How many people speak "what languages " in America




In October 2015, the U.S. Census Bureau released the "2009-2013 American Community Survey" which provides information on "languages spoken at home" and "ability to speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over" for the United States as a whole, states including Puerto Rico and Washington D.C., selected counties, and selected cities and urban areas. The following provides aggregated survey information on people who speak "various languages", as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.

LanguageNumber of speakersMargin of ErrorSpeak English less than "Very Well"Margin of Error
Population 5 years and over291,484,4823,34625,148,90063,553
Speak only English at home231,122,908108,816(X)(X)
Speak a language other than English at home60,361,574107,22725,148,90063,553
SPANISH AND SPANISH CREOLE37,458,62464,49416,344,47340,610
Spanish37,458,47064,49416,344,44040,610
Ladino130622523
Pachuco(D)(D)(D)(D)
OTHER INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGES10,737,60737,7713,424,55822,396
French (incl. Patois, Cajun)1,307,74210,490266,1204,546
French1,253,56010,278258,7304,421
Patois32,9001,6584,695558
Cajun21,2851,1522,695344
French Creole739,72511,244323,6896,652
Italian708,9667,910191,7243,380
Portuguese (incl. Portuguese Creole)693,4699,721269,8055,692
Portuguese692,5009,692269,6155,681
Papia Mentae97024419098
German (incl. Luxembourgian)1,063,7739,107174,7582,680
German1,063,2759,084174,7352,679
Luxembourgian5001602523
Yiddish155,5824,11953,1162,156
Other West Germanic languages298,2875,64071,1122,264
Pennsylvania Dutch133,1904,05044,0751,856
Dutch141,5803,60925,0301,466
Afrikaans23,0101,5251,885318
Frisian51017112065
Scandinavian languages128,3393,69413,312901
Swedish55,7352,4585,045494
Danish28,2851,4533,030479
Norwegian39,4301,6844,675483
Icelandic4,865552565161
Faroese3032(B)--
Greek304,9325,42375,7992,576
Russian879,43411,909416,5266,732
Polish580,1537,412235,2413,866
Serbo-Croatian languages267,9797,071103,4323,261
Serbocroatian144,6755,05562,9652,703
Croatian53,0402,10415,9301,057
Serbian70,2603,32324,5401,549
Other Slavic languages316,5016,944120,5943,743
Bielorussian1,8054101,035261
Ukrainian152,3254,95971,9152,753
Czech47,3852,02611,235977
Lusatian(D)(D)(B)--
Slovak27,9301,4867,125749
Bulgarian57,7852,56719,4551,382
Macedonian22,8851,7078,125789
Slovene6,3706221,705285
Armenian237,8405,378106,7942,839
Persian391,1137,265144,8763,812
Hindi643,3379,342132,6313,943
Gujarati373,2537,314132,5724,200
Urdu397,5029,850116,5663,583
Other Indic languages800,36411,771315,1966,256
India n.e.c.361,3853,12020,5751,553
Bengali257,7405,364105,1802,827
Panjabi253,7407,521104,7503,479
Marathi73,6303,16410,5251,018
Bihari595305260258
Rajasthani715420215142
Oriya5,385610910259
Assamese1,30532210057
Kashmiri1,775490285152
Nepali94,2204,41356,6503,282
Sindhi8,9651,1251,775370
Pakistan n.e.c.312,6051,5115,145765
Sinhalese26,7451,9278,350989
Romany1,555457480226
Other Indo-European languages449,3168,375160,6953,825
Jamaican Creole21,9651,5585,965794
Krio10,5601,2402,820718
Hawaiian Pidgin3652103025
Pidgin4,4456361,100352
Gullah38514315082
Saramacca3542(B)--
Catalonian2,325375500153
Romanian154,6254,28855,5502,123
Rhaeto-Romanic(D)(D)(B)--
Welsh2,23531823597
Irish Gaelic20,5901,2912,505384
Scottic Gaelic1,635264190125
Albanian133,8705,51358,8202,710
Lithuanian39,7902,08012,3701,070
