At a glance
- When
- about 400 to 750 CE for the Merovingian period
- Where
- the lower Rhine, Belgium and northern France
- Entries in our catalogue
- 60 (40 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 4
What ancient DNA shows
Merovingian period cemeteries in Belgium and northern France include people with ancestry typical of northern continental Europe alongside people closer to the earlier Gallo-Roman population, consistent with migration into an existing population rather than replacement.
Studies of early medieval northern Europe show that ancestry from the North Sea region spread south and west in this period, the same broad movement that carried Anglo-Saxon migrants to England.
Their genetic legacy today
Frankish era migration contributed northern continental ancestry to the populations of Belgium, the Netherlands and northern France, where it forms part of the background of people today.
Franks samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 60 entries whose culture label names the Franks. 40 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 60 dated entries fall between 481 CE and 700 CE, with a median of 632 CE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| France | 27 |
| Belgium | 26 |
| Sweden | 4 |
| Germany | 3 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Merovingian Frankish (Koksijde, Flanders) | 21 |
| Frankish (Merovingian) | 15 |
| Merovingian Frankish (France) | 12 |
| Belgium Early Medieval Merovingian Koksijde | 4 |
| Merovingian (Pays-de-la-Loire, France) | 4 |
| Frankish (France) | 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 Franks
To see how close you sit to Franks 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 Franks samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 60 entries labelled as Franks, of which 40 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Franks samples found?
They come from 4 countries, most often France, Belgium, Sweden and Germany. Half of the dated entries fall between 481 CE and 700 CE.
Are the French descended from the Franks?
In part. The Franks added northern continental ancestry to a much larger Gallo-Roman population, and most of the ancestry of people in France today goes back to the earlier inhabitants.