Columbus' DNA Analysis

Christopher Columbus was a Sephardic Jew from Western Europe, a 22-year forensic investigation has found. The results, announced Saturday, intend to put to rest the centuries-old mystery of the explorer’s origins.

Theories surrounding Columbus’ background have ranged from him being Italian, Portuguese, Basque, Greek, or Spanish. A team from the University of Granada sought to settle the question by collecting DNA samples from one of Columbus' suspected burial sites, Seville Cathedral. Researchers say they verified the samples against those of one of his brothers and his son, Hernando. The result indicates Columbus was a Sephardic Jew, with researchers positing he was born in the Spanish city of Valencia.

Since 1937, the US has marked today as a federal holiday, Columbus Day; the day is marked in nearly 200 cities and four states as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Learn more about the history here. See public opinion data here.