Latvian16,0359663,300465
Pashto22,7602,5959,8401,320
Kurdish17,0201,8306,870740
Balochi1851828596
Tadzhik435347350270
Ossete5048(D)(D)
ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLAND LANGUAGES9,539,09923,4404,570,03517,435
Chinese (incl. Cantonese, Mandarin, other Chinese languages4)2,896,76613,2551,600,8868,527
Chinese1,867,48513,8751,054,8858,578
Hakka1,350307840263
Kan, Hsiang5065(D)(D)
Cantonese458,8406,487257,6254,433
Mandarin487,2507,953240,8105,571
Fuchow1,4504551,175418
Formosan77,6752,68744,1401,939
Wu2,6704661,375287
Japanese449,4757,214194,4364,164
Korean1,117,34311,453617,9057,120
Mon-Khmer, Cambodian212,1676,281109,6334,140
Hmong214,9435,71992,8613,459
Thai152,6494,11179,7462,794
Laotian152,6474,37075,8852,526
Vietnamese1,399,93614,387839,2378,589
Other Asian languages908,31410,777282,1385,947
Karakalpak(D)(D)(B)--
Kazakh1,480382750254
Kirghiz550243305188
Karachay420196140100
Uighur8,9051,2885,895886
Azerbaijani2,0855961,025364
Turkish116,5153,90443,4952,084
Turkmen2051137551
Mongolian10,1801,2085,430763
Tungus235149120104
Dravidian1,150356160131
Gondi1,470424270137
Telugu247,7605,50851,6352,104
Kannada48,6202,1917,425967
Malayalam146,3104,25441,5351,840
Tamil190,6854,41533,8851,935
Munda2,030504235134
Burushaski95122(D)(D)
Tibetan16,7301,5719,7351,072
Burmese62,6453,30844,5302,657
Karen30,1852,42626,4402,238
Kachin520280415241
Mien19,0102,2018,2201,066
Paleo-siberian530329385274
Tagalog1,613,34613,019516,5226,649
Other Pacific Island languages421,5136,555160,7863,972
Indonesian67,4103,22029,4001,702
Achinese(D)(D)(D)(D)
Balinese795437160136
Cham1,050403500234
Javanese495250135104
Malagasy720231225101
Malay14,5801,2854,910618
Minangkabau1521(D)(D)
Sundanese35393539
Bisayan29,8001,85811,5051,134
Sebuano15,7001,3644,935620
Pangasinan2,2655041,115338
Ilocano85,7553,32047,2502,472
Bikol69521320095
Pampangan5,6207502,460474
Micronesian7,8301,4093,435777
Carolinian945389545310
Chamorro19,7801,4733,195443
Gilbertese1701048570
Kusaiean1,165467445218
Marshallese18,4851,8389,5451,069
Mokilese500250190141
Mortlockese(D)(D)(D)(D)
Nauruan(D)(D)(D)(D)
Palau4,1407041,290340
Ponapean3,5258091,495401
Trukese8,7901,1465,200867
Ulithean4041(D)(D)
Woleai-Ulithi140142(D)(D)
Yapese720266350178
Melanesian1,305338295154
Polynesian43516616083
Samoan64,1352,66916,9051,277
Tongan31,4402,6778,855968
Niuean(D)(D)(B)--
Tokelauan12591(D)(D)
Fijian5,7558841,360377
Marquesan13585(B)--
Rarotongan9587(B)--
Maori460235145139
Nukuoro2101438589
Hawaiian26,2051,5994,280647
ALL OTHER LANGUAGES2,626,24422,243809,8348,898
Navajo166,8262,49335,2501,340
Other Native North American languages197,5053,11829,5481,198
Aleut99518417081
Pacific Gulf Yupik7051(B)--
Eskimo1,27025026577
Inupik6,7404171,365192
St. Lawrence Island Yupik1,07012428554
Yupik19,7508975,930421
Algonquian1,030323265193
Arapaho1,0652235027
Atsina5548(B)--
Blackfoot1,4502316542
Cheyenne1,92034717588
Cree870231190117
Delaware2401096071
Fox4001197536
Kickapoo82018922084
Menomini4051528557
French Cree170125120120
Miami11513055103
Micmac205714039
Ojibwa9,7356591,110247
Ottawa96531515597
Passamaquoddy8451305527
Penobscot7541(D)(D)
Abnaki5531(D)(D)
Potawatomi9851966037
Shawnee255134(D)(D)
Yurok3501102525
Kutenai215151(D)(D)
Makah1501088087
Kwakiutl175103(D)(D)
Nootka(D)(D)(B)--
Upper Chehalis48(D)(D)
Clallam14594(D)(D)
Coeur d'Alene9559(B)--
Columbia(D)(D)(B)--
Salish1,35025210049
Okanogan230152110100
