Kevin Brook, the author of The Maternal Genetic Lineages of Ashkenazic Jews (2022), is continuing to update and refine his analyses of Ashkenazi mtDNA. His 2022 book identified 129 Ashkenazi maternal lines. His analyses show that there are between 130 and 146 distinct Ashkenazi mtDNA lines.
The first table below identifies 130 of those lines (Kevin has found that four of the lines identified in his book (including HV5, N1b2, and T1b) were outdated assignments by Family Tree DNA, and he has identified five additional lines). That table identifies those Ashkenazi mtDNA haplogroups by name (YFull's MTree, FTDNA, and 23andme often use different names for the same haplogroups), frequency (based on Wim Penninx's 2019 analysis of mtDNA frequencies in the Ashkenazi population, with modifications discussed in the note below), and the SNPs that define each haplogroup at its terminal level.
On February 25, 2025, FTDNA released its updated mtDNA haplotree that includes 35,000 new branches. This page is being modified to identify the newly identified and named branches that correspond to the Ashkenazi mtDNA lines identified in Kevin's book.
The second table below sets forth the mtDNA haplogroups found in ancient Ashkenazi samples, as set forth in: (1) a December 8, 2022 paper, S. Waldman, et al., Genome-wide data from medieval German Jews show that the Ashkenazi founder event pre-dated the 14th century, presenting genome-wide data from 33 Ashkenazi Jews, dated to the 14th century, obtained following a salvage excavation at the medieval Jewish cemetery of Erfurt, Germany; and (2) an October 24, 2022 paper, S. Brace, et al., Genomes from a medieval mass burial show Ashkenazi-associated hereditary diseases pre-date the 12th century, that reports genome sequence data from six individuals excavated from the base of a medieval well at a site in Norwich, UK who are believed to have been killed in antisemitic violence in 1190 CE. As shown by that table, many of those individuals belonged to mtDNA haplogroups that are found in the modern-day Ashkenazi population.
Kevin, along with Leo Cooper and Jeff Wexler, are collecting Ashkenazi mtDNA samples for inclusion in GenBank, the National Institutes of Health's genetic sequence database. The current samples that they are collected may be seen here. A spreadsheet providing the GenBank accession numbers for these samples and other Ashkenazi mtDNA samples is linked here.
This dataset of Ashkenazi mtDNA samples has helped to clarify, among other things, which mtDNA haplogroups are truly distinct and truly found in fully Ashkenazic people, and it has helped to identify the most precise branching of valid haplogroups that could be found.
The goal of this project is to collect at least one sample from each Ashkenazi mtDNA haplogroup. We do not yet have a GenBank sample from any of the following haplogroups: (1) H1b26; (2) H1bd; (3) H1c; (4) H1f; (5) H4a1a1; (6) H5a1; (7) H6a1b2; (8) H13a1a1a1"15; (9) I5a1b; (10) N1b1a2j1a; (11) T2a1e; (12) T2a1h2; (13) T2b3-a; (14) U3a1; (15) U5a1a2a-a; (16) U5a1b1c2; (17) U5a1d2b; (18) U5a2b2a; (19) U5b2a1a; (20) V18a; and (21) X2e2a.
Please email us if you (1) manage a kit for someone who is Ashkenazi on their direct female line, has done full mtDNA testing, and belongs to one of these haplogroups and (2) would like to put that person's sample on GenBank for inclusion in our analyses. (Note that the haplogroups listed above are from YFull's Mtree; the FTDNA designation for some of these haplogroups is different, as set forth in the table below.)
