Where in the world did your blood type come from?

This map of ancient Europe highlights the percentages of rh positives by region. So when you look at Basque country, there are parts with more than 50% rh negatives. Note also high rh negative frequencies in the ancient European region which is the Ukraine today.

Updates for this post can be found here.

It was not too long ago that I have learned that today’s Inuits are descendants of a tribe 1,000 years ago migrating from Asia towards the Americas and not so much the Paleo-Eskimos coming over around 5,000 years ago. That would explain the blood type B presence amongst them while B being absent from all other Native American tribes.

Blood type frequencies make sense when looking at migrations and timelines and while some of you might be surprised by the origin of your blood types, it all makes sense looking at the autosomal DNA and dominances when wondering why your blood type may have originated 1,000s of miles from where you know your ancestry to be from.

Here are results of studies indicating where your blood type might originally have come up first:

Blood type O positive

There is no doubt in my mind that Africa is the answer. It is still the most common blood type on the continent as it is in many places. Native Americans have maintained the 100 percent O positive for the most part and for the longest due to isolation likely stemming from Asian groups 100 percent O positive at that time.

Blood type A positive

This one is more difficult. Europe might be the most obvious answer, but why is it the highest amongst the Blackfoot Indians and the Andaman Islanders? Assyria and Armenia also stand out with the rarer A2 popping up in Assyria and amongst Pharao Tutankhamun and his family. But again: Why is it the Blackfoot Indians are reported to be 82% blood type A positive which is huge?

Generally speaking, Native American tribes are known to have been exclusively blood type O positive... except the Blackfoot Indians... WHY? — Generally speaking, Native American tribes are known to have been exclusively blood type O positive… except the Blackfoot Indians… WHY?

The answer might lie in ancient Japan. Today’s Japanese people are around 40% blood type A making it the highest one amongst them. This could mean that there once was an ancient group 100% blood type A and migrating to the Americas. A lot more research needs to be done in that area.

Blood type B positive

The Himalayas are a likely ancestory. So why is it so frequent in Europe? Dominating over type 0 made it easy to travel without getting lost. So if you are blood type B and European, I am not talking recent Asian ancestry necessarily. It could have been many generations ago. But it definitely was not a blood type present in Europe a few thousand years ago.

Was B the blood type best suited for the harshness and high altitudes of the Himalayas.

Blood type AB positive

Whenever the first blood type A and blood type B person have met, the first AB person could have been created. And likely the rh factor was positive.

Today's Armenians are 50% blood type A. Is Armenia the region where blood type A and B first led to producing a blood type AB child? — Today’s Armenians are 50% blood type A. Is Armenia the region where blood type A and B first led to producing a blood type AB child?

Blood type O negative

Wherever rh negative blood is frequent, so seems to be blood type O. At least a lot more than in other populations. Amongst Rhone Valley residents it is around 60 percent. Also high amongst Celts and Basques. So where is the point of origin? My thoughts are a tribe in the ancient Sumerian region where rh negative blood could have originated. Though some believe it could have been an African tribe with lighter skin more heat sensitive and migrating towards that region.

The ancient Sumerians came in many shades and forms. And it is quite possible that the origin of O negative blood lies with them.

But then the Neanderthals are another guess having the European ones high in type O. But this is far from proven. So the one place I will stick with and am
happily stuck in is Sumer. And here is why: Were the Sumerians rh negative?

Blood type A negative

It could have come from the Assyrians and Sumerians mixing. Others believe O negative blood was brought to Europe mixing with A positives there. But if we look at the high A frequency amongst Blackfoot Indians and the Andaman Islanders, a strong A presence in the ancient fertile crescent might make sense. And it would then be quite likely that the first A negative person could have popped up in that particular region when O and A people came together.

Blood type B negative

Many members of Ethiopia's House of Solomon are said to have had B negative blood. — Many members of Ethiopia’s House of Solomon are said to have had B negative blood.

One thing is for sure: Whereever blood type B came up first was far from where the rh negative blood factor first popped up. So in this case we are definitely talking a product of mixing and it could have been when the B positive Asians crossed a fertile crescent region with high frequencies of O negative blood.

Blood type AB negative

Not necessarily the point of origin, the ancient Hebrews seem to have been high in AB negative blood.

Now looking at a study of a high presence amongst ancient Hebrew remains of AB blood makes me think the presence of AB negative blood was definitely quite frequent there. But was the origin there? According to my above references for A and B negative blood, a meeting within the fertile crescent region could have been it.

But what about you?

What is your blood type and how far back have you traced it in your own family?

You can also see ongoing discussions here:

Eupedia
Rh negative forum
My rh negative origin theory continued…

Do you know where your blood type originates?