“Not 100 Percent Dutch People”: Breakdown of Afrikaners’ DNA Reveals Surprising Heritage

• A genetics-focused content creator shared a detailed video breaking down the ancestral makeup of Afrikaners
• While many might assume any non-European DNA would come from indigenous African populations, the analysis showed that South Asian genetic markers
• The video prompted diverse reactions from viewers, with some discussing migration patterns, others debating South Africa's development, and several questioning exploring this history

A viral TikTok video analyzing the genetic makeup of South Africa's Afrikaner population has sparked conversation about the group's complex ancestry.

Content creator @worldgeneticsfb, known for exploring genetic profiles of different ethnic groups and notable figures, posted an in-depth breakdown examining whether Afrikaners are 100 percent European.

The video explains that Afrikaners form a unique South African ethnic group with a population exceeding three million people who trace their origins primarily to European settlers.

Watch the Facebook reel below.

Historical origins revealed through DNA

The analysis shows that Afrikaners emerged from a small founding population, beginning with Dutch colonists who arrived in the seventeenth century, later joined by French and German settlers. This historical migration pattern is clearly reflected in their modern genetic profile.

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According to the video, Afrikaner DNA is overwhelmingly European, comprising nearly 98% of their total genetic makeup. Half of this ancestry traces directly to Dutch populations, while the remaining European component is fairly evenly distributed between French and German origins, aligning with historical records of settlement patterns at the Cape of Good Hope.

What surprised many viewers was the revelation about the non-European portion of Afrikaner heritage. Rather than showing significant indigenous Southern African genetic markers as might be expected, South Asian genetic contributions proved more common at approximately 0.7% of their total heritage. This unexpected finding challenges some assumptions about the nature of genetic mixing during South Africa's colonial period.

Reactions to the genetic findings

The video sparked various responses from viewers who shared their perspectives on the information:

@JayBlack proposed a controversial population exchange:

"USA should just trade Africans that came after 1970s to Africa and take afrikaners. The rest of world should do that too. Just swap back. Use dna percentage too help guide and negative things said about country."

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@ShannonIanIkking made a politically charged comment:

"The race that keeps the lights on."

@JonasOliveira connected genetics to development:

"That's why South Africa is more developed than other African nations."

@LarissaBeukes challenged the findings with historical context:

"It's well-known that after months without conjugal relations, when the Dutchmen arrived and saw the beautiful, scantily clad, khoi ladies on the beach, the Afrikaner nation was born approximately nine months later. Just look at the late Eugene Terreblanche's features, amongst many others. I wonder what's the real motivation for this revisionism."

@DebraSharonScheepers showed personal interest:

"Just for interest's sake, where can a person get a DNA test to see their lineage? I would love to know mine 100% and not just what I have been told."

Similar Afrikaner stories

• Briefly News recent reported on the Democratic Alliance who stirred controversy when they extended an invitation to South African-born actress Charlize Theron to help save Afrikaans from the ANC.
• A heartwarming video of three Afrikaans-speaking boys walking in perfect synchronization to Biri Marung's beat through a township area captured social media's attention.
• South Africans were taken by surprise when an Afrikaans family spoke a native language fluently.

Source: Briefly News