Y-chromosome analysis identified the medieval founder of the Western Kazakh clans
The Western Kazakhstan population included three clans, totaling two million people. Since clan membership is paternally transmitted, the Y chromosome is the most informative genetic system for investigating clan origin. An article published in the Journal of Human Genetics reported the analysis of 330 members of three Western Kazakh clans against 40 Y-SNP and 17 Y-STR markers. The authors performed a high-resolution phylogenetic analysis of the C2a1a2-M48 haplogroup with the use of additional SNP markers. Three lines of evidence show that the Alimula and Bayul clans (but not the Jetiru one) have a common ancestor who lived 700 ± 200 years ago (according to STR data) or 500 ± 200 years ago (according to sequencing data). This is consistent with the traditional genealogy data that these clans are descended from Emir Alau, who lived 650 years ago. Two-thirds of the modern Western Kazakhs carry his lineage.
Maxat Zhabagin, Zhaxylyk Sabitov, Inkar Tazhigulova, Irina Alborova, Anastasiya Agdzhoyan, Lan-Hai Wei, Vadim Urasin, Sergey Koshel, Kharis Mustafin, Ainur Akilzhanova, Hui Li, Oleg Balanovsky & Elena Balanovska. Medieval Super-Grandfather founder of Western Kazakh Clans from Haplogroup C2a1a2-M48 // Journal of Human Genetics (2021)