Haplogroup H3a

What is Maternal Haplogroup H3a?

Haplogroup H3a is a genealogical group of lineages defined by unique genetic markers present in your mitochondrial DNA, which is transmitted from your mother. Your maternal haplogroup paints a picture of your ancient origins and the migrations of your ancestors. Although your maternal haplogroup reflects just one of your many ancestral lineages, it carries information about that lineage over tens of thousands of years.

Haplogroup H3a is descended from haplogroup H. Among 23andMe research participants, haplogroup H3a is commonly found among populations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

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 maternal side.

H3a Migration MapMaternal Haplogroup Origins H

Top Surnames with Haplogroup H3a

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 NameFrequency
smith1.30%
johnson1.00%
miller0.70%
williams0.60%
jones0.50%
brown0.50%
davis0.50%
martin0.50%
anderson0.40%
thompson0.40%
clark0.40%
wilson0.30%
young0.30%
taylor0.30%
white0.30%
thomas0.30%
moore0.30%
mitchell0.30%
roberts0.30%
hall0.30%

Haplogroup H3a is linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

H3a Migration MapMarie Antoinette