Genetics
In population comparisons, the Gagauzes were found to be more closely related genetically to neighboring southeastern European groups than to linguistically related Anatolian populations. More considerable distinctions in the distribution of Y chromosome components appeared between the Gagauzes and other Turkic peoples.
The similarity to neighboring populations may be due to the lack of social barriers between the local and the Turkic-Orthodox populations of the Balkan Peninsula. Thus, the ongoing intensive reciprocal gene flow was accompanied by the gradual dissolution of the Asiatic genetic component. Another possibility is language shift in accordance with the elite dominance model, i.e., Turkification.
After a genetic comparison with populations of Balkans, Anatolia, and Central Asia, results showed that Gagauz are part of the Balkan genetic group.
Genetically Gagauzes are are around 5% Asian of the Siberian variety, surpassing Hungarians by 3.5%. This makes them to be one of the most Mongoloid people living in Europe. Only Crimean Tatars, Kalmyks and several North Caucasian groups surpass them in this aspect.
Read more about this topic: Gagauz People