List of extinct languages of North America

Language Endangerment Status by UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger category
Extinct (EX)
Extinct (EX)	(lists)
Endangered
Critically Endangered (CR) Severely Endangered (SE) Definitely Endangered (DE) Vulnerable (VU)	(list) (list) (list) (list)
Safe
Safe (NE)	no list
Other categories
Revived (RE) Constructed (CL)	(list) (list)
Related topics Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger Endangered Languages Project Ethnologue Unclassified language List of languages by total number of speakers
UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger categories
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This is a list of extinct languages of North America , languages which have undergone language death, have no native speakers and no spoken descendant, most of them being languages of former Native American tribes.

There are 212 Indigenous, 2 Creole, 3 European, 4 Sign and 13 Pidgin languages listed. In total 233 languages.

Canada

Indigenous languages

Language name	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Beothuk	unclassified	6 June 1829
Laurentian	Iroquoian	late 16th century
Neutral Huron	Iroquoian	1671 AD		[1]
Nicola	Na-Dene	early 20th century
Pentlatch	Salishan	1940	Revival attempts underway	[2]
Petun	Iroquoian	17th century
Tagish	Na-Dene	2008
Southern Tsimshian	Tsimshianic	2013	Revival attempts underway	[3]

European language dialects

Language or dialect name	Dialect parent language	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Newfoundland Irish	Irish	Indo-European	20th century

Pidgin languages

Language name	Pidgin parent language(s)	Extinction date	Notes	References
Algonquian–Basque pidgin	Basque, Algonquian	approx. 1711
Haida Jargon	Haida	1830s
Inuktitut-English Pidgin	Inuktitut, English	1960s
Labrador Inuit Pidgin French	French, Inuktitut	18th century
Nootka Jargon	Nuu-chah-nulth	(date missing)
Slavey Jargon	Slavey, French	19th century

Caribbean

Indigenous languages

Language name	Language family	Extinction date	Locations	References
Caquetio	Arawakan	1862	ABC islands (Leeward Antilles)
Ciguayo	unclassified	16th century	Hispaniola
Guanahatabey	unclassified	16th century	Cuba
Kalinago/Island Carib	Arawakan	1920s	Windward Islands (Guadeloupe to Grenada, except Barbados)
Macorix	unclassified	16th century	Hispaniola
Shebaya	Arawakan	19th century	Trinidad
Taino	Arawakan	19th century	Widespread throughout Caribbean
Yaio	Cariban	17th century	Trinidad, French Guiana

Central America

Indigenous languages

Language name	Language family	Extinction date	Locations	References
Alagüilac	unclassified	before 16th century	Guatemala
Cacaopera	Misumalpan	20th century	El Salvador
Chiquimulilla	Xincan	1996	Guatemala
Chʼoltiʼ	Mayan	late 18th century	Guatemala, Belize
Corobicí	Chibchan	(date missing)	Costa Rica
Cueva language	unclassified	1535	Panama
Dorasque	Chibchan	(date missing)	Panama
Huetar	Chibchan	17th century	Costa Rica
Guazacapán	Xincan	1997	Guatemala
Jumaytepeque	Xincan	1997	Guatemala
Lenca	Lencan languages	20th century	Honduras, El Salvador
Mangue/Chorotega	Oto-Manguean	19th century	Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica
Matagalpa	Misumalpan	1997	Nicaragua
Sinacantán	Xincan	20th century	Guatemala
Subtiaba	Oto-Manguean	20th century	Nicaragua
Voto	Chibchan	(date missing)	Costa Rica
Western Jicaque	Jicaquean	late 19th centuery	Honduras
Yupiltepeque	Xincan	1920s	Guatemala

Greenland

European language dialects

Language name	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Greenlandic Norse	North Germanic	late 15th or early 16th century

Pidgin languages

Language name	Pidgin parent language(s)	Extinction date	Notes	References
West Greenlandic Pidgin	Greenlandic	19th century

