Saxons of Medieval England
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What's included in this test?
- This test provides powerful, innovative, and interactive DNA-based tools to help you explore your ancestors from England during the Anglo-Saxon and early Norman periods (463 AD–1094 AD). This era began with the migration of Germanic peoples into post-Roman Britain and culminated in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest—reshaping England’s population, language, law, and identity.
- Discover how closely you are related to Saxons of Medieval England (463 AD–1094 AD), individuals associated with early medieval populations—Anglo-Saxon settlers, warriors, farmers, craftsmen, monks, and local elites whose lives were shaped by migration, kingdom-building, Christianization, Viking interaction, and the emergence of England as a unified realm:
- Receive a detailed breakdown of your ancient geographical origins, including interactive ancestry maps showing where your ancestors settled, farmed, ruled, worshipped, or migrated across England. This includes early Saxon heartlands, evolving kingdoms such as Wessex, Mercia, and Northumbria, and regions influenced by Norse and Norman contact. You will also see your exact genetic similarity to each individual included in this medieval English dataset, reflecting migration, integration, and regional diversity.
- Compare your DNA with over 50 worldwide modern populations.
- Journey back more than 1,500 years to reconnect with the people who shaped medieval England—when Roman Britain gave way to new languages and identities, kingdoms rose and fell, monasteries preserved knowledge, and the foundations of modern England were laid.
- Help us reconstruct population structure, migration, and demographic change in early medieval England using the power of ancient DNA.
- Meet the Saxons of England — When a New England Was Forged, this can be Your Story.
- Basic test includes 6 members.
- Advanced test includes 173 members. Best Deal: Unlock access to a broader collection of ancient British, Anglo-Saxon, and medieval European DNA tests with our compendium: Kingdoms of the Saxons
About the test
Saxons of Medieval England (463 AD–1094 AD)
Enter the formative centuries that forged medieval England. This test explores your genetic connections to Anglo-Saxon populations living between 463 AD and 1094 AD, from the aftermath of Roman withdrawal through the Viking Age and into the early Norman period. It captures the people who laid the linguistic, cultural, and demographic foundations of England as it emerged from Late Antiquity into the Middle Ages.
These individuals were farmers, warriors, craft specialists, monks, and traders who settled, expanded, and reshaped the landscape of England. Their DNA reflects a complex blend of continental Germanic ancestry, local Romano-British continuity, and later Scandinavian and insular influences—revealing how England became a unified yet regionally diverse society.
Historical context
Following the end of Roman administration in the fifth century, groups commonly identified as Angles, Saxons, and Jutes established new communities across eastern and southern Britain. Over the next centuries, these settlements evolved into early kingdoms such as East Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria, and Kent. Christianity, introduced from both Rome and Ireland, transformed burial customs and literacy, while long-distance trade reconnected England to the North Sea world.
From the ninth century onward, Viking activity introduced new demographic layers, particularly in eastern and northern England. Despite political upheaval—from the Danelaw to the Norman Conquest—local populations show strong continuity. The period ending around 1094 AD captures England just after Norman rule had begun to reshape elite culture, while the underlying population structure remained largely Saxon.
Collected and reconstructed from:
What these populations represent
Together, these sites capture the demographic heart of medieval England:
This is not only a test of migration—but of settlement, continuity, and nation-building.
This test reveals:
Perfect for:
Your personalized report includes:
Discover your DNA from the Saxons of medieval England— the people who shaped the language, culture, and population of England itself.
Enter the formative centuries that forged medieval England. This test explores your genetic connections to Anglo-Saxon populations living between 463 AD and 1094 AD, from the aftermath of Roman withdrawal through the Viking Age and into the early Norman period. It captures the people who laid the linguistic, cultural, and demographic foundations of England as it emerged from Late Antiquity into the Middle Ages.
These individuals were farmers, warriors, craft specialists, monks, and traders who settled, expanded, and reshaped the landscape of England. Their DNA reflects a complex blend of continental Germanic ancestry, local Romano-British continuity, and later Scandinavian and insular influences—revealing how England became a unified yet regionally diverse society.
Historical context
Following the end of Roman administration in the fifth century, groups commonly identified as Angles, Saxons, and Jutes established new communities across eastern and southern Britain. Over the next centuries, these settlements evolved into early kingdoms such as East Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria, and Kent. Christianity, introduced from both Rome and Ireland, transformed burial customs and literacy, while long-distance trade reconnected England to the North Sea world.
