Geneticists have unveiled surprising differences in the origins of Viking settlers in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. By analysing Y-chromosome haplogroups from the Faroe Islands, colonized by Vikings around 900 CE, and comparing them to those found in today’s Scandinavia, researchers discovered that the genetic makeup of Faroese settlers closely resembled populations in Norway and Denmark, with some influence from Sweden. In contrast, the settlers of Iceland displayed a distinct genetic profile. These findings reveal separate migration paths for the Viking settlers of the two islands.
Vikings on the Move: Settling the Faroe Islands
The Viking Age (circa 793–1050 CE) marked a time of extensive exploration and settlement. Among the many places they ventured were the Faroe Islands, an archipelago of 18 rugged, windswept islands in the North Atlantic.
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Evidence suggests that these islands may have been first inhabited around 300 CE, likely by Celtic monks or others from the British Isles. However, Viking settlers are credited with establishing lasting communities. The Færeyinga Saga, written around 1200 CE, names a Viking chieftain, Grímur Kamban, as the leader of this colonization between 872 and 930 CE.
Where did Grímur and his followers originate within Scandinavia? That mystery has intrigued historians and geneticists alike—until now.
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Why Iceland’s Vikings Were Different
In the new study, Dr Christopher Tillquist and his colleagues analysed Y-chromosome data from 139 Faroese men, focusing on 12 genetic markers known as short tandem repeats (STRs). They compared this data with genetic profiles from 412 men in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland.
Their findings revealed a striking contrast between the Faroe Islands and Iceland:
Faroe Islands: The genetic diversity pointed to settlers from a broad mix of Scandinavian regions, including Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
Iceland: The genetic makeup of Icelandic settlers was far more distinct, suggesting a smaller, cohesive founding population from a specific region.
Using an innovative method called Mutational Distance from Modal Haplotype, the researchers also uncovered a “founder effect” in both populations—a genetic signature left by small groups of settlers.
“Færoarum – Prima & accurata delineatio”. Map by Lucas Debes 1673, the first known detailed map of the Faroes
New Genetic Techniques Reveal Viking Origins
“Here we provide strong evidence that the Faroe Islands were colonized by a diverse group of male settlers from multiple Scandinavian populations,” said Dr Christopher Tillquist, associate professor at the University of Louisville and lead author of the study published in Frontiers in Genetics.
“Scientists have long assumed that the Faroe Islands and Iceland were both settled by similar Norse people. Yet our novel analysis has shown that these islands were founded by men from different gene pools within Scandinavia,” Tillquist added. “One group, diverse in their Scandinavian origins, established themselves in the Faroe Islands, while another and more genetically divergent band of Vikings colonized Iceland. They have separate genetic signatures that persist to this day.”
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The lack of interbreeding between the two populations, despite their proximity, challenges assumptions about the uniformity of Viking settlements. “Our results demonstrate that Viking expansion into the North Atlantic was more complex than previously thought,” Tillquist concluded.
The Vikings’ Genetic Legacy
“Each longship that set sail for these distant islands carried not just Vikings, but distinct genetic legacies,” said Tillquist. “We can now trace these separate journeys of conquest and settlement, revealing a more nuanced story of Viking exploration than told by the history books.”
These findings enrich our understanding of Viking migrations, offering a clearer picture of how Norse settlers shaped the genetic landscape of the North Atlantic.
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The article, "Genetic evidence points to distinct paternal settlers of the Faroe Islands and Iceland," by Allison E. Mann, Eyðfinn Magnussen and Christopher R. Tillquist, appears in Frontiers in Genetics. Click here to read it.
Top Image: Today's landscape on the Faroe Islands. Image credit: Eyðfinn Magnussen
Geneticists have unveiled surprising differences in the origins of Viking settlers in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. By analysing Y-chromosome haplogroups from the Faroe Islands, colonized by Vikings around 900 CE, and comparing them to those found in today’s Scandinavia, researchers discovered that the genetic makeup of Faroese settlers closely resembled populations in Norway and Denmark, with some influence from Sweden. In contrast, the settlers of Iceland displayed a distinct genetic profile. These findings reveal separate migration paths for the Viking settlers of the two islands.
Vikings on the Move: Settling the Faroe Islands
The Viking Age (circa 793–1050 CE) marked a time of extensive exploration and settlement. Among the many places they ventured were the Faroe Islands, an archipelago of 18 rugged, windswept islands in the North Atlantic.
Evidence suggests that these islands may have been first inhabited around 300 CE, likely by Celtic monks or others from the British Isles. However, Viking settlers are credited with establishing lasting communities. The Færeyinga Saga, written around 1200 CE, names a Viking chieftain, Grímur Kamban, as the leader of this colonization between 872 and 930 CE.
Where did Grímur and his followers originate within Scandinavia? That mystery has intrigued historians and geneticists alike—until now.
Why Iceland’s Vikings Were Different
In the new study, Dr Christopher Tillquist and his colleagues analysed Y-chromosome data from 139 Faroese men, focusing on 12 genetic markers known as short tandem repeats (STRs). They compared this data with genetic profiles from 412 men in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland.
Their findings revealed a striking contrast between the Faroe Islands and Iceland:
Using an innovative method called Mutational Distance from Modal Haplotype, the researchers also uncovered a “founder effect” in both populations—a genetic signature left by small groups of settlers.
New Genetic Techniques Reveal Viking Origins
“Here we provide strong evidence that the Faroe Islands were colonized by a diverse group of male settlers from multiple Scandinavian populations,” said Dr Christopher Tillquist, associate professor at the University of Louisville and lead author of the study published in Frontiers in Genetics.
“Scientists have long assumed that the Faroe Islands and Iceland were both settled by similar Norse people. Yet our novel analysis has shown that these islands were founded by men from different gene pools within Scandinavia,” Tillquist added. “One group, diverse in their Scandinavian origins, established themselves in the Faroe Islands, while another and more genetically divergent band of Vikings colonized Iceland. They have separate genetic signatures that persist to this day.”
The lack of interbreeding between the two populations, despite their proximity, challenges assumptions about the uniformity of Viking settlements. “Our results demonstrate that Viking expansion into the North Atlantic was more complex than previously thought,” Tillquist concluded.
The Vikings’ Genetic Legacy
“Each longship that set sail for these distant islands carried not just Vikings, but distinct genetic legacies,” said Tillquist. “We can now trace these separate journeys of conquest and settlement, revealing a more nuanced story of Viking exploration than told by the history books.”
These findings enrich our understanding of Viking migrations, offering a clearer picture of how Norse settlers shaped the genetic landscape of the North Atlantic.
The article, "Genetic evidence points to distinct paternal settlers of the Faroe Islands and Iceland," by Allison E. Mann, Eyðfinn Magnussen and Christopher R. Tillquist, appears in Frontiers in Genetics. Click here to read it.
Top Image: Today's landscape on the Faroe Islands. Image credit: Eyðfinn Magnussen
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