A district in voices · Census 2011
Kandhamal
More than a single voice.
The largest recorded language group was ODIA, with 3,89,652 people (53.15%). Open the individual entries below: broad groups can contain distinct names and stories.
This is a historical district profile, not a city survey or a present-day forecast. Mother tongue, community identity, ancestry and the languages used at work are different questions.
The whole district
Denominator: 7,33,110 people in Kandhamal · all areas, 2011.
| Group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| ODIA | 3,89,652 | 53.15% |
| KUI | 3,34,701 | 45.65% |
| OTHERS | 3,183 | 0.43% |
| KHOND/KONDH | 1,394 | 0.19% |
| SAVARA | 1,164 | 0.16% |
| HINDI | 961 | 0.13% |
| TELUGU | 691 | 0.09% |
| GONDI | 421 | 0.06% |
| URDU | 413 | 0.06% |
| BENGALI | 207 | 0.03% |
| MALAYALAM | 103 | 0.01% |
| KANNADA | 40 | <0.01% |
| TAMIL | 38 | <0.01% |
| SANTALI | 21 | <0.01% |
| PUNJABI | 19 | <0.01% |
| MARATHI | 15 | <0.01% |
| GUJARATI | 14 | <0.01% |
| NEPALI | 14 | <0.01% |
| HO | 13 | <0.01% |
| ENGLISH | 12 | <0.01% |
| ASSAMESE | 10 | <0.01% |
| KURUKH/ORAON | 6 | <0.01% |
| LUSHAI/MIZO | 4 | <0.01% |
| MUNDARI | 4 | <0.01% |
| BHILI/BHILODI | 3 | <0.01% |
| KHARIA | 2 | <0.01% |
| DOGRI | 1 | <0.01% |
| KONKANI | 1 | <0.01% |
| JUANG | 1 | <0.01% |
| LADAKHI | 1 | <0.01% |
| MUNDA | 1 | <0.01% |
Look inside the groups: individual mother-tongue entries
The entries below are already included in their parent groups above. Do not add both tables together. Only positive recorded counts for this residence category are shown; omission is not proof of an absence of speakers today. Residual group OTHERS has no subordinate entries here.
| Entry / parent group | People | Male | Female | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odia Under ODIA · C-16 row 15335 | 3,88,708 | 1,93,443 | 1,95,265 | 53.02% |
| Kui Under KUI · C-16 row 15367 | 3,34,701 | 1,61,722 | 1,72,979 | 45.65% |
| Khond/Kondh Under KHOND/KONDH · C-16 row 15365 | 1,394 | 681 | 713 | 0.19% |
| Savara Under SAVARA · C-16 row 15379 | 1,164 | 562 | 602 | 0.16% |
| Sambalpuri Under ODIA · C-16 row 15336 | 937 | 440 | 497 | 0.13% |
| Hindi Under HINDI · C-16 row 15316 | 811 | 459 | 352 | 0.11% |
| Telugu Under TELUGU · C-16 row 15345 | 691 | 360 | 331 | 0.09% |
| Others Under GONDI · C-16 row 15355 | 419 | 195 | 224 | 0.06% |
| Urdu Under URDU · C-16 row 15347 | 411 | 216 | 195 | 0.06% |
| Bengali Under BENGALI · C-16 row 15307 | 199 | 120 | 79 | 0.03% |
| Others Under HINDI · C-16 row 15321 | 96 | 48 | 48 | 0.01% |
| Malayalam Under MALAYALAM · C-16 row 15327 | 66 | 15 | 51 | <0.01% |
| Kannada Under KANNADA · C-16 row 15323 | 40 | 16 | 24 | <0.01% |
| Tamil Under TAMIL · C-16 row 15343 | 38 | 20 | 18 | <0.01% |
| Others Under MALAYALAM · C-16 row 15328 | 37 | 17 | 20 | <0.01% |
| Bhojpuri Under HINDI · C-16 row 15314 | 21 | 12 | 9 | <0.01% |
| Santali Under SANTALI · C-16 row 15341 | 21 | 14 | 7 | <0.01% |
| Punjabi Under PUNJABI · C-16 row 15339 | 19 | 10 | 9 | <0.01% |
| Marathi Under MARATHI · C-16 row 15330 | 15 | 9 | 6 | <0.01% |
| Gujarati Under GUJARATI · C-16 row 15312 | 14 | 7 | 7 | <0.01% |
| Nepali Under NEPALI · C-16 row 15332 | 14 | 11 | 3 | <0.01% |
| English Under ENGLISH · C-16 row 15352 | 12 | 5 | 7 | <0.01% |
| Sadan/Sadri Under HINDI · C-16 row 15320 | 11 | 4 | 7 | <0.01% |
| Assamese Under ASSAMESE · C-16 row 15305 | 10 | 6 | 4 | <0.01% |