Mexico

Indigenous languages

Language or dialect name	Dialect parent language	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Acaxee		Uto-Aztecan	17-18th century
Cazcan/Caxcan/Kaskán		Uto-Aztecan	16th or 17th century
Chiapanec		Oto-Manguean	20th century
Chicomuceltec		Mayan	1970s or 1980s
Cochimí		Yuman–Cochimí	early 20th century
Comecrudo		Pakawan	19th century
Cuitlatec/Cuitlateco		Language isolate	1960s
Classical Náhuatl	Nahuatl	Uto-Aztecan	late 16th century	used as the lingua franca of the Aztec Empire until its collapse
Mamulique		Pakawan	19th century
Maratino		unclassified	(date missing)
Monqui		unclassified	before 1800
Naolan		unclassified	1950s
Otomi (Jalisco)		unclassified	(date missing)
Quinigua		unclassified	(date missing)
Southern Pame	Pame	Oto-Manguean	mid 20th century
Pericú		unclassified	before 1800
Pochutec		Uto-Aztecan	20th century
Solteco Zapotec	Zapotec	Oto-Manguean	19th century
Tapachultec		Mixe–Zoque	1930s
Teojomulco Chatino	Chatino	Oto-Manguean	early 20th century
Tepecano		Uto-Aztecan	20th century
Tequistlatec		Tequistlatecan	(date missing)
Tubar		Uto-Aztecan	20th century
Waikuri		unclassified	before 1800
Xiximes		Uto-Aztecan	17-18th century
Zapotec (Jalisco)		unclassified	(date missing)

