In Kansas, English is the official state language. While most of the population does speak English as a primary language, that doesn’t mean others aren’t used by residents. Many immigrants who come to Kansas bring their languages and cultures with them. As a result, they may not speak English at home, if at all.
As a result, you can often look at immigration patterns to learn more about the languages present in a state. Plus, Kansas is more diverse than many people expect, causing a wide array of languages to be represented in the population. Here’s a quick look at the immigration history of Kansas, as well as the top ten languages of Kansas (not including English).
Kansas Immigration History
Initially, the region that became Kansas was home to indigenous peoples of North America. However, settlers from New England – primarily antislavery individuals of British ancestry – began arriving. Once the Civil War came to an end, a wider variety of immigrants followed, mainly attracted by access to land and job opportunities.
Settlers increasingly had more diverse backgrounds, including Bohemian, German, Russian, and Scandinavian ancestry. During the 1870s, African Americans leaving the South also started coming to Kansas. In time, the Hispanic population started growing in the area, and it continues to increase today.
However, immigrants from a wide array of other countries have also decided to make Kansas their home. As a result, there are small but notable Asian and Middle Eastern populations, too. Still, the bulk of the population is of European descent.
Top 10 Languages of Kansas (Other Than English)
Currently, an estimated 2.94 million people call Kansas home. While the vast majority do speak English, approximately 11.8 percent of residents age five and up (about 346,584 people) speak a language other than English at home. Additionally, 4.51 percent of the population (around 132,465 residents) is deemed to have limited English proficiency (LEP).
Since that’s the case, more languages are commonly spoken in Kansas than most people realize. Here’s a look at the top ten languages of Kansas, not including English.
1. Spanish
As is true in most states, Spanish is the most widely spoken non-English language in Kansas by a significant margin. In total, there are an estimated 207,181 Spanish speakers in Kansas, giving them a population share of nearly 7.61 percent.
2. Vietnamese
Following Spanish on this list is Vietnamese, though its figures are far under Spanish. Overall, there are approximately 13,161 speakers in Kansas, causing them to make up a little more than 0.48 percent of the population.
3. Chinese
Chinese (including Cantonese and Mandarin) is spoken by an estimated 11,214 Kansas residents. In turn, they have a population share of slightly more than 0.41 percent.
4. German
German is the fourth most widely spoken non-English language in Kansas. The 10,202 speakers make up a bit less than 0.38 percent of the state’s population.
5. Arabic
Rounding out the top five languages of Kansas is Arabic. There are approximately 6,273 speakers in Kansas, leading to a population share of 0.23 percent.
6. Thai, Lao, or Other Tai-Kadai Languages
Thai, Lao, and other Tai-Kadai languages come in sixth place on this list with an estimated 5,747 speakers. That breaks down to a population share of a bit more than 0.21 percent.
7. Hindi
In Kansas, there are around 4,155 Hindi speakers. That gives Hindi speakers a population share of a little more than 0.15 percent.
8. French
Following Hindi on this list is French (including Cajun), with approximately 3,976 speakers. Overall, French speakers make up just shy of 0.15 percent of the population.
9. Swahili or Other Languages of Central, Eastern, & Southern Africa
Swahili and other languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa are spoken by an estimated 3,966 Kansas residents. That puts them barely behind French on this list and results in a population share of nearly 0.15 percent.
10. Korean
Korean is the tenth most widely spoken non-English language in Kansas. The 3,814 Korean speakers make up 0.14 percent of the state’s population.
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