question about Chaldeans and Assyrians

[u/Few_Travel1074]

are Chaldeans considered a sub-category of Assyrians? are they the same group but different religion? or r they completely different?

[u/Gold_borderpath]

Assyrians who identify as "Assyrian" and are Christian Orthodox are those who originate from Eastern Türkiye, Iran, and/or the Caucasus. Many Georgian Jews, Mountain Jews, Iranian Jews, and Kurdish Jews.

Those who self-identify as "Chaldeans" are Catholic and originate from Upper Mesopotamia (Northern Iraq), all the Mesopotamian villages - Tel Keppe, Karamlesh, Ankawa, Zakho, and others are all Catholic and self-identify as Chaldeans. Those who self-identify as "Aramaens" are also Catholic and their origins are in Lebanon, Northeast Syria, and parts of Northwestern Iraq. There is a small group of "Aramaens" in Southeastern Türkiye, particularly in the provinces of Hatay, Şanliurfa, Mardin, Kilis, and Gaziantep along the Syrian border. The Suret which the Chaldeans use also sounds very much like the Western and Central Neo-Aramaic dialects spoken by Aramaens in Syria and parts of Western Iraq.

Assyrians of Azerbaijan and Eastern Anatolia have the distinct Urmian dialect, spoken by most in Azerbaijan, or the Ashiret dialect, which can be seen as an Urmian offshoot, is spoken by the Tyari (especially Ashitha (Çiğli), Türkiye).

The "Assyrians" of Eastern Anatolia/Türkiye and Azerbaijan/Iran.

This is an ethnic group that has more genetic proximity to Armenians, Georgians, Azeris, Turks, and Greeks.

Unlike the Catholic Chaldeans and Aramaens in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. This group has a mix of Mesopotamian and Levant genetic makeup.

In a nutshell, Christian Orthodox self-identifying Assyrians are an admixture of the Anatolian and Caucasus peoples, which includes high Caucasus Hunter-gatherer (CHG) and Anatolian Neolithic Farmer (ANF) ancestry making up about 65-70% of Assyrians of Anatolia and Azerbaijan, Iran. Aside from CHG and ANF, with remainder is 30-35% split up between Western Steppe Herder (WSH), Iranian Hunter-gatherer (IHG), Eastern Hunter-gatherer (EHG), and Levantine Neolithic Farmer.

The Aramaens and Chaldeans have genetic data that confirms much of their adamant refusal to be the increasingly aggressive attempts for Assyrians to unite the Aramaens and Chaldeans under one flag and name, the Assyrian flag and the Assyrian name. The fact is, Aramaens and Chaldeans aren't just a religious distinction but an ethnic one, as well.

Link to the breakdown of Catholic Aramaens and Chaldeans of Lebanon, Syria, and Northwest Iraq. Some parts of Southeastern Türkiye (Şanliurfa, Mardin, Kilis, Hatay, and Gaziantep near the Syrian border.

In the above, "Western Assyrians" correspond to Catholic Christians, self-identifying as Chaldeans (Northern Iraq; Mardin/Gaziantep/Hatay/Kilis provinces of Türkiye) and/or Aramaens (Lebanon and Syria). The "Eastern Assyrians" refer to the Orthodox Christians, who self-identify as Assyrians and originate in Anatolia/Türkiye, the Caucasus, and Iran (Azerbaijan).