Classification of the European language families by genetic distance

Abstract

Genetic distances among speakers of the European language families were computed by using gene-frequency data for human blood group antigens, enzymes, and proteins of 26 genetic systems. Each system was represented by a different subset of 3369 localities across Europe. By subjecting the matrix of distances to numerical taxonomic procedures, we obtained a grouping of the language families of Europe by their genetic distances as contrasted with their linguistic relationships. The resulting classification largely reflects geographic propinquity rather than linguistic origins. This is evidence for the primary importance of short-range interdemic gene flow in shaping the modern gene pools of Europe. Yet, some language families--i.e., Basque, Finnic (including Lappish), and Semitic (Maltese)--have distant genetic relationships with their geographic neighbors. These results indicate that European gene pools still reflect the remote origins of some ethnic units subsumed by these major linguistic groups.