Languages of New York City Map

Site Details

Italiano

Italian

Census

For over a century, the New York metropolitan area has constituted one of the largest (if not the largest of all) “Italian-speaking” cities outside of Italy. However, the majority of Italian immigrants who have arrived in New York, especially in that first major wave, were not able to speak, read, or write (standard) Italian. Most, though by no means all, came from the south, and spoke Italo-Romance languages identified primarily by hometown, popularly known (in Italian) as dialetti (dialects). The New York presence of Italian itself grew significantly across the 20th century through newspapers, radio, schools, and later waves of migration.

ittle Italy (at first the Mulberry Bend) and then Greenwich Village were the crucible, but patterns were highly specific — for example Sicilians, especially from Sambucca, on Elizabeth Street, Neapolitans and Calabrians on Mulberry; Genoese on Baxter; Tyroleans and others from the far north of Italy on 69th Street by the Hudson, and so on. The first Italians in East Harlem, arriving in 1878, were reportedly from Polla in the province of Salerno, and settled in the vicinity of 115th Street; later, there was a Barese (Pugliese) community on East 112th Street; a group from Sarno near Naples on 107th; Calabrians on 109th; immigrants from Basilicata between 110th and 115th. In the 1920s and '30s, Italian gained ground as a language of national pride, reinforced by the innovative bilingual education programs at Benjamin Franklin High School.

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

Site Details

Italiano

Italian

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An urban language map