List of Naga ethnic groups
is an umbrella term for several indigenous communities in Northeast India and Upper Burma. The word Naga originated as an exonym. Today, it covers a number of ethnic groups that reside in the Indian states of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and also in Myanmar.
Before the arrival of the British, the term "Naga" was used in Assam to refer to certain isolated ethnic groups. The British adopted this term for a number of ethnic groups in the surrounding area, based on loose linguistic and cultural associations.
Nagaland became the 16th state
on 1 December 1965.
S. R. Tohring lists 66 Naga ethnic groups whereas Kibangwar Jamir lists 67 ethnic groups. The 1991 Census of India listed 35 Naga groups as Scheduled Tribes: 17 in Nagaland, 15 in Manipur and 3 in Arunachal Pradesh.
List of Naga ethnic groups
| Ethnic group | Country | Recognized as Scheduled Tribe by India in | Population | Reference for classification as Naga | Comments |
| Anāl | India, Myanmar | Manipur | 72,509 | S.R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Angami | India | Nagaland | 141,732 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Ao | India | Nagaland | 226,625 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Chakhesang | India | Manipur Nagaland | 154,874 | ||
| Chang | India | Nagaland | 64,226 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Chirr | India | Nagaland | 138 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Chiru | India | Manipur | 8,599 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Chothe | India | Manipur | 3,585 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Inpui | India | Manipur | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | ||
| Kharam | India | Manipur | 1,145 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Khiamniungan | Myanmar, India | Nagaland | 61,647 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also known as Nokow in Myanmar. |
| Konyak | Myanmar, India | Nagaland | 205,458 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Lamkang | India | Manipur | 7,770 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Lainong | Myanmar | Sagaing | 22,617 | Anui Sainyiu, 2002; S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also known as Htangngan |
| Liangmai | India | Nagaland, Manipur | Part of Zeliangrong | ||
| Lotha | India | Nagaland | 173,111 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Makury | Myanmar, India | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Considered part of Yimkhiung in Nagaland, India | ||
| Mao | India | Manipur | 97,195 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Khrasi |
| Maram | India | Manipur | 27,524 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Maring | India | Manipur | 26,424 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Monsang | India | Manipur | 2,427 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Moyon | Myanmar, India | Manipur | 2,516 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Moyon Naga. |
| Nocte | India | Arunachal Pradesh | 34,664 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Part of Tangshang Naga. |
| Para | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |||
| Phom | India | Nagaland | 52,682 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Pochury | India | Nagaland | 21,948 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Poumai | India | Manipur | 187,180 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Rengma | India | Assam, Nagaland | 62,951 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Rongmei | India | Assam, Nagaland, Manipur | 170,800 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Part of Zeliangrong |
| Sangtam | India | Nagaland | 74,994 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Sümi | India | Nagaland | 236,313 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Tangkhul | India, Myanmar | Manipur | 178,568 | ||
| Tangsa | India, Myanmar | Arunachal Pradesh | 15,295 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Known as Tangshang in Myanmar |
| Tarao | India | Manipur | 1,066 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Thangal | India | Manipur | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | ||
| Tikhir | India | Nagaland | 7,537 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Tutsa | India | Arunachal Pradesh | Robin Tribhuwan, 2005 | It is a sub-tribe of Tangshang Naga. | |
| Wancho | India | Arunachal Pradesh | 56,886 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | It is a sub-tribe of Tangshang Naga. |
| Yimkhiung | Myanmar, India | Nagaland | 66,972 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Zeme | India | Nagaland, Assam & Manipur | 74,877 | S.R.Tohring | Part of Zeliangrong Community |
Naga ethnic groups with limited recognition
| Ethnic group | Country | State | Reference for classification as Naga | Comments |
| Khoibu | India | Manipur | Romesh Singh, 2006 | Also considered as a clan of Maring |
| Heimi Naga | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Limited scope of former name of Tangshang | |
| Pangmi Naga | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Limited scope of former name of Tangshang | |
| Muklom Naga | India | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Clan of Tangsa/Tangshang Naga | |
| Rangpang Naga | India | Arunachal Pradesh | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Limited scope of former name of Tangshang |
| Ollo Naga | India | Arunachal Pradesh | Also considered as a clan of Nocte | |
| Koka Naga | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | sometimes considered as a clan of Somra Tangkhul | |
| Longphuri Naga | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also considered as a clan of Makury | |
| Makyam Naga | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also considered as a clan of Khiamniungan Naga | |
| Tikhak Naga | India, Myanmar | Arunachal Pradesh | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also considered as a clan of Tangsa/Tangshang Naga |
Composite ethnic groups or communities
Pakan
Anāl, Maring, Lamkang, Moyon, Monsang, KhoibuTangshang
A combination term, Tang from Tangnyu Vang and Shang from Shangnyu Vang chieftains, which were formerly known as and includes Heimi, Pangmi, Rangpang, Tangsa, Wancho, Nocte, and Tutsa now.Tenyimi
Angami, Chakhesang, Inpui, Mao, Maram, Pochury, Poumai, Rengma, Thangal, Zeliangrong and Northern villages of Jessami, Soraphung and Chingjaroi in Ukhrul district.Angami: Chakhro Angami, Northern Angami, Southern Angami, Western Angami
Chakhesang:
Chokri, Khezha and formerly Pochury combined
Shepfomei or Shepoumai :
Ememei, Lepaona, Chiliivai and Paomata together
Zeliangrong:
Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei
Northern Ukhrul:
Villages of Jessami, Soraphung, Chingjaroi
In Northern Ukhrul District