Reported Geographic Origins of Big Y-Tested R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites

This page provides information concerning the reported ancestral countries of the R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites who had done Big Y testing as of July 22, 2023.  

With a few exceptions, reported ancestral countries for Ashkenazim who have done Big Y testing date back only to the 19th century or, in some instances, to the late 18th century. This reflects issues that are inherent in Ashkenazi genealogy, including the facts that in many parts of Europe it was not until the early 19th century or later that: (1) the Jewish population adopted surnames rather than patronymics; and (2) births, marriages, and deaths were recorded civilly.

As discussed at length in my 2023 Analysis of Reported Geographic Origins of Big Y-Tested Ashkenazi Men, the reported geographic distribution of Big Y-tested men in the major Ashkenazi Y-DNA clusters, including R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites, matches - with minor variations - the reported geographic distribution of Big Y-tested men in the Ashkenazi population as a whole. Accordingly, it appears that reported geographic distributions of each of these major clusters cannot be used to determine the location where the progenitor of each such cluster likely lived about 1,000 to 1,300 years ago, when most of those clusters began to expand within what became the Ashkenazi population. 

However, as also discussed in that analysis, it may in some circumstances be possible to draw tentative conclusions as to geographic origins of these major clusters by considering the geographic distribution of the subclusters within those clusters. As shown below, while the two largest subclusters within R1a-Y2619 (R1a-Y2630 and R1a-FGC18222) mirror the general Ashkenazi population in being most common in Ukraine and Poland, the two smaller subclusters within R1a-Y2619 (R1a-BY29826 and R1a-FTA51568) have a greater proportion of men in Germany and the Czech Republic than does the Ashkenazi  population as a whole. This may suggest origins in Germany for R1a-Y2619, but for various reasons - including small sample size for the two smaller subclusters and the possible lack of representativeness of the Big Y-tested population - the analysis is by its nature tentative and somewhat tenuous.

As of July 1, 2023, the date when the information on this page was compiled, 300 R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites had done Big Y testing and had enabled their match lists.  The tables set forth below include the 268 men for whom I had information concerning reported geographic origins as of that date. (The information concerning reported ancestral countries is based upon: (1) communications that Meir Gover and I have had with managers of R1a-Y2619 kits over the past decade; and (2) information posted on FTDNA match lists and the FTDNA Y-DNA block tree concerning the origins of tested men's direct paternal lines. )

This page includes the following tables: (1) a table setting forth the reported geographic distribution of the R1a-Y2619 men who have done Big Y testing, in alphabetical order and by frequency; (2) a table comparing the reported geographic distribution of these R1a-Y2619 men as compared to the geographic distribution of all men in the major Ashkenazi Y-DNA clusters who have done Big Y testing and reported ancestral countries, based on my April 2023 analysis of a dataset compiled in December 2022; (3) a table breaking down the reported geographic distribution of men in each of the four subclusters within the R1a-Y2619 cluster (R1a-Y2630 , R1a-FGC18222, R1a-BY29826, and R1a-FTA51568); (4) a table breaking down the reported geographic distribution of men in each of the three subclusters of R1a-Y2630 (R1a-FGC10632, R1a-BY29728, and R1a-BY24982); and (5) a table breaking down the reported geographic distribution of men in each of the two subclusters of R1a-FGC18222 (R1a-FGC18226 and R1a-YP1074).

At the bottom of the page is a chart showing the branching of each cluster within R1a-Y2619 based on this website's schematic SNP-based tree for R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites, along with: (1) the time to the most recent ancestor of each cluster according to FTDNA's Discovery Tool as of July 1, 2023; and (2) information concerning the reported geographic origin of each man in that cluster for whom I have such information.

Reported Geographic Distribution of R1a-Y2619

Alphabetical (% (No.)) By Frequency (% (No.))

