At a glance
- When
- the Lapita culture from about 1100 BCE, and the settlement of Polynesia that followed
- Where
- Vanuatu, Tonga and the islands of Remote Oceania, then Polynesia
- Entries in our catalogue
- 89 (42 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 3
What ancient DNA shows
A 2016 study in Nature found that Lapita individuals from Vanuatu and Tonga carried almost entirely East Asian related ancestry linked to Taiwan and Island Southeast Asia, with little or none of the Papuan ancestry of New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. This contradicted the long held view that the first settlers had mixed extensively with Papuans before sailing on.
Studies published in 2018 found that within a few centuries Vanuatu received people with Papuan ancestry from the Bismarck Archipelago, who replaced most of the Lapita ancestry while the islanders kept speaking Austronesian languages. Polynesians carry mostly Lapita-related ancestry with a smaller Papuan share, and a 2020 study in Nature found that eastern Polynesians also mixed with Native Americans around 1200 CE.
Their genetic legacy today
Present-day Polynesians descend largely from Lapita-related settlers, with a minority of Papuan ancestry, while present-day ni-Vanuatu carry mostly Papuan-related ancestry and keep the Austronesian languages of the first settlers.
Lapita and Ancient Polynesians samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 89 entries whose culture label names the Lapita and Ancient Polynesians. 42 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 89 dated entries fall between 550 BCE and 1,563 CE, with a median of 712 CE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| Vanuatu | 80 |
| Tonga | 5 |
| French Polynesia | 4 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Post-Lapita (Vanuatu) | 44 |
| Ancient Ni-Vanuatu (Lapita / post-Lapita) | 14 |
| Lapita Culture (Vanuatu) | 14 |
| Lapita Culture (Tonga) | 4 |
| Ancient Vanuatu | 2 |
| Eastern Polynesian (Society Islands) | 2 |
Measured from the live catalogue on 2026-10-17. Dates are those recorded for each entry; the archaeological dates of the culture are given above. See our data sources for where the samples come from.
Compare your DNA with the Lapita and Ancient Polynesians
To see how close you sit to Lapita and Ancient Polynesians samples, you need your DNA as G25 coordinates. Download your raw data file from your testing company, convert it, and MYDNATLAS compares your coordinates with these entries and the rest of the catalogue, period by period, in its closest population and mixture tools.
- Download your raw DNA file: step by step for each testing company.
- Upload it from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage or FamilyTreeDNA, or another supported provider.
- Explore the results with the period by period breakdown and closest populations.
Start free: browse the Population Encyclopedia. The Population Encyclopedia is free to browse with a free account; analysing your own DNA needs a paid plan.
Questions
How many Lapita and Ancient Polynesians samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 89 entries labelled as Lapita and Ancient Polynesians, of which 42 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Lapita and Ancient Polynesians samples found?
They come from 3 countries, most often Vanuatu, Tonga and French Polynesia. Half of the dated entries fall between 550 BCE and 1,563 CE.
Where did the first Polynesians come from?
Ancient DNA traces the Lapita settlers, ancestors of the Polynesians, to populations of Taiwan and Island Southeast Asia. They reached Vanuatu and Tonga about three thousand years ago with little Papuan ancestry, which was added later.