At a glance
- When
- from the settlement of the islands in the first millennium BCE until the Castilian conquest of 1402 to 1496 CE
- Where
- the Canary Islands, off the Atlantic coast of North Africa
- Entries in our catalogue
- 45 (35 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 1
What ancient DNA shows
A 2017 study in Current Biology sequenced Guanche individuals from Gran Canaria and Tenerife and found that they were genetically closest to present-day Amazigh (Berber) populations of North Africa, which fits the Amazigh language traces in their place names and inscriptions. The study estimated that present-day Canary Islanders retain a substantial minority of Guanche autosomal ancestry, roughly between a sixth and a third.
Studies of maternal and paternal lineages found that Guanche ancestry survives mainly through women: Indigenous maternal lineages are common among Canarians today, while Indigenous paternal lineages were largely replaced after the conquest. The islands were settled from North Africa, possibly in more than one wave, and the populations of different islands developed in relative isolation.
Their genetic legacy today
Present-day Canary Islanders descend mostly from European, chiefly Iberian, settlers after the conquest, but carry a substantial minority of Guanche ancestry, especially through maternal lines.
Guanches samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 45 entries whose culture label names the Guanches. 35 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 45 dated entries fall between 1,000 CE and 1,330 CE, with a median of 1,178 CE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| Spain | 45 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Guanche (Canary Islands) | 38 |
| Guanche | 4 |
| Canary Islands Guanche | 3 |
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 Guanches
To see how close you sit to Guanches 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 Guanches samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 45 entries labelled as Guanches, of which 35 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Guanches samples found?
They come from 1 country, most often Spain. Half of the dated entries fall between 1,000 CE and 1,330 CE.
Do Canary Islanders have Guanche DNA?
Yes. Ancient DNA studies estimate that present-day Canarians carry a substantial minority of Guanche ancestry, roughly between a sixth and a third, with Indigenous maternal lineages especially common.