Genetics
France has been influenced by the different human migrations that occurred throughout Europe over time. Prehistoric and Neolithic population movements could have influenced the genetic diversity of this country. A recent study in 2009 analysed 555 French individuals from 7 different regions in mainland France and found the following Y-DNA Haplogroups. The five main haplogroups are R1 (63.41%), E (11.41%), I (8.88%), J (7.97%) and G (5.16%). R1b (particularly R1b1b2) was found to be the most dominant Y chromosomal lineage in France, covering about 60% of the Y chromosomal lineages. The high frequency of this haplogroup is typical in all West European populations. Haplogroups I and G are also characteristic markers for many different West European populations. Haplogroups J and E1b1b (M35, M78, M81 and M34) consist of lineages with differential distribution within Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Only adults with French surnames were analyzed by the study.
According to a 2008 study by Dutch geneticist Manfred Kayser, French people based on a sample from Lyon, showed genetic similarities to all Europeans especially the Swiss, Germans, Austrians, Italians, and Spaniards.
| Region | Nb | BD | E* | E-M35* | E-M78 | E-M81 | E-M34 | G | I | J1 | J2 | K | N1c | P* | R1a | R1b1 | T |
| 1 Alsace | 80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.25 | 0 | 3.75 | 2.50 | 8.75 | 1.25 | 8.75 | 1.25 | 0 | 0 | 3.75 | 58.75 | 5 |
| 2 Auvergne | 89 | 0 | 2.25 | 0 | 3.37 | 5.62 | 1.12 | 8.99 | 4.49 | 3.37 | 7.87 | 1.12 | 0 | 0 | 5.62 | 52.80 | 3.37 |
| 3 Brittany | 115 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.74 | 13.04 | 0.87 | 2.61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.87 | 80.88 | 0 |
| 4 Île-de-France | 91 | 0 | 10.99 | 0 | 4.40 | 5.49 | 1.10 | 4.40 | 7.69 | 1.10 | 5.49 | 0 | 1.10 | 0 | 2.20 | 56.05 | 0 |
| 5 Midi-Pyrénées | 67 | 0 | 1.49 | 1.49 | 2.99 | 1.49 | 1.49 | 4.48 | 10.45 | 4.48 | 7.46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.99 | 59.69 | 1.49 |
| 6 Nord-Pas-de-Calais | 68 | 0 | 1.47 | 1.47 | 5.88 | 4.41 | 0 | 7.35 | 8.82 | 0 | 5.88 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.94 | 61.76 | 0 |
| 7 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 45 | 2.22 | 0 | 2.22 | 8.89 | 2.22 | 0 | 6.67 | 8.89 | 0 | 6.67 | 0 | 0 | 4.44 | 0 | 55.55 | 2.22 |
| Mainland France | 555 | 0.32 | 2.31 | 0.74 | 4.54 | 2.75 | 1.07 | 5.16 | 8.88 | 1.58 | 6.39 | 0.34 | 0.16 | 0.63 | 2.62 | 60.78 | 1.73 |
According to a genetic study in 2000 based on HLA, French from Marseille "are more or less isolated from the other western European populations. They are in an intermediate position between the North Africans (Algerians from Algiers and Oran; Tunisians) and the western Europeans populations (France, Spain, and Portugal)". According to the authors "these results cannot be attributed to recent events because of the knowledge of the grandparents' origin" in the sample. This study reveals "that the southern French population from Marseilles is related genetically to the southwestern Europeans and North Africans, who are geographically close" and that "a substantial gene flow has thus probably been present among the populations of these neighboring areas".
Read more about this topic: Demographics Of France