North-African marker in Andalusia

We find the following percentages for the typcial north-african (Berber) paternal marker, the Y-DNA haplogroup E-M81, obtained from different sources :

Southern Spaniards  n=1/62    1.6%    Scozzari 2001.
Huelva, Andalusia   n=5/167   2.99%  Ambrosio 2010.
Huelva, Andalusia   n=1/22      4.5%   Flores et al.2004
Seville, Andalusia  n=7/155     4.5%    Flores et al.2004
Cadiz, Andalusia    n=0/28      0.0%    Flores et al.2004
Cordoba, Andalusia  n=2/27   7.4%    Flores et al.2004
Malaga, Andalusia   n=3/26    11.5%   Flores et al.2004
Andalusia East      n=2/95       2.1%    Adams et al.
Andalusia West      n=10/73   13.7%   Adams et al.
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Total South Spain :  31/655 = 4.73%

It is a similar result to percentages found in  French  (3/73 = 4.1% , Scozzari et al. 2001) or in regions of France ( 5.6% in Auvergne (5/89) and Île-de-France 5/91 = 5.5% ). This suggests that the presence of Islamic rule, which was longer in the South of Spain than anywhere else in Iberia, had very limited or no impact in the genetic pool of the population. We can conclude that the moorish population in Andalusia was extremely minoritary, the place were Islamic rule was stronger and longer. We can't also rule out the possibily that the presence of this marker, or part of it, could have entered in much earlier times (Neolithic or earlier), which would make the presence of moors in Al-Andalus even more insignificant. So, in other words, we can safely say the Islamic rule was just that, a military and religious rule, with no impact on the demographics and genetics of the authoctonous populations.


Ambrosio et al. 


The distribution of E-M81 haplogroup, a Berber marker, was found at a frequency of 3% in our sample. The distribution of M81 frequencies in Iberia seems to be not concordant with the regions where Islamic rule was most intense and long-lasting. The study also showed that most of M78 derived allele (6.6%) led to the V13* subhaplogroup. We also found the most basal and rare paragroup M78* and others with V12 and V65 mutations. The lineage defined by M34 mutation, which is quite frequent in Jews, was detected as well. Conclusions: The haplogroup E among Western Andalusians revealed a complex admixture of genetic markers from the Mediterranean space, with interesting signatures of populations from the Middle East and the Balkan Peninsula and a surprisingly low influence by Berber populations compared to other areas of the Iberian Peninsula.

Sub-Saharan haplogroup mtDNA L in Spain and Europe

In the study of Rhouda et al. (2006) in a sample of 686 spaniards, not a single individual with haplogroup mtDNA L was found. In the rest of Western Europe, the recent study of García et al. 2011 finds L up to Northern Germany and Denmark . We observe the following percentages  :

Hérault (Languedoc) 2.4 %
Rhône (Lyonnais) 4.4 %
Vendée and Vienne (Poitou) 0.8 %
Calvados and Seine-Maritime (Normandy) 1.8 %
Somme (Picardie) 1.3 %
France Miscellanea 0.6 %
Scotland 0.1 %
England 0.7 %
Great Britain 0.9 %
North-Germany and Denmark 0.7 %

North-African mtDNA in Spain...and Europe

The minor presence of the typical north-african mtDNA haplgroup U6  in Spain, even if at low levels, was tought to be higher than anywherelse in Europe. Interestingly we will see that this is not the case. The truth is that U6 is found everywhere in Europe, but it has been found at higher frequencies in France. Obviously these studies make sure the testees are natives, having the 4 grandparents from the same area, and their surnames native. We see now the studies :

In this study of Dubut et al. 2004 there is a total of 4.5% of U6 in Finistère (Brittany, France) and 1.4% in Périgord-Limousin.

In this very recent study of García et al. 2011 we find these frequencies for France :

• U6a1/a2/a3 Perigord-Limousin (Limousin) 1.4 %
                     Finistère (Brittany) 0.7 %
• U6a  France Miscellanea 0.6 %

Spain : 

Andalusians n=3/158    1.9%   Plaza 2003.

Asturias   n=1/89     1.1%    Garcia 2011.

Aragón     n=0/119    0.0%    Garcia 2011.

Catalonia-Aragón  n=2/164  1.2%  Garcia 2011.
Catalonia n=3/80    3.9%      Garcia 2011.
Catalonia n=78     0.0 %    Plaza 2003.

Central Spain   n=1/50  2.0%   Plaza 2003.

Basques    n=45  ??   0.6%    Maca-Meyer 2003.
Basques    n=0/377    0.0%    Garcia 2011.
Basques    n=1/85     1.2%    Garcia 2011.
Basques    n=173      0.0%    Plaza 2003.

Galicia      ??       2.3%    Maca-Meyer 2003.
Galicia    n=3/185    1.5%    Garcia 2011.
Galicia    n=2/103      1.9%    Plaza 2003.

Cantabria  n=1/105    1.0%    García 2011.
Potes      n=0/72     0.0%    Maca-Meyer 2003.

Lebaniegos n=0/72   0.0%      Maca-Meyer 2003.
Pasiegos   n=0/82   0.0%      Maca-Meyer 2003.

Valencia   n=0/30     0.0 %     Plaza 2003.

% M1 and U6a1a = 2/214 = 0.93%   Álvarez 2010


TOtal SPain = 18/2.022 = 0.89%