A lineage of the Indian subcontinent and Southwest Asia
Haplogroup L, defined by M20, is found chiefly in the Indian subcontinent and across parts of Southwest and Central Asia. It occurs at moderate frequencies in India and Pakistan, and is present in the Near East, the Caucasus and around the Iranian plateau, making it a lineage that spans South and Southwest Asia.
Haplogroup L is most common in the Indian subcontinent, where it is carried by many populations at low to moderate frequency, with particular concentrations in parts of Pakistan and southern India. Beyond South Asia it is found across the Near East, the Caucasus and the Iranian plateau, and at low levels around the Mediterranean, reflecting long-standing connections across these regions.
Haplogroup L is generally associated with an origin in South or Southwest Asia and has a long presence in the subcontinent and neighbouring regions. Its spread is discussed in connection with early movements across South and Southwest Asia, and as with other deep lineages the precise dating varies between studies.
L divides into several branches with differing distributions across South and Southwest Asia. Some are more characteristic of the subcontinent, others of the Iranian plateau and the Near East, and the internal structure of the haplogroup has been used to study connections between these regions.
An L result points to paternal ancestry in South or Southwest Asia. Downstream testing distinguishes the subcontinental branches from those centred further west, which is the level at which the result becomes regionally informative for family research.
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