Kenya’s 2019 Population and Housing Census counted 47,564,296 people and recorded more than 120 ethnic categories and sub-categories. The ethnic breakdown is published by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) in Census Volume IV.
Largest communities (2019 census)
The Luhya figure appears rounded in that source.
| Community | Population (2019) |
|---|---|
| Kikuyu | 8,148,668 |
| Luhya | 6,820,000 |
| Kalenjin | 6,358,113 |
| Luo | 5,066,966 |
| Kamba | 4,663,910 |
| Somali | 2,780,502 |
| Kisii | 2,703,235 |
| Mijikenda | 2,488,691 |
| Meru | 1,975,869 |
| Maasai | 1,189,522 |
| Turkana | 1,016,174 |
IV).
Other groups recorded
The same source reports Kenyan Asians at 47,555 (plus 42,972 Asians without Kenyan citizenship), Kenyan Europeans at 42,868 (26,753 without citizenship) and Kenyan Arabs at 59,021. Kenyans of Asian heritage were recognised as the 44th tribe by gazette notice in July 2017.
Language families
Most Kenyans belong to Bantu (e.g. Kikuyu, Luhya, Kamba, Kisii, Meru, Mijikenda), Nilotic (e.g. Kalenjin, Luo, Maasai, Turkana) or Cushitic (e.g. Somali, Borana) communities.
Caveat
Census ethnic categories have changed over time – from 42 in 1969 to more than 120 in 2019 – so comparisons with older censuses are not like-for-like. For official use, rely on the KNBS publication itself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest tribe in Kenya?
The Kikuyu, with 8,148,668 people in the 2019 census.
How many people did the 2019 census count?
47,564,296.
Where can I get the official tribe figures?
KNBS 2019 Census Volume IV: Distribution of Population by Socio-Economic Characteristics.
Related: News
Sources: KNBS, Wikipedia. Last updated October 2026.