Mtree FTDNA 23andme Freq. Defining SNPs
A-a1b3a1 A31a A4 0.06% A3213G T14025C! C9728T
H1aj1 H1aj1a^^ H1 ~0.40% 207A G9621A T16172C
H1aj1a H1aj1a H1 ~1.03% G16456A
H1as2 H1as2+4688 H1 1.49% T980C
H1ax2 H1ax2 H1 0.06% G5054C C7471T C8429T C10670T
H1b1a H1b1a H1b (if Bld. 12) 0.31% A8348G
H1b2a H1b2a1'3 H1 1.20% A183G T8286C C16360T
H1bd H1e5a+9966 H1 (if Bld. 12) 0.03% T204C G9966A
H1bo H1bo H1o 0.37% T267C T485C G6446T A11002G A15844G
H1bw2a H1bw5c H1 (if Bld. 12) 0.08% C8478T A14251G T3290C
H1e4a H1e4a H1e ~1.41% C16114T
H1f-b H1f1g H1f 0.08% A9066G T4452C
H1u2c H1u2 H1u 0.11% G3483A C16320T G10586A
H2a1e1a2 H2a1e1a2 H2a1 ~0.06% T16124C A9052G
H2a2b1d H2a2b1d H2a2b1 0.11% A16293G T16224C
H3ap8a H3ap8 H3 0.06% T10915C! A13776G C3453T
H3bo2 H3bo2 H3 0.23% T6776C T16298C C10655T
H3p1a H3ic1 H, H39 1.32% C16222T C15885T A8245G
H4a1a1 H4a1a1 H4a1a 0.03% A10044G
H4a1a1a H4a1a1a22^ H4a1a 0.08% A73G! T152C!
H4a1a3a1 H4a1a3a H4a1b (prelim.) 0.17% A14133G
H5* H5cc1 H5 /H5'36 (prelim.) 0.08% T16304C
H5a1 H5a1bl1 H5a1 0.14% C15833T A15076G T6707C
H5a7 H5a7 H5a 0.52% G8557A C15175T A6800G
H5c2a H5c2c6 H5'36 0.95% C3819T G16213A C16304T!
H5-a1a H5cc H5'36 0.20% C16192T C16167T
H5-a1a H5cc^ H5'36 0.17% C16167T
H6a1a1a1 H6a1a1a1 H6a1a1a 0.57% G4991A A7325G A9362G G11611A T16311C!
H6a1a3 H6a1a3 H6a1a (presum.) 0.20% T5785C
H6a1a5 H6a1a5 H6a1a 0.98% C10936T
H6a1b2 H6a1b2 H6a1b2 0.11% A9254G
H6a1b3 H6a1b3n'o H6a1b (presum.) 0.23% T204C C16193T A16219G
H7e H7e H7 1.90% A8026T C9527T
H7o H7p"au H7 0.80% T11137C (for MTree's branch) T1700C (not recognized by MTree)
H10a1b1a H10a1b H10a1 0.57% G513A C16344T T7220C G10325A
H11a2a2d H11a2a2d H11a 0.28% G5585A T15670C A16265G G7805A
H11b1c H11b1c H11 0.72% C16261T
H13a1a1a H13a1a1a1"15 H13a1a1a 0.03% G14831A
H13a1a1p H13a1a1w'ac'ad'ae -- 0.08% G7337A T13326C, A955AC (955.1C, 960.1C)
H15b6 H15b6 H15b 0.20% T3847C C16527T
H26c2 H26c2 H26 0.89% G16129A!
H40b1 H40b H 1.18% G7444A T7678C
H41a1b H41a10 H 0.52% C262T G5460A T10124C A14118G C16362T! C14433T
H47f H47j H 0.08% T9530C C12633T A2804G T13260C
H65a H65a H (presum.) 0.43% G3010A G7805A
HV1a'b'c3b HV1e1 HV1 0.28% A15218G T16368C A13098G
HV1b2a HV1b2a2"10 HV1b2 3.99% T16189C!
I5a1b I5a1b1a I5a1 0.03% C204T! T13602C T15968C
J1b1a1j J1b1a1j J1b1a 1.23% C2322T
J1c-a J1c14 -- 0.20% C16261T T195C G4491A C8940T A9120G C16355T
J1c13 J1c13 J1c 0.34% T204C G6249A T9219G C11503T
J1c14 J1c14 J1c 1.43% T195C! G4491A C8940T A9120G G16274A 16355T
J1c1l1 J1c1l1 J1c1 0.92% T482C T3394C
J1c3e2c1 J1c3e2c2 J1c3 0.14% G8865A C15853T C2280T A16235G
T16311C!
