The genetic footprint of the European Roma diaspora: evidence from the Balkans to the Iberian Peninsula
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00064165%3A_____%2F25%3A10497993" target="_blank" >RIV/00064165:_____/25:10497993 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/00216208:11110/25:10497993
Result on the web
<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=uWqiMYRlD5" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=uWqiMYRlD5</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00439-025-02735-z" target="_blank" >10.1007/s00439-025-02735-z</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
The genetic footprint of the European Roma diaspora: evidence from the Balkans to the Iberian Peninsula
Original language description
The Roma people have a complex demographic history shaped by their recent dispersal from a South Asian origin into Europe, accompanied by continuous population bottlenecks and gene flow. After settling in the Balkans around 1,000 years ago, the Roma gradually dispersed across Europe, and approximately 500 years ago, they established in the Iberian Peninsula what is now one of the largest Roma populations in Western Europe. Focusing specifically on the Iberian Roma, we conducted the most comprehensive genome-wide analysis of European Roma populations to date. Using allele frequency and haplotype-based methods, we analysed 181 individuals to investigate their genetic diversity, social dynamics, and migration histories at both continental and local scales. Our findings demonstrate significant gene flow from populations encountered during the Roma's dispersal and confirm their South Asian origins. We show that, between the 14th and 19th centuries, the Roma spread westward from the Balkans in various waves, with multiple admixture events. Furthermore, our findings refute previous hypotheses of a North African dispersal route into Iberia and genetic connections to Jewish populations. The Iberian Roma exhibit ten times greater genetic differentiation compared to non-Roma Iberians, indicating significant regional substructure. Additionally, we provide the first genetic evidence of assortative mating within Roma groups, highlighting distinct mating patterns and suggesting a gradual shift towards increased integration with non-Roma individuals. This study significantly enhances our understanding of how demographic history and complex genetic structure have shaped the genetic diversity of Roma populations, while also highlighting the influence of their evolving social dynamics.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
30101 - Human genetics
Result continuities
Project
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Continuities
V - Vyzkumna aktivita podporovana z jinych verejnych zdroju
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Human Genetics
ISSN
0340-6717
e-ISSN
1432-1203
Volume of the periodical
144
Issue of the periodical within the volume
4
Country of publishing house
US - UNITED STATES
Number of pages
17
Pages from-to
463-479
UT code for WoS article
001446119200001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105000313276