List of language families

This List of language families includes also language isolates, unclassified languages and other types of languages.

By number of native speakers


Distribution of the major language families.

For a legend, see language family.

For more details, see Distribution of languages in the world. This is a list of the top ten families that are fairly often recognized as phylogenetic units, in terms of numbers of native speakers as a proportion of world population, listed with their core geographic areas.

Phyla with historically wide geographical distributions but comparatively few contemporary speakers include Eskimo–Aleut, Algic, Quechuan and Nilo-Saharan.
 * 1) Indo-European languages 46% (Europe, Southwest to South Asia, North Asia, North America, South America, Oceania)
 * 2) Sino-Tibetan languages 21% (East Asia)
 * 3) Niger–Congo languages 6.4% (Sub-Saharan Africa)
 * 4) Afro-Asiatic languages 6.0% (North Africa to Horn of Africa, Southwest Asia)
 * 5) Austronesian languages 5.9% (Oceania, Madagascar, maritime Southeast Asia)
 * 6) Dravidian languages 3.7% (South Asia)
 * 7) Altaic languages (controversial combination of Turkic, Mongolic, and Tungusic families) 2.3% (Central Asia, Northern Asia, Anatolia, Siberia)
 * 8) Austro-Asiatic languages 1.7% (mainland Southeast Asia)
 * 9) Tai–Kadai languages 1.3% (Southeast Asia)

By number of languages
According to the numbers in Ethnologue, the largest language families in terms of number of languages are the following. Some families are controversial, and in many the language count varies between researchers.


 * 1) Niger–Congo (1,532 languages)
 * 2) Austronesian (1,257 languages)
 * 3) Trans–New Guinea (477 languages)
 * 4) Sino-Tibetan (449 languages)
 * 5) Indo-European (439 languages)
 * 6) Afro-Asiatic (374 languages)
 * 7) Nilo-Saharan (205 languages) (controversial)
 * 8) Pama–Nyungan (178 languages)
 * 9) Oto-Manguean (177 languages) (number varies; Lyle Campbell counts 27)
 * 10) Austro-Asiatic (169 languages)
 * 11) Tai–Kadai (92 languages)
 * 12) Dravidian (85 languages)
 * 13) Tupian (76 languages)

Language families
In the following, each "bulleted" item is a known or suspected language family. The geographic headings over them are meant solely as a tool for grouping families into collections more comprehensible than an unstructured list of a few hundred independent families. Geographic relationship is convenient for that purpose, but these headings are not a suggestion of any "super-families" phylogenetically relating the families named.

Africa and Southwest Asia



 * 1) Afro-Asiatic languages (formerly Hamito-Semitic)
 * 2) Niger–Congo languages (sometimes Niger-Kordofanian)
 * 3) Nilo-Saharan languages
 * 4) Khoe languages (part of the Khoisan proposal)
 * 5) Tuu languages (part of Khoisan)
 * 6) Kx'a languages (part of Khoisan)
 * 7) Ubangian languages
 * 8) Mande languages (perhaps Niger–Congo)
 * 9) Songhay languages (perhaps Nilo-Saharan)
 * 10) Kadu languages (perhaps Nilo-Saharan)
 * 11) Koman languages (perhaps Nilo-Saharan)

Europe and North, West and South Asia



 * 1) Indo-European languages
 * 2) Tyrsenian languages (extinct)
 * 3) Dravidian languages
 * 4) Northwest Caucasian languages (often included in North Caucasian)
 * 5) Northeast Caucasian languages (often included in North Caucasian)
 * 6) Hurro-Urartian languages (extinct, perhaps related to Northeast Caucasian)
 * 7) South Caucasian languages
 * 8) Turkic languages (part of the Altaic proposal)
 * 9) Mongolic languages (part of Altaic)
 * 10) Tungusic languages (part of Altaic)
 * 11) Uralic languages
 * 12) Yukaghir languages
 * 13) Chukotko-Kamchatkan languages
 * 14) Yeniseian languages (part of proposed Dené–Yeniseian family)

East Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast India and the Pacific

