What genes do Filipinos have?

Filipinos inherit a mosaic of genetic lineages, primarily Austronesian, supplemented by East Asian, South Asian, European and a trace of Native American ancestry.

Major ancestral components

The largest share, roughly half of the genome, comes from Austronesian peoples who first settled the islands thousands of years ago and spread across the Pacific. This ties Filipinos closely to other Southeast Asian and Oceanian groups.

East Asian input accounts for about a third of the genetic makeup, reflecting long‑standing migration from southern China before Spanish colonisation.

Smaller influences

Spanish rule introduced a modest Southern European contribution, typically a few percent, most evident in families with historic urban or elite ties.

South Asian genes, also a few percent, trace back to Indian traders and laborers who arrived over centuries, especially in Mindanao.

A tiny Native American signal—around one or two percent—remains from the Manila‑Acapulco galleon trade that moved people between the Philippines and Mexico.