United States

Indigenous languages

Language or dialect name	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Achumawi	Palaihnihan	2013	Revival attempts underway
Adai	unclassified	19th century
Ais	unclassified	18th century
Carolina Algonquian/Pamlico/Croatoan	Algic	1790s
Alsea/Yaquina	Language isolate	1942	Alsea and Yaquina are thought to be either two related languages or two dialects of the same language
Apalachee	Muskogean	18th century	Revival attempts underway
Aranama	unclassified	19th century
Atakapa	Language isolate	20th century
Atsina/Gros Ventre	Algic	2007	Revival attempts underway
Atsugewi	Palaihnihan	1988
Awaswas	Utian	19th century	formerly known as "Santa Cruz"
Barbareño/Ineseño	Chumashan	1965	Revival attempts underway. Barbareño and Ineseño may be related dialects of the same language or closely related languages
Bidai	unclassified	19th century
Biloxi	Siouan	1930s
Cahto/Kato	Na-Dene	1960s
Cahuilla	Uto-Aztecan	by 2024	Revival attempts underway
Calusa	unclassified	19th century
Catawba	Siouan	1959	Revival attempts underway
Cayuse	unclassified	1930s
Chalon	Utian	19th century
Upper Chehalis	Salishan	2001	Revival attempts underway
Lower Chehalis	Salishan	1990s
Chemakum/Chimakum/Chimacum	Chimakuan	19th century
Chico/Valley Maidu	Maiduan	21st century
Chimariko	Language isolate	1950s
Chitimacha/Sitimaxa	Language isolate	1940	Revival attempts underway
Chiwere/Iowa-Otoe-Missouria/Báxoje-Jíwere-Ñút'achi	Siouan	1996	Revival attempts underway
Chochenyo	Utian	1934	Revival attempts underway
Coahuilteco	Pakawan	18th century
Columbia-Moses	Salishan	2 May 2023	Revival attempts underway	[4]
Cowlitz	Salishan	20th century	Revival attempts underway
Cruzeño/Isleño/Island Chumash	Chumashan	1915
Cupeño	Uto-Aztecan	1987
Esselen	Language isolate	19th century
Erie	Iroquoian	17th century
Etchemin	Algic	17th century
Eyak	Na-Dene	2008	Revival attempts underway
Galice/Galice-Applegate/Upper Rogue River	Na-Dene	1963
Hanis/Coos	Coosan	1972
Holikachuk	Na-Dene	2012
Houma	Muskogean	after 1907	Revival attempts underway
Central Kalapuya	Kalapuyan	1954
Kansa	Siouan	1982
Karankawa	unclassified	1858
Karkin	Utian	1950s
Kathlamet	Chinookan	1930s
Kiksht/Upper Chinook/Columbia Chinook/Wasco-Wishram	Chinookan	2012
Kitanemuk	Uto-Aztecan	1940s
Kitsai	Caddoan	1940
Klallam/Clallam/Ns'Klallam/S'klallam	Salishan	2014	Revival attempts underway
Klamath/Klamath–Modoc/Lutuamian	Plateau Penutian	2003	Revival attempts underway
Konomihu	Shastan	1940s
Kwalhioqua-Clatskanie	Na-Dene	20th century
Loup	Algic	18th century
Lower Chinook	Chinookan	1930s
Luiseño	Uto-Aztecan	2010s
Lushootseed	Salishan	2008	Revival attempts underway
Maidu	Maiduan	2007	Revival attempts underway
Makah	Wakashan	2002	Revival attempts underway
Mandan	Siouan	2016	Revival attempts underway
Massachusett/Natick/Wôpanâak/Pokanoket/Nonantum/Indian	Algic	19th century	Revival attempts underway. As of 2014, 5 children are native speakers, 15 are proficient second-language speakers and 500 are adult second-language learners. [5] [6]
Mattole/Mattole-Bear River	Na-Dene	1930s
Meherrin	Iroquoian	18th century
Miami-Illinois	Algic	20th century	Revival attempts underway
Miluk/ Lower Coquille	Coosan	1939
Mitchigamea	Siouan	18th century
Bay Miwok	Utian	(date missing)
Coast Miwok	Utian	1970
Lake Miwok	Utian	1990s
Northern Sierra Miwok	Utian	1990s
Plains Miwok	Utian	1990s
Mohican/Mahican	Algic	1940s	Revival attempts underway
Mohegan-Pequot/Mohegan-Pequot-Montauk/Secatogue/Shinnecock-Poosepatuck	Algic	1908	Revival attempts underway
Molala	Plateau Penutian	1958
Moneton	Siouan	late 17th century
Mutsun	Utian	1930	Revival attempts underway
Nanticoke/Piscataway	Algic	1840s	Revival attempts underway. Nanticoke and Piscataway may be related dialects of the same language or closely related languages
Nansemond	unclassified	before 20th century	May have been Algic
Narragansett	Algic	18th-19th century
Natchez	Language isolate	1957	Revival attempts underway
Nawathinehena	Algic	19th century
Nicoleño	Uto-Aztecan	1853
Nisenan	Maiduan	2000s	Revival attempts underway
Nooksack	Salishan	1988	Revival attempts underway
Nomlaki	Wintuan	20th century
Northern Kalapuyan	Kalapuyan	1937
Nottoway/Cheroenhaka	Iroquoian	1838	Revival attempts underway
Obispeño	Chumashan	1917
Ofo	Siouan	20th century
Okwanuchu	Shastan	20th century
Osage	Siouan	2005	As of 2009, 15-20 2L speakers and ongoing revival
Pamunkey	unclassified	before 20th century	May have been Algic
Piro Pueblo	Tanoan	1900
Plains Apache	Na-Dene	2008
Lipan Apache	Na-Dene	early 21st century	Presumely
Central Pomo	Pomoan	20th century
Eastern Pomo/Clear Lake Pomo	Pomoan	2007	Revival attempts underway
Northern Pomo	Pomoan	2005
Northeastern Pomo	Pomoan	1961
Southern Pomo	Pomoan	2020
Powhatan/Virginia Algonquian	Algic	18th century
Purisimeño	Chumashan	early 20th century
Quileute	Chimakuan	1999
Quinault	Salishan	1996	Revival attempts underway
Quiripi/Mattabesic/Quiripi-Unquachog/Quiripi-Naugatuck/Wampano	Algic	20th century
Ramaytush	Utian	1915
Rumsen/Rumsien/San Carlos Costanoan/Carmeleno	Utian	1939
Salinan	Language isolate	1958
Scahentoarrhonon	Iroquoian	approx. 1652
Serrano	Uto-Aztecan	2002	Revival attempts underway
Shasta	Shastan	20th century
New River Shasta	Shastan	1926
Siuslaw	Language isolate	1960
Southern Patwin	Wintuan	(date missing)
Susquehannock/Conestoga	Iroquoian	18th century
Taensa	Language isolate	late 19th century	Probably Natchez dialect.
Takelma	Language isolate	1934
Tamien	Utian	(date missing)
Tataviam	Uto-Aztecan	1916
Tawasa	Language isolate	18th century	Possibly Timucuan dialect.
Tillamook	Salishan	1972
Timucua	Language isolate	18th century
Tongva/Gabrielino/Gabrieleño	Uto-Aztecan	20th century	Revival attempts underway
Tonkawa	Language isolate	1940s
Tübatulabal	Uto-Aztecan	2008	Revival attempts underway [7]
Tunica/Luhchi Yoroni/Tonica/Yuron	Language isolate	1948	Revival attempts underway
Tuscarora	Iroquoian	2020
Tutelo/Tutelo–Saponi	Siouan	1982
Tututni/(Lower) Rogue River/Upper Coquille/Nuu-wee-ya	Na-Dene	1983	Revival attempts underway
Twana/Skokomish	Salishan	1980
Upper Umpqua	Na-Dene	1950s
Unami	Algic	2002
Ventureño	Chumashan	20th century
Wailaki/Eel River Athabaskan	Na-Dene	1960s
Wappo	Yuki–Wappo	1990
Wenro	Iroquoian	17th century
Wichita	Caddoan	2016
Wintu	Wintuan	2003	Revival attempts underway
Wiyot/Wishosk/Soulatluk	Algic	1962	Revival attempts underway
Woccon	Siouan	early 18th century	Revival attempts underway
Yana/Yanan	Language isolate	1916
Yoncalla/Southern Kalapuya/Yonkalla	Kalapuyan	1930s
Yuchi	Language isolate	August 27 2021	Revival attempts underway
Yuki/Ukomno'm	Yuki–Wappo	1983
Yurok/Chillula/Mita/Pekwan/Rikwa/Sugon/Weitspek/Weitspekan	Algic	2013	Revival attempts underway

