Subraces

Subraces refer to subdivisions within a broader racial or population group, used in anthropology, biology, and fictional worldbuilding to describe populations with shared ancestry and distinguishable traits. In science, the term is informal or outdated; subspecies, populations, or genetic lineages are preferred. In humans, the concept is controversial because variation is clinal and boundaries are not discrete.

In fantasy and fiction, subraces are common devices for worldbuilding, offering variety in appearance, culture, and abilities while maintaining a shared species identity. Examples include portable categories like elf subraces, dwarven subraces, or human regional variants, though the specifics vary by setting. In many games and novels, subraces are narrative tools rather than claims about real biology.

Delimiting subraces can rely on geography, phenotype, language, or genetics. They may overlap, and modern genetics shows that much variation is gradual (clines) rather than neatly partitioned. This complicates rigid subrace schemes and highlights their potential mismatch with real population structure. Critiques emphasize avoiding essentialized or hierarchical interpretations of human groups.

Ethical considerations: the term has historically been used to justify discrimination; current practice discourages ranking or privileging real-world groups.

See also subspecies, population genetics, cline, worldbuilding.