{"id":80422,"date":"2025-02-25T08:00:50","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T14:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/?p=80422"},"modified":"2026-03-16T12:58:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T17:58:57","slug":"updated-mtdna-tree-35000-new-branches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/updated-mtdna-tree-35000-new-branches\/","title":{"rendered":"Updated mtDNA Haplotree: 35,000 New Branches for Genealogy Research"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”951679″]By: Katy Rowe-Schurwanz<\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t taken an mtDNA test yet, now is the perfect time to explore your maternal ancestry. FamilyTreeDNA\u2019s mtDNA test provides the most detailed maternal lineage analysis available, allowing you to uncover deep ancestral roots, migration patterns, and DNA connections across generations. Learn more about mtDNA testing and start your journey today.<\/em><\/p>\n

The mtDNA Tree of Humankind just got its biggest update yet\u2014over 40,000 branches have been included, refining maternal ancestry research and enhancing genealogical connections.<\/h2>\n

Over the past few years, FamilyTreeDNA has been building a brand new mtDNA Tree of Humankind through the Million Mito Project<\/a>. We are excited to announce that the first beta version of the Mitotree is here! Let\u2019s examine what that means for your mtDNA results<\/a>, your genealogy research, and our understanding of human history.<\/p>\n

The Evolution of the mtDNA Tree<\/h2>\n

In 2009, scientists released an mtDNA haplotree called the PhyloTree<\/a>. The PhyloTree became the academic and scientific standard, and this is the tree that FamilyTreeDNA has been using to determine your placement on the mtDNA Tree of Humankind.<\/p>\n

The PhyloTree was updated over the years, with the last update being Version 17, released in 2016. Version 17 has about 5,400 branches and was built using publicly available data from about 24,000 full and partial mtDNA sequences.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=”80423″ media_lightbox=”yes” media_width_percent=”76″ lbox_social=”yes” uncode_shortcode_id=”124999″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”262521″]There\u2019s nothing wrong with the PhyloTree. However, it has only a few branches, and each was typically formed several thousand years ago. Knowing you share a matrilineal ancestor with someone in the Stone or Metal Ages is neat but not helpful for genealogy.<\/p>\n

In 2020, Dr. Paul Maier<\/strong> and G\u00f6ran Runfeldt<\/strong> from FamilyTreeDNA\u2019s R&D department joined forces with Dr. Miguel Vilar<\/strong>, the lead scientist for National Geographic\u2019s Genographic Project, and Roberta Estes<\/strong>, a computer scientist and genetic genealogy expert, to create the Million Mito Project.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=”80424″ media_lightbox=”yes” media_width_percent=”76″ lbox_social=”yes” uncode_shortcode_id=”140683″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”110562″]The goal was to expand the existing mtDNA Tree of Humankind with the additional data available and create a more useful tree for finding genealogical connections.<\/p>\n

The World\u2019s Largest mtDNA Haplotree<\/h2>\n

The Million Mito Team has worked tirelessly to expand the mtDNA Haplotree. Using over half a million mtDNA results from testers across FamilyTreeDNA and the Genographic Project and from academic sources, our team has created the world’s largest mtDNA Tree of Humankind<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The updated mtDNA Haplotree has over 40,000 branches\u2014practically 35,000 more than the PhyloTree![\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=”80425″ media_width_percent=”76″ lbox_social=”yes” uncode_shortcode_id=”527839″][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”144760″]We\u2019ve also added many ancient branches representing ancestors who lived so long ago that their names have been lost to time. The first was haplogroup L7<\/a>, added to the mtDNA Haplotree in June 2022, inserting a new 100,000-year-old story into our collective matrilineal past.<\/p>\n

How This Update Affects Your Results<\/h2>\n

You won\u2019t see any significant changes to your mtDNA reports that previously existed quite yet, and likely won\u2019t until the beta period has ended*.<\/p>\n

However, we have:<\/p>\n