List of endangered languages in the United States

An endangered language is a language that it is at risk of falling out of use, generally because it has few surviving speakers. If it loses all of its native speakers, it becomes an extinct language. UNESCO defines four levels of language endangerment between "safe" (not endangered) and "extinct": Vulnerable Definitely endangered Severely endangered Critically endangered

LanguageSpeakersStatusCommentsAcoma-Laguna language10,670 (2007)Definitely endangeredKeresan languagesAhtna language80Critically endangered Alabama language370Definitely endangered Aleut language (Eastern)150 (2011)Critically endangeredNumber of speakers includes both Eastern and Western dialects.Aleut language (Western)150 (2011)Severely endangeredNumber of speakers includes both Eastern and Western dialects.Arapaho language (Wyoming)1,000Vulnerable Arikara language3Critically endangered Assiniboine language (United States)250Critically endangered Blackfoot language (United States)5,100Vulnerable Cahuilla language15Critically endangered Central Alaskan Yup'ik language18,950VulnerableTwo varieties, one on Nunivak Island.Central Siberian Yupik language (St. Lawrence Island)1,010Vulnerable Central Sierra Miwok language12 (1994)Critically endangered Chemehuevi language500-800, 20 first-language speakers (2011) Critically endangered Cherokee language (North Carolina)1,000Critically endangered  Cherokee language (Oklahoma)22,000Critically endangered Cheyenne language (Montana)1,900 (2015)Vulnerable Number of speakers includes both Montana and Oklahoma dialects.Cheyenne language (Oklahoma)1,900 (2015)VulnerableNumber of speakers includes both Montana and Oklahoma dialects.Chickasaw language75 native speakers (2017)Severely endangered Chinook Jargon language640 (2019)Critically endangered Choctaw language (Louisiana)9,600 native speakers (2015) VulnerableNumber of speakers includes all Choctaw dialects.Choctaw language (Mississippi)9,600 native speakers (2015) VulnerableNumber of speakers includes all Choctaw dialects.Choctaw language (Oklahoma)9,600 native speakers (2015) VulnerableNumber of speakers includes all Choctaw dialects.Cocopa language (Arizona)370 in USA (2015), 145 in MexicoSeverely endangered Coeur d'Alene language4 (2007)Critically endangered Comanche language100 (2007)Severely endangered Creek language4,500 native speakers (2015)VulnerableAlso called the Muscogee language.Crow language3,500 native speakers (2007)Vulnerable Gros Ventre language45 (2013)Critically endangeredThe last fluent speaker died in 2007.Gwich'in language (United States)560 (2013)Severely endangered Halkomelem language260 in Canada (2014), 25 in USA (1997)Severely endangeredPrimarily in CanadaHän language (United States)20 (2007)Critically endangered Havasupai language145 (2015)Definitely endangered Hawaiian language24,000 native speakers (2008)Vulnerable Hawai'i Sign Language30 (2013)Critically endangeredThe few elderly signers are bilingual with the dominant ASLHidatsa language200 native speakers (2007)Vulnerable Hopi language6,780 native speakers (2010)Vulnerable Hualapai language300 (2015)Vulnerable Ingalik language40 native speakers (2015)Critically endangeredAlso called The Deg Xinag languageIpai language6 native speakers (2007)Critically endangered Isleño Spanish50 native speakers (2020)Critically endangered Jemez language3,000 (2007)Vulnerable Jicarilla Apache language510 native speakers (2015)Severely endangered Kalispel-Pend d'Oreille70 native speakers (2013)Critically endangeredMontana Salish language.Karuk language12 native speakers, 30 L2 (2007)Severely endangered Kashaya language24 native speakers (2007)Critically endangered Kawaiisu language5 native speakers (2005)Critically endangered Kickapoo language (Kansas)1,141 native speakers in USA (2013)VulnerableThere are 420 speakers in Mexico but the number is mixed with Sauk and Fox (2010). Kickapoo language (Oklahoma)1,141 native speakers in USA (2013)VulnerableThere are 420 speakers in Mexico but the number is mixed with Sauk and Fox (2010). Kickapoo language (Texas)1,141 native speakers in USA (2013)VulnerableThere are 420 speakers in Mexico but the number is mixed with Sauk and Fox (2010). Kiowa language100, all levels; 20 first-language speakersSeverely endangered Koasati language (Louisiana)350 Definitely endangered Koasati language (Texas)50 Definitely endangered Konkow language32 Critically endangered Koyukon language 65 Critically endangered