 * 1) Austro-Asiatic languages
 * 2) Austronesian languages (part of the Austro-Tai proposal)
 * 3) Great Andamanese languages (part of the Andamanese proposal)
 * 4) Hmong–Mien languages
 * 5) Japonic languages (part of an expanded Altaic proposal)
 * 6) Ongan languages (part of the Andamanese proposal)
 * 7) Sino-Tibetan languages
 * 8) Tai–Kadai languages (part of Austro-Tai proposal)

New Guinea and neighboring islands



 * 1) Baining languages
 * 2) Border languages
 * 3) Central Solomons languages
 * 4) East Bird's Head – Sentani languages
 * 5) Eastern Trans-Fly languages (one in Australia)
 * 6) Fas languages
 * 7) East Geelvink Bay languages
 * 8) Lakes Plain languages (upper Mamberamo River)
 * 9) Left May languages
 * 10) Kwomtari languages
 * 11) Mairasi languages
 * 12) Nimboran languages
 * 13) North Bougainville languages
 * 14) Piawi languages
 * 15) Ramu – Lower Sepik languages
 * 16) Senagi languages
 * 17) Sepik languages
 * 18) Skou languages
 * 19) South Bougainville languages
 * 20) South-Central Papuan languages
 * 21) Tor–Kwerba languages
 * 22) Torricelli languages
 * 23) Trans–New Guinea (the largest family)
 * 24) West New Britain languages
 * 25) West Papuan languages
 * 26) Yuat languages

Australia



 * 1) Bunaban languages
 * 2) Daly languages
 * 3) Limilngan languages
 * 4) Djeragan languages
 * 5) Nyulnyulan languages
 * 6) Wororan languages
 * 7) Mirndi languages
 * 8) Arnhem Land languages (3 families and 2 isolates)
 * 9) Gunwinyguan languages
 * 10) Pama–Nyungan languages (the largest family)

North America and Mesoamerica



 * 1) Algic languages (incl. Algonquian languages) (14)
 * 2) Alsean languages (0)
 * 3) Caddoan languages (4)
 * 4) Chimakuan languages (1)
 * 5) Chinookan languages (1)
 * 6) Chumashan languages (0)
 * 7) Comecrudan languages (0)
 * 8) Coosan languages (0)
 * 9) Eskimo–Aleut languages (5)
 * 10) Iroquoian languages (7)
 * 11) Kalapuyan languages (0)
 * 12) Keres languages (2)
 * 13) Maiduan languages (3)
 * 14) Mayan languages (Mesoamerica) (31)
 * 15) Mixe–Zoquean languages (Mesoamerica) (19)
 * 16) Muskogean languages (5)
 * 17) Na-Dene languages (44) (part of proposed Dené–Yeniseian family)
 * 18) Oto-Manguean languages (Mesoamerica) (27)
 * 19) Palaihnihan languages (1)
 * 20) Plateau Penutian languages (a.k.a. Shahapwailutan) (3)
 * 21) Pomoan languages (5)
 * 22) Salishan languages (16)
 * 23) Shastan languages (0)
 * 24) Siouan–Catawban languages (10)
 * 25) Tanoan languages (6)
 * 26) Tequistlatecan languages (Mesoamerica) (2)
 * 27) Totonacan languages (Mesoamerica) (2)
 * 28) Tsimshian languages (3)
 * 29) Utian languages (5)
 * 30) Uto-Aztecan languages (North America & Mesoamerica) (31)
 * 31) Wakashan languages (7)
 * 32) Wintuan languages (1)
 * 33) Yokutsan languages (1)
 * 34) Yukian languages (0)
 * 35) Yuman languages (10)