Australia 0.37% (1) 1 Ukraine     24.63% (66)

Austria 0.37% (1) 2 Poland     23.51% (63)

Belarus 7.46% (20) 3 Germany   9.33% (25)

Czech Republic 4.85% (13) 4 Belarus   7.46% (20)

England 2.61% (7) 5 Lithuania     6.72% (18)

France 0.75% (2) 6 Czech Republic   4.85% (13)

Germany 9.33% (25) 7 Hungary   4.85% (13)

Hungary 4.85% (13) 8 Romania   4.10% (11)

Iraq 0.37% (1) 9 Russian Federation 2.99% (8)

Israel 0.75% (2)     10 England 2.61% (7)

Latvia 1.49% (4)     11 Latvia 1.49% (4)

Lithuania 6.72% (18)     12 Netherlands 1.49% (4)

Moldova 1.12% (3)     13 Moldova 1.12% (3)

Netherlands 1.49% (4)     14 United States 1.12% (3)

Poland     23.51% (63)     15 France 0.75% (2)

Romania 4.10% (11)     16 Israel 0.75% (2)

Russian Federation 2.99% (8)     17 United Kingdom 0.75% (2)

Slovakia 0.37% (1)     18 Australia 0.37% (1)

Ukraine     24.63% (66)     19 Austria 0.37% (1)

United Kingdom 0.75% (2)     20 Iraq 0.37% (1)

United States 1.12% (3)     21 Slovakia 0.37% (1)

Total 300

Total (excluding Unknown Origin) 268

Reported Geographic Distribution of R1a-Y2619 Compared to That of All Major Ashkenazi Y-DNA Clusters

Country R1a Y-2619 (% (No.)) All Ashkenazi Haplogroups (% (No.))

Algeria     -- 0.21% (4)

Australia 0.37% (1) 0.16% (3)

Austria 0.37% (1) 1.38% (26)

Belarus 7.46% (20) 9.68% (182)

Bolivia     -- 0.05% (1)

Bulgaria     -- 0.27% (5)

Canada     -- 0.32% (6)

Czech Republic 4.85% (13) 2.34% (44)

Egypt     -- 0.05% (1)

England 2.61% (7) 1.33% (25)

Estonia     -- 0.05% (1)

Finland     -- 0.05% (1)

France 0.75% (2) 0.64% (12)

Germany 9.33% (25) 8.99% (169)

Greece     -- 0.32% (6)

Hungary 4.85% (13) 4.15% (78)

Iraq 0.37% (1) 0.21% (4)

Ireland     -- 0.05% (1)

Israel 0.75% (2) 2.18% (41)

Italy     -- 0.64% (12)

Jamaica     -- 0.05% (1)

Latvia 1.49% (4) 2.29% (43)

Lithuania 6.72% (18)     10.48% (197)

Mexico     -- 0.53% (10)

Moldova 1.12% (3) 0.90% (17)

Morocco     -- 0.21% (4)

Netherlands 1.49% (4) 1.01% (19)

Netherlands Antilles     -- 0.11% (2)

Northern Ireland     -- 0.05% (1)

Norway     -- 0.05% (1)

Palestinian Territory     -- 0.05% (1)

Poland     23.51% (63)     19.52% (367)

Portugal     -- 0.16% (3)

Romania 4.10% (11) 3.67% (69)

Russia (Chechnya)     -- 0.05% (1)

Russian Federation 2.99% (8) 5.74% (108)

Scotland     -- 0.16% (3)

Slovakia 0.37% (1) 1.38% (26)

South Africa     -- 0.05% (1)

Spain     -- 0.27% (5)

Suriname     -- 0.05% (1)

Sweden     -- 0.21% (4)

Switzerland     -- 0.05% (1)

Syrian Arab Republic     -- 0.05% (1)

Tunisia     -- 0.05% (1)

Turkey     -- 0.59% (11)

Ukraine     24.63% (66)     17.98% (338)