Kutenai language345 (2010-2016) Severely endangeredPrimarily in CanadaKwak'wala language450 (2016) Critically endangeredPrimarily in CanadaLouisiana Creole language9,600 native speakers (2010)Severely endangered Louisiana French language150,000 to 200,000 native speakers (2012) Makah language Critically endangered Maliseet-Passamaquoddy language Severely endangered Maricopa language Severely endangered Massachusett language5 child speakers; 400 adult learnersVulnerableCurrent attempts at revival; Bible translated into the language in 1663Menominee language Critically endangered Mescalero-Chiricahua Apache language (New Mexico) Definitely endangered Mescalero-Chiricahua Apache language (Oklahoma) Critically endangered Micmac language (Massachusetts) Vulnerable Mikasuki language Vulnerable Mohave language (Arizona) Severely endangered Mohave language (California) Severely endangered Mohawk language (Akwesasne, St. Regis) Vulnerable Mohawk language (Ganienkeh) Vulnerable Mohawk language (Kanatsiohareke) Vulnerable Mono language (Eastern) Critically endangered Mono language (Western) Critically endangered Montana Salish language Critically endangered Munsee language (United States) Critically endangered Navajo language VulnerableNez Perce language Critically endangered Inupiat language () Severely endangeredNorth Alaskan: Kotzebue Sound & North SlopeNorthern Haida language Critically endangeredPrimarily in CanadaNorthern Paiute language (Idaho) Critically endangered Northern Paiute language (Nevada) Definitely endangered Northern Paiute language (Oregon) Critically endangered Northern Straits Salish language Critically endangered O'odham language (Akimel) Vulnerable O'odham language (Tohono) Vulnerable Ojibwe language Vulnerable Okanagan language Definitely endangeredPrimarily in CanadaOmaha-Ponca language Critically endangered Oneida language (New York) Critically endangeredAlso in CanadaOneida language (Wisconsin) Critically endangered Onondaga language (New York) Critically endangeredAlso in CanadaOsage language Vulnerable Ottawa language (Michigan) Critically endangeredAlso in CanadaPacific Gulf Yupik language Severely endangered Panamint language Critically endangered Pawnee language Critically endangered Picuris language Vulnerable Plains Sign Talk Critically endangered Potawatomi language (Kansas) Critically endangered Potawatomi language (Michigan) Critically endangered Potawatomi language (Oklahoma) Critically endangered Potawatomi language (Wisconsin) Critically endangered Quechan language Definitely endangered Rio Grande Keresan language Definitely endangeredKeresan languagesSahaptin language Severely endangered Sauk-Fox language Critically endangered Seneca language (United States) Severely endangered Seward Peninsula Inupiaq language (King Island) Critically endangeredInupiat languageSeward Peninsula Inupiaq language (Little Diomede Island) Critically endangeredInupiat languageSeward Peninsula Inupiaq language (Norton Sound) Critically endangeredInupiat languageShawnee language Vulnerable Shoshoni language (Idaho) Vulnerable Shoshoni language (Nevada) Vulnerable Shoshoni language (Wyoming) Vulnerable Sioux language VulnerableDakota (Santee-Sisseton), Nakota (Yankton-Yanktonai), and LakotaSouthern Paiute language Severely endangered Southern Sierra Miwok language Critically endangered Southern Tiwa language (Isleta Pueblo) Definitely endangered Southern Tiwa language (Sandia Pueblo) Definitely endangered Spokane language Critically endangeredInterior Salish languages, Montana Salish languageStraits Salish language Severely endangeredPrimarily in CanadaTanacross language Critically endangered Tanaina language Severely endangered Tanana language Critically endangered Taos language Definitely endangered Texas German6,000Critically endangered Tewa language (Arizona) Definitely endangered Tewa language (New Mexico) Severely endangered Tipai language (United States) Severely endangered Tlingit language (United States) Critically endangered Upland Yuman language Vulnerable Upper Kuskokwim language Critically endangered Upper Tanana language (United States) Critically endangered Valley Yokuts Severely endangered Washo language Severely endangered Western Apache language Vulnerable Winnebago language (Nebraska) Severely endangered Winnebago language (Wisconsin) Severely endangered Yaqui language (United States) Definitely endangered Yavapai language Severely endangered Zuni language Vulnerable 

References