Haplogroup A1a-M31

What is Paternal Haplogroup A1a-M31?

Haplogroup A1a-M31 is a group of Y-chromosome lineages defined by unique genetic markers. Your paternal haplogroup, or that of your father if you do not have a Y-chromosome, sheds light on the migrations of your ancestors. Although your paternal haplogroup reflects just one of your many ancestral lineages, it carries information about that lineage over tens of thousands of years.

Haplogroup A1a-M31 is descended from haplogroup A1-P305. Among 23andMe research participants, haplogroup A1a-M31 is commonly found among populations in the United Kingdom.

It's important to note that your haplogroup doesn't define your current ethnic identity; rather, it provides an insight into your deep ancestry on the paternal side.

Paternal Haplogroup Origins A1-P305

Top Surnames with Haplogroup A1a-M31

For surnames with sufficient representation in the data, these percentages represent the frequency with which each surname is found in individuals exhibiting this genetic marker.

Last Name	Frequency
bass	18.10%
brown	1.50%
williams	1.40%
jones	1.30%
smith	1.20%
johnson	1.20%
quintero	0.80%
reinhart	0.80%
wright	0.80%
morris	0.80%
clark	0.80%
goins	0.70%
benner	0.70%
mccann	0.70%
simmons	0.60%
taylor	0.60%
jackson	0.60%
murillo	0.60%
davis	0.60%
reinhardt	0.60%

Haplogroup A1a-M31 is linked to ancient West Africans

While men carrying haplogroup A are generally most common in the east and the south, this lineage stems from a branch that can be found in West Africa. At between 140,000 and 160,000 years old, haplogroup A1a-M31 is extremely ancient and relatively rare. Men who belong to this lineage have been found in Morocco, Niger, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, and The Gambia. They belong to several ethnic groups, including but not limited to the nomadic Berber and Tuareg in the north, and the Mandenka and Balanta along the western edge of the continent.