Puget Sound Salish21592(D)(D)
Quinault14589(D)(D)
Tillamook(D)(D)(B)--
Twana(D)(D)(D)(D)
Haida180103(D)(D)
Athapascan1,26517217044
Ahtena4533(D)(D)
Han60914060
Ingalit1512(D)(D)
Koyukon6543(D)(D)
Kuchin1,28532230595
Upper Kuskokwim(D)(D)(B)--
Tanaina9058(D)(D)
Tanana(D)(D)(B)--
Upper Tanana(D)(D)(B)--
Chasta Costa165106(D)(D)
Hupa7039(B)--
Other Athapascan-Eyak2534(B)--
Apache13,4458251,595277
Kiowa7502243024
Tlingit1,24023913056
Mountain Maidu200148(D)(D)
Northwest Maidu(D)(D)(B)--
Southern Maidu(D)(D)(B)--
Sierra Miwok155105(B)--
Nomlaki(D)(D)(D)(D)
Patwin46(B)--
Wintun1351054070
Foothill North Yokuts2251338576
Tachi(D)(D)(B)--
Santiam5546(D)(D)
Siuslaw1014(D)(D)
Klamath205136(D)(D)
Nez Perce8051734030
Sahaptian1,29538411052
Upper Chinook2701515063
Tsimshian40261521
Achumawi(D)(D)(D)(D)
Atsugewi(D)(D)(B)--
Karok445200100106
Pomo4852047065
Washo215744538
Cocomaricopa3530(B)--
Mohave200623530
Yuma2901268062
Diegueno2951804048
Delta River Yuman3651541010
Havasupai14599410
Walapai30092410
Yavapai2451142016
Chumash(D)(D)(B)--
Tonkawa5064(D)(D)
Yuchi165138(B)--
Crow4,160519215166
Hidatsa6251695042
Mandan75702025
Dakota17,8551,0911,330232
Chiwere105642521
Winnebago1,72029318574
Kansa2026(B)--
Omaha480162159
Osage420155(D)(D)
Ponca3051452526
Quapaw(D)(D)(B)--
Alabama3701417044
Choctaw9,6357471,425256
Mikasuki2901346549
Koasati3651352521
Muskogee4,465477710202
Chetemacha6543(D)(D)
Keres13,1907302,295339
Iroquois16514065101
Mohawk1,94543122592
Oneida7702246559
Onondaga7594(B)--
Cayuga(D)(D)(B)--
Seneca1,01523221088
Tuscarora2401314031
Wyandot3034(B)--
Cherokee11,4659411,460240
Arikara155664027
Caddo115110(B)--
Pawnee9552(D)(D)
Wichita(D)(D)(B)--
Comanche1,0152589058
Mono355226105112
Paiute1,30526420076
Northern Paiute3024(D)(D)
Southern Paiute(D)(D)(D)(D)
Chemehuevi(D)(D)(B)--
Kawaiisu(D)(D)(B)--
Ute1,89528714558
Shoshoni2,00025718066
Hopi6,0757671,525367
Cahuilla6036(B)--
Cupeno2023(D)(D)
Luiseno75611521
Serrano(D)(D)(B)--
Pima6,990687720193
Yaqui6402525551
Picuris155133(D)(D)
Tiwa2,18034410055
Sandia(D)(D)(B)--
Tewa4,620480360135
Towa1,925350535236
Zuni9,6151,1271,240305
Chinook Jargon4525(D)(D)
American Indian7,1106831,175271
Jicarilla5101783020
Chiricahua155562020
San Carlos3601593026
Kalispel3028(B)--
Spokane(D)(D)(B)--
Hungarian86,4062,44625,9831,374
Arabic924,37413,743341,4255,888
Hebrew212,7474,70734,9121,591
African languages894,49911,901284,0995,638
Amharic195,2606,36881,3853,479
Berber2,9407561,630472
Chadic8,5659912,275426
Cushite122,4454,43759,4952,817
Sudanic8,5101,3173,935710
Nilotic6,8901,1842,235490
Nilo-Hamitic1,275644575327
Nubian305234185175
Saharan8095(D)(D)
Nilo-Saharan270183155127
Khoisan55892032
Swahili88,6853,41422,0551,913
Bantu56,6852,64116,6351,574
Mande29,8352,46110,3701,171
Fulani30,4752,02211,7451,193
Gur1,310529405272
Kru, Ibo, Yoruba322,2557,68164,6902,487
Efik5,620775905305
Mbum (and related)715353370269
African12,3201,5085,000997
Other and unspecified languages143,8874,16658,6172,664
Finnish25,8051,1984,350447
Estonian6,0357751,335274
Lapp(D)(D)(B)--
Other Uralic languages2022(B)--
Caucasian8,9801,0344,280674
Basque1,860451635160
Syriac74,7253,87833,6002,206
Aztecan720267400193
Sonoran60686068
Misumalpan95783537
Mayan languages7,6501,2735,730941
Tarascan60544040
Mapuche210267195246
Oto - Manguen5,1001,1614,425976
Quechua1,3004651,000438
Arawakian3,150765925253
Chibchan1,095515865413
Tupi-Guarani24510215567
Uncodable6,760571595163





