At a glance
- When
- the Iron Age, about 1000 BCE to the Roman conquest
- Where
- the eastern Balkans: present-day Bulgaria, Romania, northeastern Greece and European Turkey
- Entries in our catalogue
- 38 (20 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 4
What ancient DNA shows
Studies of Iron Age individuals from Thracian contexts have found the typical mixture of the Bronze Age Balkans: mostly early farmer ancestry with a smaller share of steppe ancestry. They group with other ancient Balkan populations rather than with the steppe nomads to their north.
Some individuals from the lower Danube and the Black Sea coast show ancestry from further east, reflecting contact with Scythians and other steppe peoples, and Greek colonies on the Thracian coast added Aegean ancestry. The Slavic-related migrations from the sixth century CE, documented in a 2023 study in Cell, later changed the ancestry of the region considerably.
Their genetic legacy today
Ancestry from the Thracian era population contributes to present-day Bulgarians, Romanians and other Balkan peoples, beneath the Slavic-related ancestry that arrived in the early Middle Ages.
Thracians samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 38 entries whose culture label names the Thracians. 20 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 38 dated entries fall between 800 BCE and 500 BCE, with a median of 700 BCE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| Bulgaria | 22 |
| Ukraine | 8 |
| Romania | 7 |
| Moldova | 1 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Iron Age Thracian (Bulgaria) | 19 |
| Iron Age Thracian (Romania) | 7 |
| Early Iron Age Thracian-Hallstatt (Lower Danube) | 5 |
| Thracian (Ukraine) | 3 |
| Hellenistic Thrace (Bulgaria) | 1 |
| Iron Age Thracian | 1 |
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 Thracians
To see how close you sit to Thracians 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 Thracians samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 38 entries labelled as Thracians, of which 20 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Thracians samples found?
They come from 4 countries, most often Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova. Half of the dated entries fall between 800 BCE and 500 BCE.
Are Bulgarians descended from the Thracians?
Partly. Ancient DNA indicates that present-day Bulgarians carry ancestry from the earlier Balkan population, which includes the Thracians, along with a large Slavic-related component and smaller later contributions.