This July, in honor of French-American Heritage Month, we’re adding four new individuals from early medieval France to our Historical MatchesSM feature.
Studying the Demography of Northern France
In a 2024 study published in Nature Communications, researchers sequenced the genomes of 3,234 present-day individuals from across northern France to explore the region’s population history. As part of this study, they also analyzed the DNA of six historical individuals who lived between the 4th and 11th centuries CE, recovered from archaeological sites in the Pays de la Loire region of northwestern France—four of whom had DNA of high enough quality to be added to the Historical Matches feature.
Northwestern France in the Early Medieval Period
The period between the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century and the rise of the Carolingian Empire in the 9th century was one of major cultural and demographic transformations in northwestern France. While few written records survive, archaeological and linguistic evidence points to a region shaped by interactions with British, Irish, and Germanic populations. This study offers new genetic insights into this transitional period in history.
DNA Reveals Migration Across Europe—and Beyond
By studying the genomes of present-day and historical individuals, the research team uncovered strong genetic links between the people of northern France and of Great Britain and Ireland, supporting the idea that migration—not just trade or cultural exchange—connected these regions during the early Middle Ages.
The study also revealed regional differences in ancestry across northern France. For instance, people living north of the Loire River had more ancestry linked to Bronze Age populations from the Eurasian Steppe, introduced to western Europe around 2500 BCE with the spread of the Bell Beaker culture. In contrast, those south of the river retained more ancestry from earlier Neolithic farming populations.
While most of the historical individuals whose genomes were sequenced in this study were genetically similar to modern northern French populations, the research team was surprised to discover that one individual had recent North African ancestry. This finding highlights the fact that long-distance mobility and migration played a role in shaping the demography of northern France, even during the Medieval Period.
Learn More
Want to see if you share a genetic connection with any of these newly added individuals from early medieval France—or to hundreds of other historical individuals? The Historical Matches feature is available to 23andMe+ Premium™ members.
