At a glance
- When
- about 567 to 822 CE
- Where
- the Carpathian Basin, after arriving from the eastern steppe
- Entries in our catalogue
- 1,466 (1,291 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 6
What ancient DNA shows
A 2022 study in Cell found that the earliest Avar elite carried mostly Northeast Asian ancestry, closely matching people of the Mongolian steppe of the preceding Rouran period, which confirms a rapid long-distance migration of about five thousand kilometres.
A 2024 study in Nature reconstructed family trees from four Avar period cemeteries, spanning about three centuries. Communities were organised along male lines of descent, with women marrying in from outside. A 2025 study of two neighbouring cemeteries near Vienna found that communities sharing the same Avar culture could have very different ancestry, one largely East Asian and one largely European.
Their genetic legacy today
East Asian ancestry from the Avar period was diluted over the following centuries and forms only a small part of the ancestry of people in the Carpathian Basin today.
Avars samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 1,466 entries whose culture label names the Avars. 1,291 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 1,466 dated entries fall between 700 CE and 737 CE, with a median of 725 CE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| Hungary | 820 |
| Austria | 618 |
| Croatia | 17 |
| Slovakia | 8 |
| Germany | 2 |
| Mongolia | 1 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Avar Period | 736 |
| Avar Khaganate (Late-Avar Material Culture) | 612 |
| Late Avar Period (Carpathian Basin) | 22 |
| Avar-Period (Slovakia) | 8 |
| Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Early | 5 |
| Hungary Early Medieval Avar Period Late | 5 |
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 Avars
To see how close you sit to Avars 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 Avars samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 1,466 entries labelled as Avars, of which 1,291 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Avars samples found?
They come from 6 countries, most often Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Slovakia and Germany. Half of the dated entries fall between 700 CE and 737 CE.
Where did the Avars come from?
Ancient DNA traces the early Avar elite to the eastern steppe around Mongolia: their ancestry closely matches Rouran period individuals from there, consistent with the historical account of their arrival in Europe.