J1c4-a9 J1c4u J1c4 0.03% A9632G A9389G
J1c5 J1c5j"ba J1c5 0.03% A5198G T152C!!!
J1c7a J1c7a+16092 J1c7a 2.30% C6464A A13681G
J2b1e2 J2b1e2a J2b1 0.23% C14761T
K1a1b1-b1 K1a1b1 -- 0.03% C16234T
K1a1b1a12 K1a1b1a37 K1a1b1a 20.70% T12954C
K1a4a2a1 K1a4a2+150 K1a4a 0.20% G6260A C16168T C6134T A6605G
K2a K2a+709+152 K2a (presum.) 0.37% T4561C G709A T152C!
K2a2a1 K2a2a1 K2a2a 5.30% A512C A9254G G11914A!
L2a1l2a L2a1l2a L2a1l, L2a1l2 2.20% A143G! T14180C
M1a1b1c M1a1b1c M1a1b 0.31% C375G A16289G
M33c3 M33c9b M33c 0.34% C4182T
N1b1a2j1a N1b1a2o1^ N1b1b (presum.)0.08% C4904T T9335C! T13608C T4619C
N1b1b1 N1b1b1 N1b2 6.08% T14581C
N1b2*** N1b2 -- 0.00% C5507A A12026G T15784C G16129A! A16258C
N9a3a1b1 N9a3c N9a3 0.52% T146C!
R0a4a R0a4 R0a 1.29% C150T A9531G T2351C
T1a1 T1a1ej1 T1a1 ~ 0.04% C16527T T14470C
T1a1b-a T1a1b20 T1a1b1 0.08% C14281T G16000A
T1a1j T1a1j T1a1 (if Bld. 12) 0.43% A8530G
T1a1k1 T1a1k1 T1a1 0.43% T146C! G11914A! A12753G
T1a5a T1a5a'j'k T1a (if Bld.12) 0.02% A5378G
T1a16 T1a16 -- 0.11% C16186T C6656T
T1b3d1 T1b3d1 T1b 0.63% C15853T A16194C
T2a1 T2a1h2 T2a (presum. ) ~ 0.07% A10005G T195C! G2361A A9531G
T2a1b4a1 T2a1h1a1 T2a 0.31% T16324C T12481A A1530G
T2a1e T2a1e2 T2a ~ 0.07% A14687G A10398G! T16209C
T2b3-a T2b3n1 T2b3 0.03% C151T T152C!!! C16344T A9218G
T2b4-a5 T2b4z T2b4 0.11% A9254G T16296C! A16241G
T2b4a2 T2b4bl2 -- 0.06% T16172C A6593G A9007G A2755G
T2b16 T2b16 T2b (if Bld.12) 0.14% T634C
T2b25b T2b25b T2b 1.00% G16129A!
T2f1a1j T2f1a1j1 T2f1 ~0.02% C15028A G6260A T8594C
T2g1a T2g1a+195+200 T2g 0.08% T1977C
U1b1a1 U1b1i4a1a U1b 0.80% A3426G T6365C G11969A
U2e1a1d U2e1a1 U2e1a 0.28% C3116T A8014G G13708A
U4a3a4 U4a3a U4a3 0.20% A16265G T13659C
U5a1a2a-a U5a1a2a7 U5a1a 0.06% A5319G
U5a1b U5a1b42 U5a1b 0.06% A9667G T1819C T11260C
U5a1b1c2a U5a1b1c2a -- 0.06% G3705A G16129A!
U5a1b1q U5a1b1q U5a1b1 0.17% C16291T T15893C
U5a1d2b U5a1d2b2a -- ~0.01% G4924C T10858C T14110C G15217A T16304C A11530G T7310C T16189C!
U5a1f1a3 U5a1f1a3 U5a1a 0.37% T1700C T8634C G14544A
U5a2b2a U5a2b2a3 U5a2b 0.11% A13269G
U5b1b1-b U5b1b1an'ao U5b1b1 0.06% T16192C! 270.1T
U5b1e1 U5b1e1+195 U5b1e 0.06% A2757G T12616C T195C!
