Number and percentage of people in Wales who say they can speak Welsh 2001-2024

Published by D. Clark, Apr 9, 2025

As of 2024, there were estimated to be 862,700 people in Wales who could speak Welsh, or approximately 28 percent of the population. Between 2001 and 2024, the number and percentage of Welsh speakers was lowest in 2007, when just a quarter of the population or around 726,200 people said they could speak Welsh.

Number and percentage of people in Wales who say they can speak Welsh from 2001 to 2024

CharacteristicNumber of speakers in thousandsPercentage of population
2001 834.5 30
2002 812.6 29
2003 795.7 28
2004 766.6 27.1
2005 754.5 26.5
2006 757.2 26.5
2007 726.2 25.2
2008 746.4 26.4
2009 739 25.5
2010 743 25.5
2011 769 26.3
2012 767.2 26.2
2013 794 27
Showing entries 1 to 13 (24 entries in total)
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Number of speakers (in 1,000s)Percentage of populationNumber of speakers in thousandsPercentage of population200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024*
02004006008001,000
25.2%26.4%27.6%28.8%30%31.2%

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Release date

July 2024

Region

United Kingdom (Wales)

Survey time period

2001 to 2024

Special properties

Welsh speakers

Supplementary notes

*Year ending March 31

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