies of haplogroup Q is 5.4% (2/37) in
Indonesia, 3.1% (2/64) in the
Philippines, 2.5% (1/40) in
Thailand. However, other studies show 0% or near 0% frequencies in those countries. and 4.3% in a sample of
Kinh people from
Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam, but 0% or under 1% in other studies in which samples have been collected in
Hanoi in northern Vietnam. Only some regions and ethnic groups in the continent show high frequencies. Q-M242 is found in 2.8% (3/106, all Q-M346) in
Myanmar, and all the Q samples are concentrated in 18.8% in
Ayeyarwady (2/11) and 7.1%
Bago (1/14) regions in southwest Myanmar. And, Q-M242 is found in 55.6% (15/27) in the
Akha tribe in northern
Thailand.
Central Asia In
Central Asia, the southern regions show higher frequencies of Q than the northern ones. In the northern regions, Q-M242 is found in about 2%~6% (average 4%) of
Kazakhs. A study published in 2017 found haplogroup Q Y-DNA in 3.17% (41/1294) of a large pool of samples of
Kazakh tribes; however, haplogroup Q was concentrated in the members of the
Qangly tribe (27/40 = 67.5%), and it was much less common among the other tribes. The Qangly tribe is related at least in name to the earlier
Kankalis and probably also the
Kangar union. Haplogroup Q is found in about 2% of
Kyrgyz people.~6% Wells
et al. 2001 found P-M45(xM120, M124, M3, M173), which should be roughly equivalent to a mix of Q-M242(xM120, M3) and R2-M479(xR2a-M124), in 20/366 = 5.5% of a pool of samples of Uzbeks from seven different regions of Uzbekistan. In this study(Cristofaro 2013),
Turkmens of
Jowzjan Province which is neighboring to
Turkmenistan show the highest frequency at 33.8% (25/74: 23 Q-M25, 2 Q-M346), followed by
Uzbeks at 8.7% (11/144: 6 Q*, 1 Q-M25, 4 Q-M346). Turkmens are known as the descendants of
Oghuz Turks who built many Turkic empires and dynasties. Other studies also show similar frequencies. In a study (Zahery 2011), the frequency of Q is 1.9% (3/154: all Q-M378) in
Iraqis (x Marsh Arabs), and 2.8% (4/143: 1 Q-M25, 3 Q-M378) in
Marsh Arabs who are known as the descendants of ancient
Sumerians. Approximately 2.5% (4/157: 3 Q*, 1 Q-M346) of males in
Saudi Arabia belong to haplogroup Q. It also accounts for 1.8% (3/164: 2 Q*, 1 Q-M346) in the
United Arab Emirates and 0.8% (1/121: Q*) in
Oman peoples. Haplogroup Q-M242 has also been found in 1.1% (1/87, Q-P36)
Syrians Approximately 2% (10/523: 9 Q*, 1 Q-M25) of males in
Turkey belong to haplogroup Q. In a study (Gokcumen 2008), it was found that among
Turks who belong to the
Afshar tribe (one of
Oghuz Turks) haplogroup Q-M242 is seen with a prevalence of 13%.
South Asia In
Pakistan at the eastern end of the
Iranian Plateau, the frequency of haplogroup Q-M242 is about 2.2% (14/638)~3.4% (6/176). In another study, 2.6% of Tharus in Chitwan district and 6.1% (3/49) of Hindus in
New Delhi, the capital of India were found to be Q-M242 positive. In a study in which Q-M242 is just classified in P* group, P* (x R1, R2) accounts for 9.7% (23/237:
Chakma 13/89,
Marma 4/60,
Tripura 6/88) in three ethnic groups of
Bangladesh. In many cases, all or most of P* (x R1, R2) means Q-M242, and thus most of P* (9.7%) samples in that study can be estimated to be Q-M242. 1.2% of
Nepalese people in
Kathmandu, the capital of
Nepal and 3.2% of people from
Tibet are in Q-M242. 1.5% of
Belarusians, 1.3% of
Ukrainians 1.3% of
Poles (Poland), 2% of
Czechs, 1.5% of
Slovaks, 1.2% of
Romanians, 0.8% of
Moldovans, and 0.5% (4/808: 2 Q-M378, 1 Q-M346, 1 Q-M25) of
Bulgarians On the other hand, 3.1% of
Székelys from
Transylvania (who have claimed to be descendants of
Attila's
Huns) turned out to be P* (xR1-M173), which virtually means Q-M242. In a related DNA Project of FT-DNA, the frequency of Q-M25 in Székelys (Szeklers) reaches 4.3%. The
Caucasus region shows a frequency at 1.2% in a study,
Northern Europe In
Northern Europe, haplogroup Q comprises about 2.5% of males. According to the Swedish Haplogroup Database, 4.1% (27/664, as of Jan 2016) of
Swedish males belong to Q-M242. About 2/3 of the samples analyzed subclades in detail belong to Q1a2b-F1161/L527 and about 1/3 are in Q1a2a-L804. By county, they are distributed intensively in the southern region (
Götaland,: not to be confused with
Gotland), and rarely to the north. If recalculated by county-population weights, the frequency of Q in Sweden reaches 4.7%. In
Norway, Q-M242 is found in about 2.6% (~4% It is observed among 1.6% of males in
Denmark, 3% in the
Faroe Islands (known to be related to
Vikings). In an article (Helgason et al.) on the haplotypes of
Icelanders, 7.2% (13/181) of males in
Iceland are labelled as R1b-Branch A, but they are actually Q-M242. On the other hand, it is 0.2% in
Finland, 4.6% in
Latvia, 1.1% in
Lithuania, 0.5% in
Estonia.
Western Europe In
Western Europe, Q-M242 is observed at very low frequencies, around 0.5% in most of the countries, such as
Germany,
France, United Kingdom, etc., but some regions show a little higher. It is 2.1% in
Switzerland, and it reaches 5.1% in
Lyon (
Rhône-Alpes) region of France. It is about 4% in
Shetland of northernmost Britain, with a place in it showing the highest figure at 8%. Shetland has been known to be a settlement of
Vikings. And, surprisingly, Q-M242 in Shetland (also in some areas of
Scandinavia, Faroe Islands, Iceland, and the United Kingdom) has turned out to be generically closely linked to the Q-M242 in Central Asia. Also, Shetland (Norse) Q-M242 is revealed to be linked to some Q-M242 of
Azeris (
Azerbaijan).
Southern Europe Southern Europe also shows low frequencies of Q around 0.5%~1%, but some regions exhibits different figures. It is 1.9% in mainland
Croatia, but it reaches 14.3% (13/91) in
Hvar Islands and 6.1% (8/132) in
Korčula. and 3.7% in
Belvedere Marittimo. On the other hand, according to a study (Behar 2004), 5.2% (23/441) of
Ashkenazi Jewish males belong to haplogroup Q-P36. This has subsequently been found to be entirely the Q-M378 subclade and may be restricted to Q-L245. Also, 2.3% (4/174)~5.6% (3/53) of
Sephardi Jews are in haplogroup Q.
Africa Haplogroup Q is rarely found across
North Africa. It is observed in 0.7% (1/147), of
Egyptians and in 0.6% (1/156) of
Algerian people. Surprisingly, it is also witnessed in 0.8% (3/381, all Q-M346) of males from
Comoros which is located in between
East Africa and
Madagascar. To combine the data above, Q-M242 is estimated to be in about 3.1% of males of the world. ==Subclade structure==