Genetic study of 1039 ancient Britons shows limited Roman and Viking ancestry

A study published on the bioRxiv preprint server examined the genomes of 1039 individuals buried in Britain between 2550 BC and AD 1150. Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute reported that people living under Roman rule from AD 43 to 410 showed predominantly Iron Age British ancestry, with only 20 per cent carrying detectable ancestry from outside Britain.

The same analysis found that matrilineal burial practices documented in the late Iron Age in south-west England disappeared in Roman-period cemeteries.

Post-Roman migrations Between the 8th and 11th centuries, early medieval British ancestry declined in prevalence while central and southern European ancestries increased. Only 4 per cent of individuals from that period retained ancestry associated with Iron Age Scandinavia, despite the existence of the Danelaw under Danish control.

The 69 genomes dated after the Norman conquest in 1066 came largely from a single Leicester site within the former Danelaw region. Researchers noted that this limited geographic sample may not represent broader post-conquest patterns across Britain.