United Kingdom 0.75% (2) 0.37% (7)

United States 1.12% (3) 1.22% (23)

Venezuela     -- 0.05% (1)

Wales     -- 0.05% (1)

Total (Excl. Unknown)     1880   268

Unknown Origin   865     28

Total       2750   300

    R1a-Y2630    R1a-FGC18222    R1a-BY29826    R1a-FTA51568

(950 CE)   (850 CE)           (900 CE)     (950 CE) 

Australia 0.66% (1)         -- -- --

Austria 0.66% (1)         -- -- --

Belarus 9.87% (15)   2.47% (2)   4.17% (1)     18.18% (2)

Czech Republic 5.92% (9)   1.23% (1) --     27.27% (3)

England 2.63% (4)   3.70% (3) --   --

France     --         --           8.33% (2)   --

Germany 7.89% (12)   6.17% (5)       25.00% (6)     18.18% (2)

Hungary 7.24% (11)   2.47% (2) --   --

Iraq     --   1.23% (1) --   --

Israel     --   2.47% (2) --   --

Latvia 1.32% (2)   1.23% (1)     4.17% (1)   --

Lithuania 3.95% (6)   9.88% (8)         12.50% (3)   9.09% (1)

Moldova 0.66% (1)   2.47% (2)   --   --

Netherlands 1.97% (3)   1.23% (1)   --   --

Poland     21.05% (32)        27.16% (22)     25.00% (6) 27.27% (3)

Romania 3.95% (6)   4.94% (4)     4.17% (1) --

Russian Federation 1.97% (3)   4.94% (4)     4.17% (1) --

Slovakia 0.66% (1)         --   -- --

Ukraine     28.29% (43)        25.93% (21)           8.33% (2) --

United Kingdom 0.66% (1)   1.23% (1)   -- --

United States 0.66% (1)   1.23% (1)     4.17% (1) --

Total (excl. Unknown) 152       81 24       11

Unknown   17         14           1  --

Total 169       95         25       11

R1a-FGC10632 R1a-BY29728 R1a-BY24982

                                             (1100 CE)                           (1050 CE)                         (1100 CE)

Australia 0.99% (1)     --       --

Austria 0.99% (1)     --       --

Belarus     10.89% (11) 8.89% (4)       --

Czech Republic 7.92% (8) 2.22% (1)       --

England 2.97% (3) 2.22% (1)       --

Germany 5.94% (6)     11.11% (5)     16.67% (1)

Hungary 7.92% (8) 4.44% (2)     16.67% (1)

Latvia     -- 4.44% (2)       --

Lithuania 1.98% (2) 6.67% (3)     16.67% (1)

Moldova 0.99% (1)     --       --

Netherlands     -- 4.44% (2)     16.67% (1)

Poland     21.78% (22)     22.22% (10)       --

Romania 3.96% (4) 2.22% (1)     16.67% (1)

Russian Federation 1.98% (2)     --     16.67% (1)

Slovakia 0.99% (1)     --       --

Ukraine     30.69% (31)     26.67% (12)       --

United Kingdom     -- 2.22% (1)       --

United States     -- 2.22% (1)       --

Total (excl. Unknown)  101     45       6

Unknown 8       5       4

Total   109     50     10

R1a-FGC18226   R1a-YP1074

                                                                (900 CE)                           (1050 CE)

Belarus 3.92% (2) 4.17% (1)

Czech Republic 1.96% (1) --

England 3.92% (2) --

France     -- 8.33% (2)

Germany 3.92% (2)     25.00% (6)

Hungary 1.96% (1) --

Iraq 1.96% (1) --

Israel 1.96% (1) --

Latvia 1.96% (1) 4.17% (1)

Lithuania 7.84% (4)     12.50% (3)

Moldova 1.96% (1) --

Netherlands 1.96% (1) --

Poland     29.41% (15) 25.00% (6)

Romania 3.92% (2)   4.17% (1)