| Lohara Under HO · C-16 row 15358 | 10 | 6 | 4 | <0.01% |
| Others Under BENGALI · C-16 row 15308 | 8 | 5 | 3 | <0.01% |
| Chhattisgarhi Under HINDI · C-16 row 15315 | 7 | 1 | 6 | <0.01% |
| Kurmali Thar Under HINDI · C-16 row 15317 | 7 | 4 | 3 | <0.01% |
| Kurukh/Oraon Under KURUKH/ORAON · C-16 row 15369 | 6 | 4 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Rajasthani Under HINDI · C-16 row 15319 | 5 | 3 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Others Under ODIA · C-16 row 15337 | 5 | 3 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Lushai/Mizo Under LUSHAI/MIZO · C-16 row 15373 | 4 | 2 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Mundari Under MUNDARI · C-16 row 15377 | 4 | 3 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Laria Under HINDI · C-16 row 15318 | 3 | 2 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Baori Under BHILI/BHILODI · C-16 row 15350 | 3 | 1 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Ho Under HO · C-16 row 15357 | 3 | 2 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Desia Under ODIA · C-16 row 15334 | 2 | 1 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Others Under URDU · C-16 row 15348 | 2 | 0 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Gondi Under GONDI · C-16 row 15354 | 2 | 1 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Dogri Under DOGRI · C-16 row 15310 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <0.01% |
| Kudubi/Kudumbi Under KONKANI · C-16 row 15325 | 1 | 0 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Juang Under JUANG · C-16 row 15360 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <0.01% |
| Kharia Under KHARIA · C-16 row 15362 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <0.01% |
| Others Under KHARIA · C-16 row 15363 | 1 | 0 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Ladakhi Under LADAKHI · C-16 row 15371 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <0.01% |
| Munda Under MUNDA · C-16 row 15375 | 1 | 0 | 1 | <0.01% |
Rural and urban: two views within the district
Each share below uses the population of that residence category. Rural and urban counts add to the district total; their percentages use different denominators.
Rural population breakdown
Denominator: 6,60,831 people in Kandhamal · rural areas, 2011.
| Group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| KUI | 3,28,534 | 49.72% |
| ODIA | 3,25,277 | 49.22% |
| OTHERS | 3,177 | 0.48% |
| KHOND/KONDH | 1,383 | 0.21% |
| SAVARA | 1,136 | 0.17% |
| GONDI | 419 | 0.06% |
| HINDI | 314 | 0.05% |
| TELUGU | 231 | 0.03% |
| MALAYALAM | 86 | 0.01% |
| BENGALI | 84 | 0.01% |
| URDU | 49 | <0.01% |
| KANNADA | 40 | <0.01% |
| SANTALI | 17 | <0.01% |
| MARATHI | 14 | <0.01% |
| TAMIL | 13 | <0.01% |
| HO | 13 | <0.01% |
| ASSAMESE | 10 | <0.01% |
| PUNJABI | 6 | <0.01% |
| ENGLISH | 6 | <0.01% |
| NEPALI | 5 | <0.01% |
| KURUKH/ORAON | 5 | <0.01% |
| MUNDARI | 4 | <0.01% |
| BHILI/BHILODI | 3 | <0.01% |
| DOGRI | 1 | <0.01% |
| GUJARATI | 1 | <0.01% |
| JUANG | 1 | <0.01% |
| KHARIA | 1 | <0.01% |
| LADAKHI | 1 | <0.01% |
Look inside the groups: individual mother-tongue entries
The entries below are already included in their parent groups above. Do not add both tables together. Only positive recorded counts for this residence category are shown; omission is not proof of an absence of speakers today. Residual group OTHERS has no subordinate entries here.
