At a glance
- When
- about 370 to 470 CE in Europe
- Where
- the Eurasian steppe, then the Carpathian Basin
- Entries in our catalogue
- 174 (113 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 4
What ancient DNA shows
Studies of Hun period burials in the Carpathian Basin found people of very varied ancestry. Most resembled the region's earlier inhabitants or other steppe and Eastern European groups, while a minority carried substantial East Asian ancestry.
Recent research found shared stretches of DNA linking some Hun period individuals in Europe with elite burials of the earlier Xiongnu empire on the eastern steppe, which supports a connection between the two, carried by a limited number of people rather than a whole population. In the Tian Shan, Hun era nomads mixed earlier Saka steppe ancestry with East Asian ancestry.
Their genetic legacy today
Hun period ancestry did not form a lasting distinct population in Europe. Its traces are diluted among the later populations of the Carpathian Basin and the steppe.
Huns samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 174 entries whose culture label names the Huns. 113 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 172 dated entries fall between 300 CE and 444 CE, with a median of 400 CE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| Hungary | 113 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 39 |
| Kazakhstan | 15 |
| Russia | 7 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Late Sarmatian / Hunnic Period | 63 |
| Sarmato-Hunnic (Migration Period) | 31 |
| Tian Shan Hunnic-Era | 30 |
| Hunnic-Era | 11 |
| Hun-Period Nomad (Tian Shan) | 8 |
| Late Sarmatian / Hunnic-Period | 7 |
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 Huns
To see how close you sit to Huns 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 Huns samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 174 entries labelled as Huns, of which 113 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Huns samples found?
They come from 4 countries, most often Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia. Half of the dated entries fall between 300 CE and 444 CE.
Were the Huns related to the Xiongnu?
Ancient DNA points to a connection: some Hun period individuals in Europe share long stretches of DNA with Xiongnu elite burials. That shows a link between some families, not that the two were the same population.