Russian Federation 3.92% (2)   4.17% (1)

Ukraine     27.45% (14)   8.33% (2)

United Kingdom 1.96% (1)   --

United States     -- 4.17% (1)

Total (excl. Unknown)     51     24

Unknown       6       1

Total       57     25

Y2619 (750 CE)

1 Y2630 (950 CE)  Lithuania (1), Unknown (1)

  2 FGC10632 (1100 CE)

    3 FTA6349 (1200 CE)

      4 YP266 (1300 CE)  Ukraine (1)

        5 FGC10641 (1350 CE)  Czech Rep. (1), Russian Fed. (1)

          6 YP4943 (1550 CE)  Ukraine (1)

            7 YP4954 (1800 CE)  Ukraine (2)

          6 YP268 (1400 CE)  Belarus (3), Moldova (1), Poland (1), Ukraine (3)

            7 YP5303 (1450 CE)  Poland (1)

              8 YP5304 (1700 CE)  Czech Republic (3)

              8 BY107047 (1600 CE)  Ukraine (2)

            7 FGC13806 (1650 CE)  Unknown (1)

              8 FT7806 (1750 CE)  Belarus (1), England (1)

            7 FTT84 (1450 CE)  Unknown (1)

              8 YP5232 (1500 CE)  Ukraine (1)

                9 BY109446 (1900 CE)  Ukraine (2)

              8 L49 (not on FTDNA tree)  Germany (1), Romania (1)

            7 Y19799 (1600 CE)  Belarus (1), Hungary (1), Poland (1), Ukraine (2)

            7 FT202511 (1600 CE)  Hungary (1), Poland (1)

        5 YP1429 (1800 CE)  Poland (1)

          6 YP1432 (1900 CE)  Poland (2)

        5 BY24966 (1400 CE)  Ukraine (1)

          6 FT97049 (1500 CE) Germany (1)

            7 FT197452 (1600 CE)  Belarus (1), Poland (1)

        5 BY27367 (1850 CE)  Poland (2)

        5 FGC7179 (1350 CE)  Ukraine (1)

          6 FT189645 (1500 CE)  Ukraine (1)

            7 FT186009 (1900 CE)  Poland (2)

        5 BY117602 (1500 CE) Hungary (1), Poland (1)

        5 FGC22266 (1500 CE) Czech Rep. (1), Russian Fed. (1)

      4 BY113466 (1500 CE)  Ukraine (1)

        5 BY106257 (1600 CE)  England (1), Czech Rep. (1)

        5 BY207229 (1550 CE)  Hungary (1), Poland (1)

      4 BY164774 (1400 CE)  Romania (1), Ukraine (1)

    3 FTA6346 (1150 CE)  Poland (1), Romania (1)

      4 FT71534 (1350 CE)

        5 FGC15532 (1450 CE)  Germany (2)

          6 FGC15533 (1600 CE)

            7 FGC15531 (1600 CE)  Germany (1), Poland (2)

              8 FGC15529 (1650 CE)  Poland (1), Ukraine (1)

            7 FT314377 (1700 CE)  Hungary (1), Unknown (1)

          6 FT169088 (1700 CE)  Poland (3), Austria (1)

        5 BY105445 (1700 CE)  Germany (1), Unknown (1)

      4 YP4538 (1200 CE)

        5 A12585 (1350 CE)  Belarus (1), Czech Rep. (1), Romania (1)

        5 BY131066 (1550 CE)  Ukraine (3), Unknown (1)

      4 BY123045 (1400 CE) Slovakia (1), Ukraine (2)

        5 FT131129 (1400 CE)  England (1)

      4 BY156726 (1600 CE)  Belarus (1)

        5 M1460 (not on FTDNA tree)  Belarus (1), Lithuania (1)