Central America and South America



 * 1) Alacalufan languages (2)
 * 2) Arauan languages (8)
 * 3) Araucanian languages (2)
 * 4) Arawakan languages (South America & Caribbean) (73)
 * 5) Arutani–Sape languages (2)
 * 6) Aymaran languages (3)
 * 7) Barbacoan languages (7)
 * 8) Cahuapanan languages (2)
 * 9) Carib languages (29)
 * 10) Catacaoan languages (0)
 * 11) Chapacuran languages (5)
 * 12) Chibchan languages (Central & South America) (22)
 * 13) Chimuan languages (0)
 * 14) Choco languages (10)
 * 15) Chon languages (2)
 * 16) Esmerelda–Yaruro languages (2)
 * 17) Guaicuruan languages (a.k.a. Waikurian) (8)
 * 18) Hibito–Cholon languages (0)
 * 19) Hodï languages (2)
 * 20) Ge languages (13)
 * 21) Jicaquean languages (Central America)
 * 22) Jirajaran languages (0)
 * 23) Jivaroan languages (4)
 * 24) Katembri–Taruma languages (0)
 * 25) Katukinan languages (3)
 * 26) Lencan languages (Central America)
 * 27) Lule–Vilela languages (1)
 * 28) Mascoian languages (5)
 * 29) Mashakalian languages
 * 30) Matacoan languages (4)
 * 31) Misumalpan languages (Central America) (9)
 * 32) Mosetenan languages (1)
 * 33) Mura languages (1)
 * 34) Nadahup languages (4)
 * 35) Nambiquaran languages (5)
 * 36) Otomakoan languages ? (3)
 * 37) Pano–Tacanan languages (36)
 * 38) Peba–Yaguan languages (2)
 * 39) Puinavean languages (Maku) (9)
 * 40) Quechuan languages (46)
 * 41) Salivan languages (2)
 * 42) Tequiraca–Canichana languages (2)
 * 43) Tucanoan languages (25)
 * 44) Tupi languages (70)
 * 45) Uru–Chipaya languages (2)
 * 46) Witotoan languages (6)
 * 47) Xincan languages (Central America)
 * 48) Yabutian languages (2)
 * 49) Yanomam languages (4)
 * 50) Zamucoan languages (2)
 * 51) Zaparoan languages (7)

Central & South America

 * 1) Abishira
 * 2) Aikaná ''(Brazil: Rondônia)
 * 3) Andoque (Colombia, Peru)
 * 4) Betoi (Colombia)
 * 5) Camsá (Colombia)
 * 6) Candoshi-Shapra (Peru)
 * 7) Cayubaba (Bolivia)
 * 8) Cofán (Colombia, Ecuador)
 * 9) Fulniô
 * 10) Guató (Brazil, Bolivia)
 * 11) Huaorani (a.k.a. Sabela, Waorani, Waodani) (Ecuador, Peru)
 * 12) Irantxe (Brazil: Mato Grosso)
 * 13) Itonama (Bolivia)
 * 14) Kapixaná (Brazil)
 * 15) Koayá ''(Brazil: Rondônia)
 * 16) Leco (Bolivia)
 * 17) Mapudungun (Chile, Argentina)
 * 18) Movima (Bolivia)
 * 19) Omurano (Peru)
 * 20) Otí (Brazil: São Paulo) [extinct]
 * 21) Paez (see also Paezan)
 * 22) Puelche (Argentina,Chile)
 * 23) Puquina (Bolivia) [extinct]
 * 24) Taushiro (Peru)
 * 25) Ticuna (Colombia, Peru, Brazil)
 * 26) Timote (Venezuela)
 * 27) Tiníwa (Colombia)
 * 28) Warao (Guyana, Surinam, Venezuela)
 * 29) Wayuu (a.k.a Goajiro) (Colombia, Venezuela)
 * 30) Yámana (a.k.a Yagan) (Chile)
 * 31) Yuracare (Bolivia)
 * 32) Yuri (Colombia, Brazil)
 * 33) Yurumanguí (Colombia)

