Indigenous Languages Spoken in the United States by Location and Number of Fluent Speakers

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Last Updated: 6 years

Here is a chart of indigenous languages spoken in the US, along with the locations where they are spoken, and the number of fluent (first language) speakers for each language.

 

Speakers [2] Language Location
148,530 Navajo Arizona; Utah; New Mexico; Utah
35,000 Ojibwa, Western Montana; Lake Superior; North Dakota [3]
20,355 Dakota Nebraska; Minnesota; North Dakota; South Dakota; Montana [3]
17,890 Choctaw Oklahoma
12,693 Apache, Western Arizona
11,905 Cherokee Oklahoma; North Carolina
11,819 Papago-Pima Arizona [7]
10,000 Yupik, Central Alaska
8,000 Ojibwa, Eastern Michigan [3]
6,413 Zuni New Mexico
6,213 Muskogee Oklahoma; Alabama; Florida
6,000 Lakota Nebraska; Minnesota; North Dakota; South Dakota; Montana
5,264 Hopi Arizona; Utah; New Mexico
4,580 Keres, Eastern New Mexico
4,280 Crow Montana
4,000 Inuktitut, Northwest Alaska Alaska
3,500 Inuktitut, North Alaskan Alaska
3,390 Keres, Western New Mexico
3,000 Yakima Washington
2,284 Shoshoni Nevada; Idaho; Wyoming
2,100 Micmac Boston; New York City [5]
2,017 Mohawk New York[3]
2,000 Paiute, Northern Nevada; Oregon; California; Idaho
1,984 Ute-Southern Paiute Colorado; Utah; Arizona; Nevada; California
1,800 Apache, Mescalero-Chiricahua New Mexico
1,721 Cheyenne Montana
1,631 Tiwa, Southern New Mexico
1,301 Jemez New Mexico
1,300 Tewa New Mexico; Arizona
1,100 Yupik, Central Siberian Alaska [8]
1,092 Kiowa Oklahoma
1,070 Cree, Western Montana [5]
1,062 Blackfoot Montana [5]
1,038 Arapaho Wyoming; Oklahoma
1,007 Havasupai-Walapai-Yavapai Arizona
1,000 Chickasaw Oklahoma
1,000 Hawaiian Hawaii
927 Tiwa, Northern New Mexico
887 Malecite-Passamaquoddy Maine [5]
854 Comanche Oklahoma
812 Apache, Jicarilla New Mexico
800 Mesquakie Iowa; Oklahoma; Kansas; Nebraska
775 Tlingit Alaska
697 Nez Perce Idaho
600 Koasati Louisiana; Texas
539 Kikapoo Kansas; Oklahoma; Texas [7]
496 Mikasuki Florida
406 Yaqui Arizona [6]
400 Yupik, Pacific Gulf Alaska
365 Gwich’in Alaska
343 Quechan California
321 Cocopa Arizona [6]
300 Koyukon Alaska
256 Alabama Texas
250 Hocak/Winnebago Nebraska
234 Mohave Arizona
234 Shawnee Oklahoma
200 Kalispel-Pend Dóreille Montana
200 Seneca New York; Oklahoma
200 Tenino Oregon
181 Maricopa Arizona
150 Assiniboine Montana [3]
141 Caddo Oklahoma
138 Haida Alaska
126 Karok California
115 Tanana, Upper Alaska
113 Tsimshian Alaska [5]
112 Okangan Washington
107 Salish, Southern Puget Sound Washington
102 Kutenai Idaho; Montana [5]
100 Hidatsa North Dakota
100 Skagit Washington
100 Walla Walla Oregon
97 Kumiai California [6]
90 Aleut Alaska
90 Arikara North Dakota
88 Klamath-Modoc Oregon
85 Omaha-Ponca Nebraska; Oklahoma
78 Yokuts California
75 Tanaina Alaska
69 Wasco-Wishram Oregon; Washington
65 Tanacross Alaska
60 Lushootseed Washington
50 Kashaya California
50 Oneida New York; Wisconsin
50 Potawatomi Michigan; Wisconsin; Kansas; Oklahoma
50 Spokane Washington
50 Umatilla Oregon
43 Luiseno California
40 Coeur D’Alene Idaho
40 Degexit’an Alaska
40 Kuskokwim, Upper Alaska
40 Pomo, Central California
40 Pomo, Southern California
39 Columbia-Wenatchi Washington
39 Menomini Wisconsin
35 Cahuilla California
34 Quapaw Oklahoma
30 Salish, Straits Washington [3]
30 Tanana, Lower Alaska
21 Ahtena Alaska
20 Abnaki-Penobscot Maine [3]
20 Mono California
20 Panamint California
19 Kansa Oklahoma
18 Apache, Kiowa Oklahoma
17 Chinook Wawa Oregon
15 Onondaga New York
12 Holikachuk Alaska
12 Nisenan California
12 Shasta California
12 Yuchi Oklahoma
10 Achumawi California
10 Apache, Lipan New Mexico
10 Gros Ventre Montana
10 Kato California
10 Kawaiisu California
10 Maidu, Northwest California
0 Makah Washington
10 Miwok, Northern Sierra California
10 Miwok, Southern Sierra California
10 Pomo, Southeastern California
10 Snohomish Washington
10 Tututni Oregon
10 Washo California; Nevada
10 Wichita Oklahoma
10 Wintu California
10 Yurok California
9 Cupeno California
8 Hupa California
8 Miwok, Lake California
7 Han Alaska
6 Mandan North Dakota
6 Quinault Washington
6 Tubatulabal California
6 Yuki California
5 Chehalis, Lower Washington
5 Chetco Oregon
5 Clallam Washington
5 Miwok, Central Sierra California
5 Osage Oklahoma
5 Tolowa Oregon
5 Unami Oklahoma; New Jersey; Delaware
4 Atsugewi California
4 Pawnee Oklahoma
2 Chehalis, Upper Washington
2 Cowlitz Washington
1 Coos Oregon
1 Eyak Alaska
1 Kalapuya Oregon
1 Miwok, Coast California
1 Miwok, Plains California
1 Pomo, Northeastern California
1 Serrano California
363,995 TOTAL

NOTES

1. Hinton (1998) suggests that one reason for these different estimates is varying interpretations of language differentiation —some languages may be considered either distinct languages or simply dialects.

2. These figures are estimates only. Some sources may report dialects or second-language speakers, or number of speakers in neighboring countries.

3. This figure includes speakers in Canada.

4. Additional speakers of this language are in Russia

5. Additional speakers of this language are in Canada.

6. Additional speakers of this language are in Mexico.

7. This figure includes speakers in Mexico.

8. Additional speakers of this language are in Siberia.