Origin of M33a2? Studying the patterns of ancient Judeo-Christian Community.

[Thomas48]

Hello,

I am a researcher from the United States studying the DNA patterns of the St. Thomas Christians of India and particularly a subgroup known as the Knanaya. The Knanaya are said to be the descendants of Judeo-Christian immigrants from the Middle East who came to India some time between 345-800 A.D, this is based on folk culture and ancient folk songs. They're culture does indeed show a high prevalence from Judaic, Syriac, and Hindu culture which is perhaps an indicator of their origins and even their centuries of living as a minority community in India. They follow East/West Syriac Christianity and have for the most part been endogamous historically and in the modern day. From results of Y-DNA patterns the Knanaya seem to be all over the place some being of the L haplogroup and others randomly spread out such as myself being from the Q haplogroup. However the most conclusive genetic clustering of the Knanaya seems to be they're MtDNA, so far according to a researcher on these forms 12/13 Knanaya MtDNA has resulted in specifically M33a2. Whats even more amazing is that my own MtDNA came out very specifically as M33a2. Does anyone know the origins for this specific maternal haplogroup or other groups who seem to have a link to this?

Thanks

My Results:

YDNA: QM242

MtDNA: M33a2
HVR1 MATCHES

Country:

India
Match total: 6
Country Total: 793
Percentage: 0.8%

Syrian Arab Republic:
Match Total: 1
Country total: 133
Percentage: 0.8%


Italy
Match Total: 1
Country Total: 5081
Percentage: < 0.1%

Mauritius
Match total: 1
Country Total: 4
Percentage: N/A

[Amber29]

I think this is popular from middle east - I have a dna match who is M33a2a but i think this DNA match has a brahmin surname? - i also seen this is popular amongst Jewish community and there is a european family has it too on Geni..dont know what background they belong to though.

https://www.yfull.com/mtree/M33a2/

[Thomas48]

I think this is popular from middle east - I have a dna match who is M33a2a but i think this DNA match has a brahmin surname? - i also seen this is popular amongst Jewish community and there is a european family has it too on Geni..dont know what background they belong to though.

https://www.yfull.com/mtree/M33a2/

Thanks for this. I did a little digging and besides the Knanaya, M33a2 is commonly found among the Siwi People of Egypt and Katkari people of Maharashtra, India.

[JTM]

double post

[JTM]

The Knanaya people has a distinct identity among the christians of Kerala. Many records were burnt in Synod of Diamper. It is true that Knanaya people are exotic. However whether they are Jewish or not is a question.
Jewish people are strictly patriarchal. They never eat pork. Do knanaya people follow this? Thanks

[Thomas48]

The Knanaya people has a distinct identity among the christians of Kerala. Many records were burnt in Synod of Diamper. It is true that Knanaya people are exotic. However whether they are Jewish or not is a question.
Jewish people are strictly patriarchal. They never eat pork. Do knanaya people follow this? Thanks

Hey JTM, Knanaya don’t claim to be Jews today. They’re wholeheartedly Kerala Syriac Christians, they only state their ancestors may have been Jews, which seems to be supported by many Jewish scholars such as Dr. P.M. Jussay, Dr. Ophira Gamliel, Dr. Shalva Weil, etc who’ve all written comparative texts on the community. I personally think it may have been possible that the Syriac Christians who arrived with Knai Thoma could have been of Jewish origin but sadly as you stated Knanaya and Kerala Syriac Christians as a whole lost so many of their primary sources due to the Portuguese incursion.

[Thomas48]

This is pretty amazing, the population geneticist Razib Khan analyzed around 20 Knanaya samples and notes that they are “enriched” in Middle Eastern ancestry compared to the local population. He also states their Middle Eastern admixture is likely Semetic, this at the moment seems to confirm the migration history and origins story of the Knanaya.

https://www.gnxp.com/WordPress/2020/05/11/west-asian-ancestry-in-knanaya-greater-than-nasrani-which-is-greater-than-mappila/#comments