The mtDNA Tree of Humanity

Every person alive carries mitochondrial DNA inherited from their mother, and she from hers. This is the map of those unbroken maternal lines. It shows the major branches — start with one that interests you.

L
- L0
- L1
- L2
- L3
  - M
    
    D
    
    G
    
    M8
    
    CZ
    
    C (~19,500 years ago)
    
    Z
    
    Q
  - N
    
    A (~16,500 years ago)
    
    I
    
    W (~14,600 years ago)
    
    X (~6,600 years ago)
    
    N9
    
    Y
    
    R
    
    R0
    
    HV (~18,900 years ago)
    
    H (~12,400 years ago)
    
    H1 (~8,900 years ago)
    
    HV0
    
    V (~2,900 years ago)
    
    U
    
    U5
    
    U6
    
    K
    
    JT
    
    J
    
    J1c (~13,600 years ago)
    
    T
    
    T2 (~11,600 years ago)
    
    B4'5
    
    F
    
    P
- L4
- L5
- L6

How to read this tree

It is one family, drawn as a tree. Each branch grows out of an older one, and everyone on the same branch shares a single maternal ancestor — the woman it began with.
The labels are branch names, not places. H1 or U5b marks the point where one maternal line separated from another — a moment, not a country.
The ages are estimates. Where an age is shown, it is the rough time back to the maternal ancestor everyone on that branch shares. Where none is shown, the tree does not yet have a confident estimate.

Branches to start from

Any branch in the tree opens the same way — these are simply common starting points.

Looking for the paternal line?

mtDNA follows mothers. The Y chromosome follows fathers, and it has its own separate tree.

Y-DNA tree →

Preview — a small selection of the 39,813 branches in the YFull mtDNA tree (build 1.02.23997). Search, branch narratives, and sample lists ship in upcoming releases.