Abstract
By analysing genetic variation between and within extant human populations it is possible to make inferences about the origins and relationships of our ancestors. Although the autosomes give us a representative account of genomic history in humans, the unique characteristics of the maternally inherited mitochondrial
deoxyribonucleic acid
(mtDNA) and the paternally inherited Y chromosome can provide information about the histories specific to women and men. Current evidence suggests a recent African origin for modern humans <200 thousand years ago (KYA) and a single small migration out of Africa 50–70 KYA, with progressive loss of diversity with distance from Africa, somewhat complicated by sex‐specific effects and natural selection.