North America

 * 1) Chimariko (US: California) [extinct]
 * 2) Chitimacha (US: Louisiana) [extinct]
 * 3) Coahuilteco (US: Texas, northeast Mexico) [extinct]
 * 4) Cuitlatec (Mexico: Guerrero) [extinct]
 * 5) Esselen (US: California) [extinct]
 * 6) Haida (Canada: British Columbia; US: Alaska)
 * 7) Huave (Mexico: Oaxaca)
 * 8) Karankawa (US: Texas) [extinct]
 * 9) Karok (a.k.a. Karuk) (US: California)
 * 10) Kootenai (Canada: British Columbia; US: Idaho, Montana)
 * 11) Natchez (US: Mississippi, Louisiana) (sometimes linked to Muskogean)
 * 12) P'urhépecha (a.k.a. Tarascan) (Mexico: Michoacán)
 * 13) Salinan (US: California) [extinct]
 * 14) Seri (Mexico: Sonora)
 * 15) Siuslaw (US: Oregon) [extinct]
 * 16) Takelma (US: Oregon) [extinct]
 * 17) Timucua (US: Florida, Georgia) [extinct]
 * 18) Tonkawa (US: Texas) [extinct]
 * 19) Tunica (US: Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas) [extinct]
 * 20) Washo (US: California, Nevada)
 * 21) Yana (US: California) [extinct]
 * 22) Yuchi (US: Georgia, Oklahoma)
 * 23) Zuni (a.k.a. Shiwi) (US: New Mexico)

Australia

 * 1) Enindhilyagwa (AKA Andilyaugwa, Anindilyakwa)
 * 2) Laragiya
 * 3) Minkin [extinct; perhaps a member of Yiwaidjan or Tankic]
 * 4) Ngurmbur (perhaps a member of Macro-Pama–Nyungan)
 * 5) Tiwi (Melville and Bathurst Islands)

New Guinea

 * 1) Abinomn (Baso, Foia) (north Irian)
 * 2) Anêm (New Britain)
 * 3) Ata (Pele-Ata, Wasi) (New Britain)
 * 4) Busa (Sandaun)
 * 5) Isirawa (north Irian)
 * 6) Kol (New Britain)
 * 7) Kuot (Panaras) (New Ireland)
 * 8) Massep
 * 9) Pyu
 * 10) Sulka (New Britain)
 * 11) Taiap (Gapun) (Sepik)
 * 12) Yalë (Nagatman) (Sandaun)
 * 13) Yawa (Geelvink Bay)
 * 14) Yélî Dnye (Yele) (Rennell Island)''
 * 15) Yuri (Karkar) (Sandaun)

Asia

 * 1) Ainu language or languages (Japan, Russia) (like Arabic or Japanese, the diversity within Ainu is large enough that some consider it to be perhaps up to a dozen languages while others consider it a single language with high dialectal diversity)
 * 2) Nivkh or Gilyak (Russia) (sometimes linked to Chukchi–Kamchatkan)
 * 3) Korean (North & South Korea, China, USA) (sometimes linked to Altaic)
 * 4) Kusunda (Nepal)
 * 5) Nihali (India) (sometimes linked to Munda)
 * 6) Burushaski (Pakistan, India) (sometimes linked to Yeniseian)
 * 7) Elamite (Iran) [extinct] (sometimes linked to Dravidian)
 * 8) Sumerian (Iraq) [extinct]
 * 9) Hattic (Turkey) [extinct] (sometimes linked to Northwest Caucasian)

Africa

 * 1) Hadza (Tanzania)
 * 2) Sandawe (Tanzania) (may be related to Khoe)

Europe

 * 1) Basque (Spain, France) (related to extinct Aquitanian)

Unclassified languages
Languages are considered unclassified either because, for one reason or another, little effort has been made to compare them with other languages, or, more commonly, because they are too poorly documented to permit reliable classification. Most such languages are extinct and most likely will never be known well enough to classify.

