Languages of New York City Map

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Asụsụ Igbo

Igbo

Community Profile: New York's Nigerian population started growing in the 1970s and 80s, accelerating since 2000 in part thanks to the Diversity Visa program. Nigerians from a wide variety of backgrounds—though a significant percentage are middle-class and highly educated— now make up a large percentage of the city's massive West African community, particularly in East New York, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Flatbush, Clifton, and Concourse. Numerous evangelical churches now serve Christian Nigerian New Yorkers, and there are a number of restaurants, markets, and other businesses for the wider community. Community and hometown organizations also represent those with ties to particular Nigerian states like Edo and Akwa Ibom. The multilingualism of Nigerian New Yorkers testifies to the country's extraordinary linguistic diversity, though Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and Edo varieties appear to be the most common, with Nigerian English sometimes a lingua franca. Smaller language groups are also present, including some with substantial and well-organized communities: Afenmai, Anaang, Edo, Efik, Esan, Ibibio, Kalabari, Tiv, Urhobo, and likely others.

gbo speakers, representing one of the largest Nigerian communities in New York, live in a range of neighborhoods, with significant concentrations in every borough and Igbo-run businesses and churches becoming increasingly common. Based in St. Albans, Queens, the Igbo Organization New York sees well over 500 families at events throughout the year, and with an average of 7 or 8 people per family, the group estimates that New York City's Igbo population is at least 4,000, if not more. The community has worked to declare the first Saturday in July Igbo day. In response to families' concern that younger generations are not speaking Igbo, the Igbo Organization has started hosting summer language classes. A substantial community also exists in and around Newark.

Note that the language above may be used throughout the New York area — this is just one significant site.

Search Explore Data Census Info

Language	Endonym	World Region	Country	Global Speakers	Language Family	Location	Size	Status

Abakuá	Abakuá	Caribbean	Cuba			Lower East Side	Smallest	Liturgical
Abaza	Абаза	Western Asia	Turkey Russia	49,800	Abkhaz-Adyge	Wayne (NJ)	Smallest	Residential
Abruzzese (Orsognese)	Abruzzésë	Southern Europe	Italy		Indo-European	Astoria	Small	Residential
Abruzzese (Orsognese)	Abruzzésë	Southern Europe	Italy		Indo-European	Little Italy	Small	Historical
Acehnese	Bahsa Acèh	Southeastern Asia	Indonesia	3,500,000	Austronesian	Astoria	Smallest	Community
Acehnese	Bahsa Acèh	Southeastern Asia	Indonesia	3,500,000	Austronesian	Elmhurst	Smallest	Residential
Adjoukrou	Mɔjukru	Western Africa	Ivory Coast	140,000	Atlantic-Congo	Concourse	Smallest	Residential
Adyghe	К\|ахыбзэ	Western Asia	Turkey Russia	117,500	Abkhaz-Adyge	Wayne (NJ)	Small	Residential
Afenmai	Afenmai	Western Africa	Nigeria	270,000	Atlantic-Congo	Castle Hill	Smallest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Bedford-Stuyvesant	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Newark (NJ)	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Clifton	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Hollis	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Edenwald	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Central Harlem	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Hempstead (NY)	Large	Residential
Afrikaans	Afrikaans	Southern Africa	South Africa Zimbabwe	17,543,580	Indo-European	Murray Hill	Small	Community
Akan	Akan	Western Africa	Ghana	9,231,300	Atlantic-Congo	Flatbush	Small	Residential
Akan	Akan	Western Africa	Ghana	9,231,300	Atlantic-Congo	Shore Acres	Small	Residential
Akan	Akan	Western Africa	Ghana	9,231,300	Atlantic-Congo	University Heights	Large	Residential