| Entry / parent group | People | Male | Female | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kui Under KUI · C-16 row 15367 | 3,28,534 | 1,59,047 | 1,69,487 | 49.72% |
| Odia Under ODIA · C-16 row 15335 | 3,24,333 | 1,60,633 | 1,63,700 | 49.08% |
| Khond/Kondh Under KHOND/KONDH · C-16 row 15365 | 1,383 | 675 | 708 | 0.21% |
| Savara Under SAVARA · C-16 row 15379 | 1,136 | 541 | 595 | 0.17% |
| Sambalpuri Under ODIA · C-16 row 15336 | 937 | 440 | 497 | 0.14% |
| Others Under GONDI · C-16 row 15355 | 417 | 194 | 223 | 0.06% |
| Telugu Under TELUGU · C-16 row 15345 | 231 | 123 | 108 | 0.03% |
| Hindi Under HINDI · C-16 row 15316 | 194 | 124 | 70 | 0.03% |
| Others Under HINDI · C-16 row 15321 | 96 | 48 | 48 | 0.01% |
| Bengali Under BENGALI · C-16 row 15307 | 76 | 45 | 31 | 0.01% |
| Malayalam Under MALAYALAM · C-16 row 15327 | 49 | 9 | 40 | <0.01% |
| Urdu Under URDU · C-16 row 15347 | 47 | 24 | 23 | <0.01% |
| Kannada Under KANNADA · C-16 row 15323 | 40 | 16 | 24 | <0.01% |
| Others Under MALAYALAM · C-16 row 15328 | 37 | 17 | 20 | <0.01% |
| Santali Under SANTALI · C-16 row 15341 | 17 | 11 | 6 | <0.01% |
| Marathi Under MARATHI · C-16 row 15330 | 14 | 9 | 5 | <0.01% |
| Tamil Under TAMIL · C-16 row 15343 | 13 | 7 | 6 | <0.01% |
| Assamese Under ASSAMESE · C-16 row 15305 | 10 | 6 | 4 | <0.01% |
| Lohara Under HO · C-16 row 15358 | 10 | 6 | 4 | <0.01% |
| Others Under BENGALI · C-16 row 15308 | 8 | 5 | 3 | <0.01% |
| Sadan/Sadri Under HINDI · C-16 row 15320 | 8 | 4 | 4 | <0.01% |
| Kurmali Thar Under HINDI · C-16 row 15317 | 7 | 4 | 3 | <0.01% |
| Chhattisgarhi Under HINDI · C-16 row 15315 | 6 | 0 | 6 | <0.01% |
| Punjabi Under PUNJABI · C-16 row 15339 | 6 | 3 | 3 | <0.01% |
| English Under ENGLISH · C-16 row 15352 | 6 | 3 | 3 | <0.01% |
| Nepali Under NEPALI · C-16 row 15332 | 5 | 3 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Others Under ODIA · C-16 row 15337 | 5 | 3 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Kurukh/Oraon Under KURUKH/ORAON · C-16 row 15369 | 5 | 4 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Mundari Under MUNDARI · C-16 row 15377 | 4 | 3 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Laria Under HINDI · C-16 row 15318 | 3 | 2 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Baori Under BHILI/BHILODI · C-16 row 15350 | 3 | 1 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Ho Under HO · C-16 row 15357 | 3 | 2 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Desia Under ODIA · C-16 row 15334 | 2 | 1 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Others Under URDU · C-16 row 15348 | 2 | 0 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Gondi Under GONDI · C-16 row 15354 | 2 | 1 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Dogri Under DOGRI · C-16 row 15310 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <0.01% |
| Gujarati Under GUJARATI · C-16 row 15312 | 1 | 0 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Juang Under JUANG · C-16 row 15360 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <0.01% |
| Others Under KHARIA · C-16 row 15363 | 1 | 0 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Ladakhi Under LADAKHI · C-16 row 15371 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <0.01% |
Urban population breakdown
Denominator: 72,279 people in Kandhamal · urban areas, 2011.
