Among single-race American Indians or Alaska Natives living in the U.S. or Puerto Rico, 15% speak a Native North American language at home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Those who identify their race as American Indian or Alaska Native in combination with one or more races are far less likely to speak a Native North American language at home (0.7%).
Adults age 65 and older are more likely than those ages 18-64 to speak native languages at home, while children and teens ages 5-17 are less likely. An estimated 372,095 U.S. and Puerto Rican residents speak Native North American languages at home.
The most widely spoken Native North American language is Navajo, spoken by more than 169,000 people. Two thirds of Navajo speakers (66%) live in American Indian or Alaska Native Areas (reservations, off-reservation land trust areas, and federal and state tribal areas) [calculations by Research Alert]. The next most commonly spoken languages — Yupik and Dakota — have about 19,000 speakers each. More than eight in 10 Yupik speakers (85%) live in American Indian or Alaska Native areas, but Dakota speakers are more widely distributed (52% live in these areas).
Although the majority of Native North American language speakers live in American Indian areas, only 5% of those who live in these areas speak native languages at home. Residents of American Indian areas are as likely to speak Spanish at home as to speak Native North American languages.
Speakers of Native North American languages are concentrated in Alaska, Arizona, and New Mexico; 65% live in these states.
Source: “Native North American Languages Spoken at Home in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2006-2010,” December 2011, U.S. Census Bureau, Public Information Office, 4600 Silver Hill Rd., Washington, DC 20233; 301-763-4636; pio@census.gov; www.census.gov. Price: Available online at no charge.
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