Haplogroup K (mtDNA)



Haplogroup K is a group of people who descend from a woman in the branch of the  tree. Because of the genetic diversity in K she most likely lived around 50,000 years ago. Her descendants gave birth to several different subgroups, some of which exhibit very specific geographic homelands. The old age has led to a wide distribution of the descendant subgroups that harbor specific European, northern African, Indian, Arab, northern Caucasus Mountains and the Near East. While some members of the group headed north to Scandinavia or South to North Africa, most women in this group crossed the Caucasus Mountains in southern Russia and moved on t the steppes of the Black Sea. The Haplogroup K is currently shared by over 3,000,000 people

Approximately 32% of the haplotypes of modern people with ancestry are in haplogroup K.

In his popular book , named the originator of this mtDNA haplogroup Katrine.

Famous members
Analysis of the mtDNA of, the frozen mummy from found on the n- border, has shown that Ötzi belongs to the K1 subcluster of the mitochondrial , but that it cannot be categorized into any of the three modern branches of that subcluster.

On an  broadcast of the , during an interview with Dr. Spencer Wells of The National Geographic Genographic Project, host  was revealed to belong to haplogroup K.

On,  was told by Dr. Spencer Wells that he is a member of this haplogroup.