The Roma people, also known as Romani, originate from South Asia, specifically from the regions of present-day northern India, including Rajasthan, Punjab, and Sindh. Their ancestors likely belonged to the Doma caste groups in India. The Roma migration began around 250 BCE, moving northwest through Persia and Armenia, and eventually arriving in Europe via the Balkans between the 8th and 14th centuries. Genetic, linguistic, and historical evidence supports this South Asian origin, with Roma migrating westward through the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire before settling across Europe.
The Roma have a distinct Indo-Aryan language called Romani, which shows influences from Persian, Armenian, Byzantine Greek, and South Slavic languages, reflecting their migration path. Traditionally a nomadic people, they have spread widely across Europe, with large populations in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia.
Interestingly, historical accounts from as early as the 15th and 16th centuries record Roma themselves stating their origins in India, though their cultural identity does not center around a specific homeland, instead emphasizing freedom and mobility.
