List of extinct languages of North America

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.

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)	(lists)
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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There are 108 languages listed.

Canada

Indigenous languages

Language name	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Beothuk	unclassified language family	1829
Laurentian	Iroquoian language	late 16th century
Pentlatch	Salishan language	1940		^[1]

European language dialects

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

Pidgin languages

Language name	Pidgin parent language(s)	Extinction date	Notes	References
Algonquian–Basque pidgin	Basque, Algonquian languages	approx. 1711

Caribbean

Indigenous languages

Language name	Language family	Extinction date	Locations	References
Caquetio	Arawakan languages	1862	ABC islands (Leeward Antilles)
Guanahatabey	unclassified	16th century	Cuba
Shebaya language	Arawakan languages	19th century	Trinidad
Taino	Arawakan languages	19th century	Widespread throughout Caribbean

Central America

Indigenous languages

Language name	Language family	Extinction date	Locations	References
Cacaopera	Misumalpan languages	20th century	El Salvador
Chiquimulilla	Xincan languages	1996	Guatemala
Guazacapán	Xincan languages	1997	Guatemala
Jumaytepeque	Xincan languages	1997	Guatemala
Mangue/Chorotega	Oto-Manguean languages	19th century	Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica
Sinacantán	Xincan languages	20th century	Guatemala
Subtiaba	Oto-Manguean languages	20th century	Nicaragua
Yupiltepeque	Xincan languages	1920s	Guatemala

Greenland

European language dialects

Language name	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Greenlandic Norse	North Germanic language	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
Cazcan/Caxcan/Kaskán		Uto-Aztecan languages	16th or 17th century
Chiapanec		Oto-Manguean languages	20th century
Chicomuceltec		Mayan language	1970s or 1980s
Cochimí		Yuman–Cochimí	early 20th century
Comecrudo language		Pakawan languages	19th century
Cuitlatec/Cuitlateco		language isolate	1960s
Classical Náhuatl	Nahuatl	Uto-Aztecan language	late 15th century	used as the lingua franca of the Aztec Empire until its collapse
Mamulique		Pakawan languages	19th century
Southern Pame	Pame	Oto-Manguean language	mid 20th century
Pochutec		Uto-Aztecan languages	20th century
Solteco Zapotec		Oto-Manguean languages	19th century
Tapachultec		Mixe–Zoque languages	1930s
Tepecano		Uto-Aztecan language	20th century
Tubar		Uto-Aztecan language	20th century
Waikuri		unclassified language family	before 1800

