Jews are on average about 3% to 5% black according to a genetic study by Priya Moorjani in 2011. Not just European Jews but even those in Turkey, Iran and Iraq, whether Sephardic or not. (She did not study Ethiopian Jews.)
This is less than Arabs who live in the Levant – Israel, Lebanon, Syria, etc, the part of the Middle East Jews came from. There people are generally 4% to 15% black. But it is more than most Southern Europeans (1% to 3% black) and Northern Europeans (0% to 1% black).
Here “black” means genes from sub-Saharan Africa not counting those that were brought to Europe 45,000 or more years ago when anatomically modern humans arrived (Homo sapiens sapiens as opposed to Neanderthals).
Moorjani used as her sample of black people those of Kenyan Bantu, South African Bantu, Mandenka, Mbuti Pygmy, Biaka Pygmy and Yoruba stock.
By this measure African Americans are on average about 79.4% black.
- 10%+ Bedouin Arabs
- 9% Palestinians
- 5% Italian Jews, Sephardic Jews (Greek, Turkey)
- 4% Druze, Syrian Jews, Iraqi Jews
- 3% Portugal, Ashkenazi Jews, Sardinians, Southern Italy, Iranian Jews
- 2% Spain
- 1% Northern Italy, Swiss French
- 0% Scotland, Sweden, Russia
Notice that Jews fall in a narrow band despite being spread out over a large region over thousands of years.
Moorjani left out Greeks since she could not get solid numbers on them.
Further, Moorjani was able to work out roughly when black genes flowed into these populations (she gives it in terms of generations ago. I give it in terms of 500-year blocks of history, assuming, as she does, a generation of 29 years):
Time of last measurable gene flow from sub-Saharan Africa:
- 3500 BC Northern Italy
- 3000 BC
- 2500 BC
- 2000 BC
- 1500 BC Iraqi Jews
- 1000 BC
- 0500 BC Sardinians, Syrian Jews, Iranian Jews, Sephardic Turkey Jews, Italian Jews
- 0001 AD Spain, Southern Italy, Ashkenazi Jews, Sephardic Greek Jews
- 0500 AD Portugal
- 1000 AD Palestinians, Bedouin Arabs
- 1500 AD African Americans
- 2000 AD
Roughly speaking, it seems that the main gene flows took place when North Africa and the region in question were under a common power: Roman, Moorish, Egyptian, etc.
This should not be surprising. Thousands of years from now geneticists might be able tell that genes flowed into Britain from sub-Saharan Africa some time about 2000 AD – just about the time of the British Empire. Something we see today as African and Caribbean immigrants in Britain.
The Roman Empire was no different. People travelled freely throughout the empire. For example, in the 300s one of the richest women of what is now called York, England grew up in North Africa. To Americans she looks black:
In addition, the Romans bought slaves from West Africa. Those people and their genes did not just simply disappear.
The reason Jews have less black blood than Arabs in the Levant today is because most left during Roman times and did not begin returning in large numbers till the 1900s.
Moorjani cannot tell whether the genes came mainly from East or West Africa. From her numbers it seems to be an even split.
Thanks to Herneith for pointing out Moorjani’s study to me.