From the ninth century onward, Viking activity introduced new demographic layers, particularly in eastern and northern England. Despite political upheaval—from the Danelaw to the Norman Conquest—local populations show strong continuity. The period ending around 1094 AD captures England just after Norman rule had begun to reshape elite culture, while the underlying population structure remained largely Saxon.
Collected and reconstructed from:
- Lakenheath (Suffolk), A major early Anglo-Saxon cemetery reflecting settlement in East Anglia.
- Oakington (Cambridgeshire), One of the most extensively studied Anglo-Saxon burial sites, capturing early migration and community formation.
- West Heslerton (North Yorkshire, Vale of Pickering), A large settlement and cemetery complex illustrating long-term occupation from early Saxon to Viking periods.
- Apple Down (West Sussex, Chichester), Southern Saxon communities reflecting regional variation in burial and ancestry.
- Hinxton, Hatherdene, Ely, Linton (Cambridgeshire), Eastern England populations illustrating continuity across the Anglo-Saxon centuries.
- Sedgeford (Norfolk), Communities reflecting everyday life in Anglo-Saxon and later medieval East Anglia.
- Polhill and Eastry (Kent), Kentish populations highlighting early continental connections and long-term settlement.
- Wolverton (Buckinghamshire), Midlands communities linking southern and northern population networks.
- Norton East Mill / Bishops Mill and Selside Grike (North Yorkshire), Northern contexts reflecting interaction with Viking and North Sea worlds.
- Lincoln Castle (Lincolnshire), Urban populations illustrating late Saxon continuity into the Norman era.
What these populations represent
Together, these sites capture the demographic heart of medieval England:
- Early Anglo-Saxon settlers and their descendants
- Regional diversity across East Anglia, Kent, the Midlands, and northern England
- Continuity from post-Roman Britain through the Viking Age
- Integration of local and continental ancestries
- The population foundation of later English society
This is not only a test of migration—but of settlement, continuity, and nation-building.
This test reveals:
- The genetic profile of Anglo-Saxon and early medieval English populations
- Regional variation within medieval England
- Signals of continental Germanic and insular British ancestry
- Population continuity before and after the Norman Conquest
Perfect for:
- Individuals with English or broader British ancestry
- Those interested in Anglo-Saxon, Viking, and early medieval history
- Enthusiasts of early English archaeology and genealogy
- Anyone seeking DNA insight into the origins of medieval England
Your personalized report includes:
- Direct genetic comparison to medieval individuals from across England
- mtDNA and Y-DNA haplogroups associated with Anglo-Saxon populations
- Affinity analysis linking you to regional Saxon and later medieval communities
- Archaeological and historical context covering settlement, conversion, and conquest
Discover your DNA from the Saxons of medieval England— the people who shaped the language, culture, and population of England itself.
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Why take this test
Up until 2010, reading the DNA of ancient people was a dream. Since then, the DNA of a Neanderthal who lived over 30,000 years ago has been sequenced. After that reading, the DNA of ancient people who lived from 15,000 BC to 1,800 AD all over the world became the main object of paleogenomic research. This leap forward in technology allowed the creation of a new type of DNA test — tests that do not use modern-day populations as stand-ins for the ancient tribes but rather go right to the source and study these ancient peoples themselves.
The Ancient DNA Hub DNA test is the first next-generation DNA test. It is designed solely using the DNA of ancient people throughout history using our novel technologies.
With this test, you will receive a precise ancient ethnicity estimate with far greater geographical details than you could imagine. You will make new connections with historical people and places where your ancestors lived, walked, battled, created, and dreamed thousands of years ago. Using genetic data and evidence from history and archeology, we can revive the past and allow you to take part in this story at the most personal level.
The Ancient DNA Hub DNA test is the first next-generation DNA test. It is designed solely using the DNA of ancient people throughout history using our novel technologies.
With this test, you will receive a precise ancient ethnicity estimate with far greater geographical details than you could imagine. You will make new connections with historical people and places where your ancestors lived, walked, battled, created, and dreamed thousands of years ago. Using genetic data and evidence from history and archeology, we can revive the past and allow you to take part in this story at the most personal level.
