Description
C2 (C-M217) is the predominant Y-DNA haplogroup in Mongolia and among Turkic and Mongolic peoples of Central and Northeast Asia. It is most famous for containing the lineage of Genghis Khan and the House of Borjigin, identified as C2b1a1-F3918 (also called 'Star Cluster'). This Mongolian star cluster accounts for roughly 0.5% of all men alive today, making it one of the most successful patrilineages in human history.
Interesting Fact
The 'Star Cluster' subclade of C2, likely descended from Genghis Khan or his direct ancestors, is carried by an estimated 16 million men alive today — approximately 0.5% of the global male population — the largest known patrilineal expansion from a single individual.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buryats | Siberia | n=300 | |
| Mongols | East Asia / Central Asia | n=500 | |
| Kazakhs | Central Asia | n=600 | |
| Hazara | South Asia | n=150 | |
| Manchus | Northeast China | n=200 | |
| Kyrgyz | Central Asia | n=200 | |
| Koreans | East Asia | n=800 |
Associated Clans & Tribes
Dynasty
House of Borjigin
Mongolia
Ruling clan of Genghis Khan, confirmed C2b1a1-F3918 (Star Cluster)
Ru / Lineage
Kerey / Kerei
Kazakhstan
Major Kazakh zhuz (clan confederation) with high C2 frequency
Clan
Naiman
Central Asia
Historic Turkic-Mongolic tribal confederation with significant C2
Tribe
Borjigin
Mongolia
Founding clan of the Mongol Empire
Ru / Lineage
Tore
Kazakhstan / Central Asia
Descendants of Genghis Khan in Kazakh tradition, high Star Cluster frequency
Tags
References
- Zerjal et al. (2003) — The Genetic Legacy of the Mongols. American Journal of Human Genetics 72(3), 717–721.
- Wei et al. (2018) — Phylogenetic analysis of the Y-chromosome haplogroup C2b-F1067. PLOS ONE.
- Balaresque et al. (2015) — Y-chromosome descent clusters and male differential reproductive success. European Journal of Human Genetics.