Europe

 * 1) Iberian (Spain) [extinct]
 * 2) Tartessian (Spain, Portugal) [extinct]
 * 3) North Picene (Italy) [extinct]
 * 4) Pictish (Scotland) [extinct]

Africa

 * 1) Ongota (perhaps Afro-Asiatic)
 * 2) Gumuz (perhaps Nilo-Saharan)
 * 3) Kwadi (extinct; perhaps Khoe)
 * 4) Bangi-me (ethnically Dogon)
 * 5) Dompo
 * 6) Mpre
 * 7) Jalaa
 * 8) Laal
 * 9) Meroitic (extinct; variously thought to be Nilo-Saharan or Afro-Asiatic)
 * 10) Shabo

Asia

 * 1) Quti [extinct]
 * 2) Kaskian [extinct]
 * 3) Cimmerian [extinct]
 * 4) Shompen (Nicobar Islands)
 * 5) Enggano (Sumatra)

Australia

 * 1) Tasmanian languages [extinct]

South America

 * 1) Baenan (Brazil) [extinct]
 * 2) Culle (Peru) [extinct]
 * 3) Kunza (Chile, Bolivia, Argentina) [extinct]
 * 4) Gamela (Brazil: Maranhão) [extinct]
 * 5) Gorgotoqui (Bolivia) [extinct]
 * 6) Huamoé (Brazil: Pernambuco) [extinct]
 * 7) Kukurá (Brazil: Mato Grosso) [extinct]
 * 8) Malibu languages (Colombia) [extinct]
 * 9) Munichi (Peru)
 * 10) Natú (Brazil: Pernambuco) [extinct]
 * 11) Pankararú (Brazil: Pernambuco)
 * 12) Sechura
 * 13) Tarairiú (Brazil: Rio Grande do Norte)
 * 14) Tuxá (Brazil: Bahia, Pernambuco) [extinct]
 * 15) Xokó (Brazil: Alagoas, Pernambuco) [extinct]
 * 16) Xukurú (Brazil: Pernambuco, Paraíba) [extinct]
 * 17) Yurumanguí (Colombia) [extinct]

North America

 * 1) Adai (US: Louisiana, Texas) [extinct]
 * 2) Alagüilac (Guatemala)
 * 3) Aranama-Tamique (US: Texas) [extinct]
 * 4) Atakapa (US: Louisiana, Texas) [extinct]
 * 5) Beothuk (Canada: Newfoundland) [extinct]
 * 6) Calusa (US: Florida) [extinct]
 * 7) Cayuse (US: Oregon, Washington) [extinct]
 * 8) Cotoname (northeast Mexico; US: Texas) [extinct]
 * 9) Maratino (northeastern Mexico) [extinct]
 * 10) Naolan (Mexico: Tamaulipas) [extinct]
 * 11) Quinigua (northeast Mexico) [extinct]
 * 12) Solano (northeast Mexico; US: Texas) [extinct]

Odballs
Mixed languages and creole languages do not fit easily into language families.

Sign languages
The family relationships of sign languages are not well established, and many are isolates (cf. Wittmann 1991).


 * BANZSL
 * French Sign Language family

Proposed language stocks
Note that many of the listed proposals disagree with one another (for example Nostratic with Pontic, or Keresiouan with Hokan–Siouan).
 * Proto-World
 * Amerind
 * Almosan–Keresiouan
 * Almosan (= Sapir's Algonkin–Wakashan)
 * Mosan
 * Keresiouan
 * Macro-Siouan
 * Algonkian–Gulf Algonquin, Algonkin
 * Andean
 * Quechumaran
 * Chibchan–Paezan
 * Central Amerind
 * Aztec–Tanoan
 * Coahuiltecan
 * Gulf
 * Hokan–Siouan
 * Hokan
 * Macro-Carib
 * Je–Tupi–Carib
 * Macro-Ge
 * Macro-Mayan
 * Macro-Panoan
 * Macro-Tucanoan
 * Penutian
 * Yuki–Wappo
 * Borean
 * Alarodian
 * Dene–Daic
 * Sino-Austronesian
 * Austric
 * Austro-Tai
 * Dene–Caucasian
 * Karasuk
 * Nostratic
 * Eurasiatic
 * Indo-Uralic languages
 * Ural–Altaic
 * Uralic–Yukaghir
 * Uralo-Siberian
 * Pontic
 * Ibero-Caucasian
 * Indo-Pacific
 * Kongo–Saharan
 * Macro-Khoisan
 * Na-Dene (Sapir's)