      4 FT243497 (1500 CE)  Hungary (1), Unknown (1)

      4 FTA29254 (1900 CE)  Unknown (2)

    3 FTA6347 (1100 CE)  Poland (1)

      4 YP4488 (1200 CE) Germany (1), Lithuania (1), Ukraine (3)

        5  FT371783 (1500 CE) Australia (1), Unknown (1)

          6 BY138998 (1650 CE) Hungary (1)

      4 FT272580 (1600 CE)  Belarus (1), Poland (1)

    3  FT131801 (1300 CE)  Czech Rep. (1)

      4 FTB6864 (1650 CE)  Hungary (2)

  2 BY29728 (1050 CE)

    3 YP4671 (1400 CE)

      4 BY30938 (1550 CE)  Belarus (1)

        5 BY30939 (1800 CE)  Ukraine (2)

      4 BY117513 (1500 CE)  Poland (1)

        5 BY102345 (1750 CE)  Unknown (1)

          6  BY115862 (1900 CE)  Ukraine (2)

    3 YP1386 (1150 CE)

      4  BY24975 (1200 CE)  Belarus (1), Germany (1), Netherlands (1), Poland (1), Ukraine (1), United States (1)

        5 BY27384 (1300 CE)

          6 BY27348 (1500 CE)  England (1), Lithuania (1), Poland (1), Romania (1), Ukraine (1)

            7 BY102393 (1600 CE)  Ukraine (1), United Kingdom (1)

        5 YP4516 (1300 CE)

          6 YP4807 (1550 CE)  Belarus (1), Lithuania (1), Poland (1), Ukraine (1), Unknown (1)

            7 YP6322 (1600 CE)  Belarus (1), Unknown (1)

            7 BY128934 (1650 CE)  Lithuania (1), Unknown (1)

          6 BY115762 (1700 CE)  Hungary (2)

          6 FT312111 (1600 CE)  Latvia (2)

        5 FT230078 (1250 CE)  Netherlands (1)

          6 FT216778 (1350 CE)  Ukraine (2)

        5 FT157112 (1550 CE)  Poland (1)

          6 FT157528 (1800 CE)  Lithuania (1), Unknown (1)

          6 FTC85013 (1650 CE)  Poland (2)

      4 BY24974 (1300 CE)

        5 YP5512 (1700 CE)  Czech Rep. (1), Germany (1)

        5 BY101987 (1550 CE)  Ukraine (1)

          6 FT361642 (1650 CE)  Poland (1), Ukraine (1)

  2 BY24982 (1100 CE)

    3 BY24977 (1350 CE)  Hungary (1)

      4 FT77379 (1500 CE)  Germany (3), Poland (2), Ukraine (1)

    3 BY24978 (1300 CE)  Russian Fed. (1)

      4 FT397930 (1900 CE)  Unknown (2)

      4 BY89987 (1350 CE)  Netherlands (1), Romania (1)

1 FGC18222 (850 CE)

  2 FGC18226 (900 CE)  Ukraine (1)

    3 FGC18218 (950 CE)

      4 FGC18215 (1350 CE)  England (1), Poland (1), Romania (1)

        5 FT205921 (1400 CE)  Moldova (1)

          6 FGC18223 (1600 CE)  Belarus (1), Ukraine (1)

            7 FGC18221 (not on FTDNA tree)  Poland (1)

        5 BY30700 (1750 CE)  Lithuania (2), Ukraine (1)

        5 BY33422 (1550 CE)  Iraq (1), Poland (1)

        5 BY125941 (1450 CE)  Belarus (1), Poland (1)

      4 YP1385 (1050 CE)  Israel (1), Latvia (1), Ukraine (1)

        5 YP4487 (1250 CE)  Hungary (1), Poland (1), Russian Fed. (1)

          6 BY69900 (1500 CE)  Ukraine (2)

          6 FT123786 (1550 CE)  Lithuania (1), Poland (1)

