Census 2021

All 124 mother tongues

Ranked by the number of people who gave each as their mother tongue in 2021, with the 2011 figure where the language was listed under the same name. A further 4,201 people named other languages and 346 did not state one.

needs checkNPHC 2021 and 2011, as reproduced on Wikipedia, “Languages of Nepal”. Retrieved 2026-11-04.

Rank	Language	2021	Share	2011	Change
1	Nepali	13,084,457	44.86%	11,826,953	+10.6%
2	Maithili	3,222,389	11.05%	3,092,530	+4.2%
3	Bhojpuri	1,820,795	6.24%	1,584,958	+14.9%
4	Tharu	1,714,091	5.88%	1,529,875	+12.0%
5	Tamang	1,423,075	4.88%	1,353,311	+5.2%
6	Bajjika	1,133,764	3.89%	793,416	+42.9%
7	Avadhi	864,276	2.96%	501,752	+72.3%
8	Nepal Bhasha (Newar)	863,380	2.96%	846,557	+2.0%
9	Magar Dhut	810,315	2.78%	not listed	n/a
10	Doteli	494,864	1.7%	787,827	-37.2%
11	Urdu	413,785	1.42%	691,546	-40.2%
12	Yakthung/Limbu	350,436	1.2%	343,603	+2.0%
13	Gurung	328,074	1.12%	325,622	+0.8%
14	Magahi	230,117	0.79%	35,614	+546.1%
15	Baitadeli	152,666	0.52%	272,524	-44.0%
16	Rai	144,512	0.5%	159,114	-9.2%
17	Achhami	141,444	0.48%	142,787	-0.9%
18	Bantawa	138,003	0.47%	132,583	+4.1%
19	Rajbanshi	130,163	0.45%	122,214	+6.5%
20	Sherpa	117,896	0.4%	114,830	+2.7%
21	Khash	117,511	0.4%	1,747	+6626.4%
22	Bajhangi	99,631	0.34%	67,581	+47.4%
23	Hindi	98,399	0.34%	77,569	+26.9%
24	Magar Kham	91,753	0.31%	27,113	+238.4%
25	Chamling	89,037	0.31%	76,800	+15.9%
26	Ranatharu	77,766	0.27%	not listed	n/a
27	Chepang	58,392	0.2%	48,476	+20.5%
28	Bajureli	56,486	0.19%	10,704	+427.7%
29	Santali	53,677	0.18%	49,858	+7.7%
30	Danuwar	49,992	0.17%	45,821	+9.1%
31	Darchuleli	45,649	0.16%	5,928	+670.1%
32	Uranw/Urau	38,873	0.13%	33,651	+15.5%
33	Kulung	37,912	0.13%	33,170	+14.3%
34	Angika	35,952	0.12%	18,555	+93.8%
35	Majhi	32,917	0.11%	24,422	+34.8%
36	Sunuwar	32,708	0.11%	37,898	-13.7%
37	Thami	26,805	0.09%	23,151	+15.8%
38	Ganagai	26,281	0.09%	3,612	+627.6%
39	Thulung	24,405	0.08%	20,659	+18.1%
40	Bangla	23,774	0.08%	21,061	+12.9%
41	Ghale	23,049	0.08%	8,092	+184.8%
42	Sampang	21,597	0.07%	18,270	+18.2%
43	Marwadi	21,333	0.07%	not listed	n/a
44	Dadeldhuri	21,300	0.07%	488	+4264.8%
45	Dhimal	20,583	0.07%	19,300	+6.6%
46	Tajpuriya	20,349	0.07%	18,811	+8.2%
47	Kumal	18,435	0.06%	12,222	+50.8%
48	Khaling	16,514	0.06%	14,467	+14.1%
49	Musalman	16,252	0.06%	1,075	+1411.8%
50	Wambule	15,285	0.05%	13,470	+13.5%
51	Bahing/Bayung	14,449	0.05%	11,658	+23.9%
52	Yakkha	14,241	0.05%	19,558	-27.2%
53	Sanskrit	13,906	0.05%	1,669	+733.2%
54	Bhujel	13,086	0.04%	21,715	-39.7%