| Group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| ODIA | 64,375 | 89.06% |
| KUI | 6,167 | 8.53% |
| HINDI | 647 | 0.90% |
| TELUGU | 460 | 0.64% |
| URDU | 364 | 0.50% |
| BENGALI | 123 | 0.17% |
| SAVARA | 28 | 0.04% |
| TAMIL | 25 | 0.03% |
| MALAYALAM | 17 | 0.02% |
| GUJARATI | 13 | 0.02% |
| PUNJABI | 13 | 0.02% |
| KHOND/KONDH | 11 | 0.02% |
| NEPALI | 9 | 0.01% |
| ENGLISH | 6 | <0.01% |
| OTHERS | 6 | <0.01% |
| SANTALI | 4 | <0.01% |
| LUSHAI/MIZO | 4 | <0.01% |
| GONDI | 2 | <0.01% |
| KONKANI | 1 | <0.01% |
| MARATHI | 1 | <0.01% |
| KHARIA | 1 | <0.01% |
| KURUKH/ORAON | 1 | <0.01% |
| MUNDA | 1 | <0.01% |
Look inside the groups: individual mother-tongue entries
The entries below are already included in their parent groups above. Do not add both tables together. Only positive recorded counts for this residence category are shown; omission is not proof of an absence of speakers today. Residual group OTHERS has no subordinate entries here.
| Entry / parent group | People | Male | Female | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odia Under ODIA · C-16 row 15335 | 64,375 | 32,810 | 31,565 | 89.06% |
| Kui Under KUI · C-16 row 15367 | 6,167 | 2,675 | 3,492 | 8.53% |
| Hindi Under HINDI · C-16 row 15316 | 617 | 335 | 282 | 0.85% |
| Telugu Under TELUGU · C-16 row 15345 | 460 | 237 | 223 | 0.64% |
| Urdu Under URDU · C-16 row 15347 | 364 | 192 | 172 | 0.50% |
| Bengali Under BENGALI · C-16 row 15307 | 123 | 75 | 48 | 0.17% |
| Savara Under SAVARA · C-16 row 15379 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 0.04% |
| Tamil Under TAMIL · C-16 row 15343 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 0.03% |
| Bhojpuri Under HINDI · C-16 row 15314 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 0.03% |
| Malayalam Under MALAYALAM · C-16 row 15327 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 0.02% |
| Gujarati Under GUJARATI · C-16 row 15312 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0.02% |
| Punjabi Under PUNJABI · C-16 row 15339 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0.02% |
| Khond/Kondh Under KHOND/KONDH · C-16 row 15365 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0.02% |
| Nepali Under NEPALI · C-16 row 15332 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0.01% |
| English Under ENGLISH · C-16 row 15352 | 6 | 2 | 4 | <0.01% |
| Rajasthani Under HINDI · C-16 row 15319 | 5 | 3 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Santali Under SANTALI · C-16 row 15341 | 4 | 3 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Lushai/Mizo Under LUSHAI/MIZO · C-16 row 15373 | 4 | 2 | 2 | <0.01% |
| Sadan/Sadri Under HINDI · C-16 row 15320 | 3 | 0 | 3 | <0.01% |
| Others Under GONDI · C-16 row 15355 | 2 | 1 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Chhattisgarhi Under HINDI · C-16 row 15315 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <0.01% |
| Kudubi/Kudumbi Under KONKANI · C-16 row 15325 | 1 | 0 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Marathi Under MARATHI · C-16 row 15330 | 1 | 0 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Kharia Under KHARIA · C-16 row 15362 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <0.01% |
| Kurukh/Oraon Under KURUKH/ORAON · C-16 row 15369 | 1 | 0 | 1 | <0.01% |
| Munda Under MUNDA · C-16 row 15375 | 1 | 0 | 1 | <0.01% |
Follow a voice into its story
These introductions connect to individual mother-tongue entries recorded here. They are a selection from our growing collection, not a complete list of the district’s languages.
Take curiosity into a conversation
Ask which name a speaker uses for their language and which language they prefer for your conversation. A family memory, a local publication or a song they choose can add context that a table cannot supply.
Read about multilingual Odisha → · Share a source or correction →
Sources, geography & interpretation
Census C-16, Odisha, 2011. District code 390; source name Kandhamal. All figures derive from the original workbook retained in our KB. Parent groups contain their individual entries; classification does not determine community-preferred naming.
District figures cannot establish the languages of a particular town, accommodation provider or individual. C-17 multilingualism is statewide and is not apportioned to this district. No migration or ancestry claim is inferred.
Prepared with AI assistance under Ahimanikya Satapathy, Founder & Editor-in-Chief. Community naming and visual review remain open.