Notes
  • Number of speakers and Speak English less than "Very Well": Detailed-language estimates are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Aggregate estimates ("language category" and "language sub-category" entries) are unrounded and appear in table B16001. Detailed-language estimates may not sum to aggregate estimates because of rounding.
  • Margin of Error and Margin of Error: Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. The degree of uncertainty for an estimate arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a margin of error. The value shown here is the 90 percent margin of error. The margin of error can be interpreted roughly as providing a 90 percent probability that the interval defined by the estimate minus the margin of error and the estimate plus the margin of error (the lower and upper confidence bounds) contains the true value. In addition to sampling variability, the ACS estimates are subject to nonsampling error (for a discussion of nonsampling variability, see Accuracy of the Data. The effect of nonsampling error is not represented in these tables.
  • (D): Data withheld to avoid disclosure.
  • (B): Either no sample observations or too few sample observations were available to compute an estimate.
  • (X): Question does not apply.
  • -: Either no sample observations or too few sample observations were available to compute a standard error and thus the margin of error. A statistical test is not appropriate.


Surnames by race:  Asian   |  Black   |  Hispanic   |  Native American   |  Two or More Races   |  White

Surnames Alphabetical:  A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z

Most Common Male Names:  1-300  |   301-600  |   601-900  |   901+  |   Alphabetical list

Most Common Female Names:  1-1000 1001-2000  |   2001-3000  |   3001+  |   Alphabetical list

Popular Baby Names in the U.S. (Historic)  Boys: 1-250  |  251-500  |  501-750  |  751-1000        Girls: 1-250  |  251-500  |  501-750  |  751-1000

Ancestry in the United States:  Ancestry by city  |   Mexican  |   German  |   Irish  |   English  |   African American  |   More





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