Male line information: Y-group E1a

All members of Y-group E1a can trace their Y-chromosomes back to one man who is thought to have lived about 20 to 30 thousand years ago, in Africa. This man belonged to a group of hunter-gatherers that were probably located in West Africa. Most members of Y-group E1a trace their recent ancestry through the male line to this region.

Today, members of Y-group E1a are found almost exclusively in Africa, mainly West Africa, or individuals of African ancestry. The highest known frequencies are found in Mali in West Africa, where 30 percent of males belong to Y-group E1a. About 5 percent of African American males are members of Y-group E1a.

Note that Y-group E1a was previously called E1. The name was changed to accord with the latest developments in the scientific literature.