European languages or dialects

Language name	Language family	Extinction date	References
Jersey Dutch	Indo-European	20th century

Creole languages or dialects

Language name	Creole parent language(s)	Extinction date	References
Mohawk Dutch	Dutch creole and Mohawk	19-20th century

Pidgin languages

Language name	Pidgin parent language(s)	Extinction date	References
Broken Oghibbeway	Ottawa Ojibwe and Fox	after 1820s
Pidgin Delaware	Delaware	19th century
Massachusett Pidgin	Massachusett	early 18th century
Massachusett Pidgin English	English and Massachusett	early 19th century
Mobilian Jargon	Muskogean	1950s

Sign languages

Language name	Extinction date	References
Henniker Sign Language	20th century
Martha's Vineyard Sign Language	1952
Plateau Sign Language	18th century
Sandy River Valley Sign Language	19th century

U.S. Virgin Islands

Creole languages

Language name	Creole parent language(s)	Extinction date	References
Negerhollands	Dutch creole, Danish, English, French, Spanish, and African	1987

United States and Canada

Indigenous languages

Language or dialect name	Dialect parent language	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Eastern Abnaki dialect	Abnaki language	Algic	1993		[8]
Wyandot		Iroquoian	1972	Revival attempts underway by the Wyandotte Nation (United States) and Huron-Wendat Nation (Canada)	[9]
Tsetsaut		Na-Dene	early 1930s

Pidgin languages

Language name	Pidgin parent language(s)	Extinction date	Notes	References
Eskimo Trade Jargon	Iñupiaq	20th century

United States and Mexico

Indigenous languages

Language or dialect name	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Cotoname	Pakawan	20th century
Garza	Pakawan	19th century
Ópata	Uto-Aztecan	20th century	Revival attempts underway among Opata people
Solano	unclassified	18th century

See also

• List of extinct Uto-Aztecan languages
• List of extinct languages of South America
• Extinct languages of the Marañón River basin

References

1. "The Neutral Confederacy". The Canadian Encyclopedia
2. "Maclean's - November 2020". magazine.macleans.ca. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
3. Dunlop, Britt; Gessner, Suzanne; Herbert, Tracey; Parker, Aliana (2018). Report on the status of B.C. First Nations Languages (PDF) (Report) (3rd ed.). First People's Cultural Council.
4. "Last Fluent Speaker of Nxamxcin Language Dies at 96". The Spokesman . 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
5. Saskia De Melker, "'We Still Live Here' Traces Comeback of Wampanoag Indian Language", PBS Newshour, 11-10-2011, accessed 18 November 2011
6. Rose, Christina (2014-02-25). "Sleeping Language Waking Up Thanks to Wampanoag Reclamation Project". Indian Country Today Media Network. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
7. "Pahka'anil (Tübatulabal) Text Project - Home". web.csulb.edu.
8. "Penobscot". Native Languages of the Americas. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
9. Pulte, William. 1999. "The Last Speaker of Wyandot". Algonquian and Iroquoian Linguistics 24(4):43-44.