          6 BY113553 (1400 CE)  Poland (2), Ukraine (1), Unknown (2)

          6 FTA51553 (1300 CE)  Ukraine (2)

        5 FGC32440 (1400 CE)  Poland (1), Unknown (1)

      4 BY24987 (1250 CE) Germany (1)

        5 FT398225 (1450 CE)  Unknown (1)

          6 BY148862 (1550 CE) Poland (2), Ukraine

          6 BY122271 (1900 CE) Poland (1)

    3 BY24995 (1350 CE)  Netherlands (1), United Kingdom (1)

      4 BY27090 (not on FTDNA tree) Poland (1), Ukraine (1)

    3 BY24993 (1200 CE)

      4 BY24986 (1400 CE)  Czech Rep. (1)

        5 BY24989 (1600 CE)  Lithuania (1), Romania (1), Unknown (1)

        5 BY113296 (1600 CE)  Poland (2)

    3 YP5480 (1350 CE)  England (1), Germany (1), Lithuania (1), Ukraine (2), Unknown (1)

      4 Y129503 (1450 CE)  Russian Fed. (1), Unknown (1)

  2 YP1074 (1050 CE)

    3 FGC23326 (1150 CE)

      4 YP1366 (1450 CE)  Germany (2), Poland (2), Romania (1), Russian Fed. (1), Ukraine (2), Unknown (3)

        5 BY62930 (1600 CE)  Poland (1), Ukraine (1)

        5 BY119906 (1550 CE)  Lithuania (2)

        5 BY29706 (not on FTDNA tree) Lithuania (1), Moldova (1)

        5 FT104007 (1450 CE)  Poland (2), Russian Fed. (1)

          6 FT178363 (1600 CE)  Unknown (1)

            7 FT169447 (1700 CE)  Israel (1), Unknown (1)

        5 FT282457 (1550 CE)

          6 FGC42856 (1750 CE)  Germany (1), United States (1)

        5 FTA27979 (1850 CE)  Unknown (1)

      4 YP4690 (1200 CE)  Unknown (1)

        5 FGC36608 (1400 CE) Poland (1), Ukraine (1)

          6 FGC36607 (1550 CE)  England (1), Hungary (1), Poland (1), Ukraine (1), Unknown (1)

    3 BY154444 (1200 CE)  Ukraine (1)

      4 BY154254 (1500 CE)  Lithuania (1)

        5 BY152479 (1750 CE)  Romania (1), Ukraine (1)

1 BY29826 (900 CE)

  2 BY36575 (1300 CE)  Lithuania (1), Poland (2)

  2 FGC74789 (950 CE)  Lithuania (1)

    3 BY63639 (1550 CE)  Poland (1), Romania (1)

    3 FGC74788 (1150 CE)  Germany (1), Ukraine (1), Unknown (1)

      4 YP3939 (1300 CE)  Germany (1), United States (1)

        5 BY24990 (1500 CE)  Germany (1)

          6 BY76807 (1900 CE)  Germany (2)

  2 FT94463 (1450 CE)

    3 FT315142 (1500 CE)  Romania (1)

      4 BY30799 (1650 CE)  Poland (1)

        5 BY92778 (1750 CE)  Latvia (1), Russian Fed. (1)

    3 FT361821 (1500 CE) Belarus (1)

      4 BY57936 (1600 CE)  Poland (2)

        5 FTB35865 (1800 CE)  France (1)

          6 FTB35112 (1950 CE)  France (1), Germany (1)

1 FTA51568 (950 CE) 

  2 BY73299 (1350 CE)  Poland (1)

    3  BY71944 (1400 CE)  Belarus (1), Poland (2)

      4 FTA12685 (1500 CE)  Belarus (1), Poland (1)

      4 FTB1098 (1750 CE)  Czech Rep. (1)

        5 FTB41429 (1800 CE)  Czech Rep. (2), Lithuania (1)

  2 FTA31412 (unknown time)  Germany (1)