U5b2a1a U5b2a1a10 U5b2a1 0.03% T15511C C16189T!!
C2206T [2]8289CCCCCTCTA[1]
G9804t C16184T T16192C!!! G16213A
U6a7a1b U6a7a1b U6a7, U6a7a1 0.34% C150T
U7a5 U7a5 U7 1.55% G9300A A13966G C14245T G14869C C16291T T16304C
U8b1b1d U8b1b1d1 U8b 0.06% A14053G T16304C
V7a2c1b V7a2c1b V7a 2.40% A12753G
V15 V15c V (if Bld. 12) 0.17% C4221T
V18a1 V18a1e V (if Bld..12) 0.06% A14914C G7762A T2119C G8764A
W1h3 W1h5a W1 0.40% A4917G A16265G
W3a1a1b W3a1a1b W3a1 0.86% C10715T
W3b1 W3b1a W3 0.95% G189A! T7058C
X2e2a2 X2e2a2 X2e, X2e2, X2e2a 0.14% A3948G G8856A
* H1c was not identified in the 2022 edition of Kevin's book, but it will be identified in future editions.
** The Ashkenazi people previously identified by FTDNA at HV5 are now identified by FTDNA as HV5a.
*** Five Ashkenazi people identified by FTDNA as T1b are, based on their full mtDNA sequencing, actually T1b3.
**** Five Ashkenazi persons identified by FTDNA as N1b2 are actually N1b1b1.
The percentages set forth above are based on information reported in Wim Penninx's 2019 analysis, with the following modifications: (1) only fully sequenced samples are included; (2) the samples reported as N1b2 and T1b have been reassigned to N1b1b1 and T1b3d; and (3) several haplogroups have been divided into two rows and divided proportionally according to each haplogroup's ratio in Kevin's matches (those estimates start with the symbol ~, signifying "approximately").
Mtree FTDNA 23andme Ancient Ashkenazi Samples
H1aj1 H1aj1 H1 (presumably) I14847 (Erfurt-EU)
H1as2 H1as2 H1 I13868 (Erfurt-EU)
H1c1k* H1c1 H1c1 (presumably) I14849 (Erfurt low coverage)
H3p1 H3p H I13864 (Erfurt-ME)
H3w1 H3w H3 SB676 (Norwich)
H5c2a H5c2 H5'36 I14739 (Erfurt-ME); SB605, SB606, SB671 (Norwich)
H6a1a1a1 H6a1a1a H6a1a1a I14852 (Erfurt-ME)
H11b1c H11b1 H11 I13869 (Erfurt-EU)
HV1b2a HV1b2 HV1b2 I14901 (Erfurt-EU)
J1c1l1 J1c1 J1c1 I14897 (Erfurt-EU)
K1a1b1a K1a1b1a K1a1b1a I13861, I13862 (Erfurt-EU), I13866, I13867, I13870, I14736, I14741, I14851, I14903
(Erfurt-ME), I14846, I14899 (Erfurt low coverage)
K1a9 K1a9 K1a9 I13863 (Erfurt-EU); I14848 (Erfurt low coverage)
L2a1l2a L2a1l2a L2a1l, L2a1l2 I13865 (Erfurt-ME)
N1b1b1 N1b1b1 N1b2 I14737 (Erfurt-ME)
N9a3a1b1 N9a3 N9a3 I14740 (Erfurt-EU)
T1a1b-a1 T1a1b T1a1b1 I14904 (Erfurt-EU)
U1b1a1 U1b1 U1b I14850, I14853, I14898 (Erfurt-EU)
U3a1a3 U3a1a U3a1 I14738 (Erfurt-EU)
U5a1a2a-a U5a1a2a U5a1a I14854, I14855 (Erfurt low coverage)
U5a2b2a U5a2b2a U5a2b I14900 (Erfurt low coverage)
* H1c1k is believed to be extinct in the modern Ashkenazi population. (The modern-day Ashkenazi H1c mtDNA cluster identified above belongs to a different mtDNA cluster than the Erfute H1c1k sample.)