The Guanches are the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands. However, today’s population has such a low percentage of the genes from the original ones, that the Guanches are considered extinct. Sort of like the Neanderthals, even though Europeans still carry some of their DNA. According to a recent study by Fregel et al. 2009, in spite of the geographic nearness between the Canary Islands and Morocco, the genetic heritage of the Canary islands male lineages, is mainly from European origin. Indeed, nearly 67% of the haplogroups resulting from are Euro–Eurasian (R1a (2.76%), R1b (50.62%), I (9.66%) and G (3.99%)). Unsurprisingly the Spanish conquest brought the genetic base of the current male population of the Canary Islands. Nevertheless, the second … Continue reading The Guanches of the Canary Islands