The earliest known individuals with the genetic markers for blonde hair are traced back to a distinctive Paleolithic Siberian sample, specifically Afontova Gora 3.
While blonde hair has arisen independently in various populations across the globe, this Siberian individual represents the earliest documented evidence of the specific gene alleles commonly associated with blonde hair in Europeans. It's important to note that Afontova Gora 3 is not particularly closely related to modern Europeans or East Asians. This suggests that the gene variant emerged in a population that predates the divergence of these groups.
Therefore, pinpointing a single "first" individual is impossible. Blonde hair evolved multiple times in different populations. However, based on current evidence, the individuals associated with the Afontova Gora 3 sample are the earliest identified with the genetic markers related to the common European blonde hair.