United States

Indigenous languages

Language or dialect name	Language family	Extinction date	Notes	References
Adai	unclassified	19th century
Ais	unclassified	18th century
Carolina Algonquian/Pamlico/Croatoan	Algic languages	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 languages	18th century - Revival Attempt
Atakapa	Language isolate	20th century
Atsina/Gros Ventre	Algic languages	2007	Revival attempts underway
Atsugewi	Palaihnihan languages	1988
Awaswas	Utian languages		formerly known as "Santa Cruz"
Barbareño/Ineseño	Chumashan languages	1965	Revival attempts underway. Barbareño and Ineseño may be related dialects of the same language or closely related languages
Biloxi	Siouan languages	1930s
Cahto/Kato	Na-Dene languages	1960s
Calusa	unclassified	19th century
Catawba	Siouan languages	1959
Cayuse	unclassified	1930s
Chalon	Utian languages
Chehalis	Salishan languages	2001
Chemakum language/Chimakum/Chimacum	Chimakuan languages	19th century
Chico/Valley Maidu	Maiduan languages
Chimariko	language isolate	1950s
Chitimacha/Sitimaxa	language isolate	1940	Revival attempts underway
Chiwere/Iowa-Otoe-Missouria/Báxoje-Jíwere-Ñút'achi	Siouan languages	1996	Revival attempts underway
Chochenyo	Utian languages	1934	Revival attempts underway
Coahuilteco language	Pakawan languages	18th century
Cowlitz	Salishan languages	20th century	Revival attempts underway
Cruzeño/Isleño/Island Chumash	Chumashan languages	1915
Cupeño	Uto-Aztecan languages	1987
Esselen	language isolate	19th century
Etchemin	Algic languages	17th century
Eyak	Na-Dene languages	2008	Revival attempts underway
Galice/Galice-Applegate/Upper Rogue River	Na-Dene languages	1963
Hanis/Coos	Coosan languages	1972
Holikachuk	Na-Dene languages	2012
Central Kalapuya	Kalapuyan languages	1954
Kansa language	Siouan languages	1982
Karankawa	unclassified	1858
Karkin	Utian languages	1950s
Kathlamet	Chinookan languages	1930s
Kiksht/Upper Chinook/Columbia Chinook/Wasco-Wishram	Chinookan languages	2012
Kitanemuk	Uto-Aztecan languages	1940s
Kitsai	Caddoan languages	1940
Klallam/Clallam/Ns'Klallam/S'klallam	Salishan languages	2014	Revival attempts underway
Klamath/Klamath–Modoc/Lutuamian	Plateau Penutian languages	2003	Revival attempts underway
Kwalhioqua-Clatskanie	Na-Dene languages	20th century
Loup	Algic languages	18th century
Luiseño	Uto-Aztecan languages	2010s
Lushootseed	Coast Salish languages	2008	Revival attempts underway
Mandan	Siouan languages	2016	Revival attempts underway
Massachusett/Natick/Wôpanâak/Pokanoket/Nonantum/Indian	Algic languages	19th century	Revival attempts underway
Mattole/Mattole-Bear River	Na-Dene languages
Miami-Illinois	Algic languages	20th century	Revival attempts underway
Miluk/ Lower Coquille	Coosan languages	1939
Bay Miwok	Utian languages
Coast Miwok	Utian languages	1970
Mohican/Mahican	Algic languages	1940s	Revival attempts underway
Mohegan-Pequot/Mohegan-Pequot-Montauk/Secatogue/Shinnecock-Poosepatuck	Algic languages	1908	Revival attempts underway
Molala	Plateau Penutian languages	1958
Mutsun language	Utian languages	1930	Revival attempts underway
Nanticoke	Algic languages	1840s
Narragansett	Algic languages	18th-19th century
Natchez	language isolate	1957	Revival attempts underway
Nawathinehena	Algic languages	19th century
Nicoleño	Uto-Aztecan languages	1853
Nooksack	Salishan languages	1988	Revival attempts underway
Northern Kalapuyan	Kalapuyan languages	1937
Nottoway/Cheroenhaka	Iroquoian languages	1838	Revival attempts underway
Obispeño	Chumashan languages	1917
Ofo	Siouan languages	20th century
Osage	Siouan languages	2005	As of 2009, 15-20 2L speakers and ongoing revival
Piro Pueblo	Tanoan languages	1900
Plains Apache	Na-Dene languages	2008
Central Pomo	Pomoan languages	20th century
Eastern Pomo/Clear Lake Pomo	Pomoan languages
Northeastern Pomo	Pomoan languages	1961
Powhatan/Virginia Algonquian	Algic languages	18th century
Purisimeño	Chumashan languages
Quileute language	Chimakuan languages	1999
Quiripi/Mattabesic/Quiripi-Unquachog/Quiripi-Naugatuck/Wampano	Algic languages	20th century
Ramaytush	Utian languages	1915
Rumsen/Rumsien/San Carlos Costanoan/Carmeleno	Utian languages	1939
Salinan		1958
Serrano language		2002	Revival attempts underway
Shasta		20th century
Siuslaw	language isolate	1960
Susquehannock/Conestoga	Iroquoian languages	18th century
Takelma language		1934
Tamien language	Utian languages
Tataviam language	Uto-Aztecan languages	1916
Tillamook	Salishan languages	1972
Timucua language	language isolate	18th century
Tongva/Gabrielino/Gabrieleño	Uto-Aztecan languages	20th century	Revival attempts underway
Tonkawa	language isolate	1940s
Tübatulabal	Uto-Aztecan languages	2008	Revival attempts underway^[2]
Tunica/Luhchi Yoroni/Tonica/Yuron	language isolate	1948	Revival attempts underway
Tuscarora	Iroquoian languages	2020
Tutelo/Tutelo–Saponi	Siouan languages	1982
Tututni/(Lower) Rogue River/Upper Coquille/Nuu-wee-ya	Na-Dene languages	1983	Revival attempts underway
Twana/Skokomish	Salishan languages	1980
Upper Umpqua	Na-Dene languages	1950s
Unami	Algonquian languages	2002
Vanyume	Uto-Aztecan languages
Ventureño language	Chumashan languages	20th century
Wailaki/Eel River Athabaskan	Na-Dene languages	1960s
Wappo	Yuki–Wappo languages	1990
Wichita	Caddoan languages	2016
Wintu	Wintuan languages		Revival attempts underway
Wiyot/Wishosk/Soulatluk	Algic languages	1962
Yana/Yanan	language isolate	1916
Yoncalla/Southern Kalapuya/Yonkalla	Kalapuyan languages	1930s
Yurok/Chillula/Mita/Pekwan/Rikwa/Sugon/Weitspek/Weitspekan	Algic languages	2013

European languages or dialects

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

Creole languages or dialects

Language name	Creole parent language(s)	Extinction date	References
Mohawk Dutch	Dutch creole and Mohawk language

Pidgin languages

Language name	Pidgin parent language(s)	Extinction date	References
Broken Oghibbeway	Ottawa Ojibwe language and Fox language
Pidgin Delaware	Delaware language	19th century
Mobilian Jargon	Muskogean language	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 languages	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	Algonquian language	1993		^[3]
Wyandot		Iroquoian language	1972	Revival attempts underway by the Wyandotte Nation (United States) and Huron-Wendat Nation (Canada)	^[4]
Tsetsaut		Na-Dene language

United States and Mexico

Indigenous languages

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

See also

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

References

1. "Maclean's - November 2020". magazine.macleans.ca. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
2. "Pahka'anil (Tübatulabal) Text Project - Home". web.csulb.edu.
3. "Penobscot". Native Languages of the Americas. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
4. Pulte, William. 1999. "The Last Speaker of Wyandot". Algonquian and Iroquoian Linguistics 24(4):43-44.