55	Bhote	12,895	0.04%	not listed	n/a
56	Darai	12,156	0.04%	11,677	+4.1%
57	Yamphu/Yamphe	10,744	0.04%	9,208	+16.7%
58	Nachhiring	9,906	0.03%	10,041	-1.3%
59	Hyolmo/Yholmo	9,658	0.03%	10,176	-5.1%
60	Dumi	8,638	0.03%	7,638	+13.1%
61	Jumli	8,338	0.03%	851	+879.8%
62	Bote	7,687	0.03%	8,766	-12.3%
63	Mewahang	7,428	0.03%	4,650	+59.7%
64	Puma	6,763	0.02%	6,686	+1.2%
65	Pahari	5,946	0.02%	3,458	+71.9%
66	Athpahariya	5,580	0.02%	5,530	+0.9%
67	Dungmali	5,403	0.02%	6,260	-13.7%
68	Jirel	5,167	0.02%	4,829	+7.0%
69	Tibetan	5,053	0.02%	4,445	+13.7%
70	Dailekhi	4,989	0.02%	3,102	+60.8%
71	Chum/Nubri	4,284	0.01%	not listed	n/a
72	Chhantyal	4,282	0.01%	4,283	-0.0%
73	Raji	4,247	0.01%	3,758	+13.0%
74	Thakali	4,220	0.01%	5,242	-19.5%
75	Meche	4,203	0.01%	4,375	-3.9%
76	Koyee	4,152	0.01%	1,271	+226.7%
77	Lohorung	3,884	0.01%	3,716	+4.5%
78	Kewarat	3,469	0.01%	not listed	n/a
79	Dolpali	3,244	0.01%	1,667	+94.6%
80	Done	3,100	0.01%	not listed	n/a
81	Mugali	2,834	0.01%	not listed	n/a
82	Jero/Jerung	2,817	0.01%	1,763	+59.8%
83	Karmarong	2,619	0.01%	not listed	n/a
84	Chhintang	2,564	0.01%	3,712	-30.9%
85	Lhopa	2,348	0.01%	3,029	-22.5%
86	Lapcha	2,240	0.01%	7,499	-70.1%
87	Munda/Mudiyari	2,107	0.01%	not listed	n/a
88	Manange	2,022	0.01%	392	+415.8%
89	Chhiling	2,011	0.01%	2,046	-1.7%
90	Dura	1,991	0.01%	2,156	-7.7%
91	Tilung	1,969	0.01%	1,424	+38.3%
92	Sign Language	1,784	0.01%	4,476	-60.1%
93	Byansi	1,706	0.01%	480	+255.4%
94	Balkura/Baram	1,539	0.01%	155	+892.9%
95	Baragunwa	1,536	0.01%	not listed	n/a
96	Sadri	1,347	<0.01%	not listed	n/a
97	English	1,323	<0.01%	2,045	-35.3%
98	Magar Kaike	1,225	<0.01%	50	+2350.0%
99	Sonaha	1,182	<0.01%	579	+104.1%
100	Hayu/Vayu	1,133	<0.01%	1,520	-25.5%
101	Kisan	1,004	<0.01%	1,178	-14.8%
102	Punjabi	871	<0.01%	808	+7.8%
103	Dhuleli	786	<0.01%	347	+126.5%
104	Khamchi (Raute)	741	<0.01%	461	+60.7%
105	Lungkhim	702	<0.01%	129	+444.2%
106	Lowa	624	<0.01%	not listed	n/a
107	Kagate	611	<0.01%	99	+517.2%
108	Waling/Walung	545	<0.01%	1,169	-53.4%
109	Nar-Phu	428	<0.01%	not listed	n/a
110	Lhomi	413	<0.01%	808	-48.9%
111	Tichhurong Poike	410	<0.01%	not listed	n/a
112	Kurmali	397	<0.01%	227	+74.9%
113	Koche	332	<0.01%	2,080	-84.0%
114	Sindhi	291	<0.01%	518	-43.8%
115	Phangduwali	247	<0.01%	290	-14.8%
116	Belhare	177	<0.01%	599	-70.5%
117	Surel	174	<0.01%	287	-39.4%
118	Malpande	161	<0.01%	247	-34.8%
119	Khariya	132	<0.01%	238	-44.5%
120	Sadhani	122	<0.01%	122	+0.0%
121	Hariyanwi	114	<0.01%	889	-87.2%
122	Sam	106	<0.01%	401	-73.6%
123	Bankariya	86	<0.01%	69	+24.6%
124	Kusunda	23	<0.01%	28	-17.9%