Mapping the Roma diaspora: Genomic study reveals unique evolutionary path of Iberian Roma

Coinciding with the 600th anniversary of the first documented arrival of the Roma people in the Iberian Peninsula, this study has mapped the genetic footprint of the European Roma diaspora. This research analyzed genomic data spanning from the Balkans to Iberia, confirming the community’s ancestral Indian origins while definitively ruling out significant historical Jewish or North African genetic admixture. Crucially, the study reveals that despite their shared ancestry, Roma populations in the Iberian Peninsula exhibit distinct genetic differences compared to those in the rest of Europe. These findings underscore how centuries of localized demographic history and relative isolation have shaped a unique genetic architecture within the Iberian Roma community.

Reference:

Ena GF, Giménez A, Carballo-Mesa A, Lišková P, Araújo Castro e Silva M, Comas D (2025). The genetic footprint of the European Roma diaspora: evidence from the Balkans to the Iberian Peninsula. Human Genetics, 144(4), 463–479. DOI: 10.1007/s00439-025-02735-z