Languages that Māori people in New Zealand can speak
By select language, 2018 Census, % of people where information available
The following information applies to all values in the table.
Census Year: 2018, Subject population: Census usually resident population, MEC group: Māori, Ethnic group (total response): 2, Unit: Percentage
You can use this data confidently. Stats NZ rated it as high quality.
For more information, read about response rates below.
Stats NZ gives data an overall rating based on sources and coverage, consistency, and data quality.
Why am I seeing this?
This data is from the 2018 Census. The 2018 Census had low response rates, particularly for some areas of New Zealand and groups of people. Read more about this on Stats NZ's website.
Where information was missing or unreadable, Stats NZ attempted to use data from a range of places such as the 2013 census or administrative data that is collected by other government agencies. If that isn't available, Stats NZ use statistical models to predict what the missing data would have been. This is called imputation.
Things to be aware of
Languages of the Central Eastern Malayo Polynesian group had the highest imputation rate. This category includes Te Reo Māori and most of the languages spoken in the Pacific.
A person may vary their reporting of their ethnicity, including the number of ethnicities they identify with, according to the context in which they are asked. This is a consideration when comparing the 2018 Census results with other sources. In addition, the 'as-you-type' online functionality of this census allowed for more detailed responses than in other data collections, including previous censuses.
The language data provides information on which languages, and how many, a person can speak or use.
Ethnicity is the ethnic group or groups a person identifies with or has a sense of belonging to. It is a measure of cultural affiliation (in contrast to race, ancestry, nationality, or citizenship). This demographic attribute is self-perceived, and a person can belong to more than one ethnic group.
Response rates and final data sources
Language:
The response rate from 2018 Census forms was 83.8%. 8.2% of responses were sourced from forms submitted during the 2013 Census. The remaining 8.0% of responses were imputed.
Ethnic group:
The response rate from 2018 Census forms was 84.4%. In addition, 8.2% of responses were sourced from forms submitted during the 2013 Census. 6.2% were sourced from administrative data such as the births register, education enrolments, Ministry of Health, Corrections, and Ministry of Defence datasets. 1.2% of responses were imputed, while less than 0.1% were missing.
Some responses that could not be classified, or did not provide the type of information asked for, remain in the data where Stats NZ was unable to find information from another source. These are included in the response rate from 2018 Census forms.
Definitions
Census usually resident population count of New Zealand: a count of all people who usually live in and were present in New Zealand on census night. It excludes overseas visitors and New Zealand residents who are temporarily overseas.
Data calculation/treatment
This data has been randomly rounded to protect confidentiality. Figure.NZ calculated percentages based on the 'Total stated' values for each variable. Individual percentages may not sum to 100% and values for the same data may vary in different tables.
The 2018 Census was a modernised census based on models used in 2016 by the Canadian and Australian statistical agencies and then applied in the New Zealand context. Stats NZ collaborated with census experts from both countries when designing the model.
Under the new model, how Stats NZ enabled/collected from the respondents changed from predominately field-based activities to 80 percent mail-out with a reduced field presence and increased communications, marketing and engagement. The way respondents completed their forms also changed, with a greater focus on online completion over paper. The majority of the population was encouraged to complete the census online using an internet access code mailed to their households before census night. The new collection model therefore relied on the public to self-respond, rather than wait for a visit from field staff. Field follow-up activities were also planned.
The main areas of change were:
- phasing the model (prepare, enable, remind and visit)
- strategies used across the different phases
- mailing out “call to action” letters with an internet access code and instructions on how to order paper forms, if required, as the first interaction with census
- reducing the number of field staff, with a new structure and roles
- outsourcing the recruitment functions for field staff
- introducing new field technology
- creating a new address frame (a list of all dwellings in New Zealand)
- an integrated communications campaign including community engagement
- a new approach to processing the census data.
Census: Select variables by detailed ethnic group (custom request) 2018
How to find the data
This data was originally produced by Stats NZ for the Ministry of Ethnic Communities (MEC). Figure.NZ was restructured and organised by Figure.NZ for processing purposes.
The MEC ethnic grouping has been inserted by Figure.NZ based on the latest MEC classification in 2023.
The New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings is the official count of how many people and dwellings there are in New Zealand. It provides a snapshot of our society at a point in time and helps to tell the story of its social and economic change. The 2018 Census, held on Tuesday 6 March, was the 34th New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings. The first official census was run in 1851, and since 1877 there has been a census every five years, with only four exceptions.
Purpose of collection
Census information is used by government agencies, local authorities, businesses, community organisations, and the public for developing and implementing new policies, research, planning, and decision-making. It helps us make decisions about how to best use public funding, especially in areas of health, education, housing, and transport.
The census is also the primary source of information used for deciding the number of general and Māori electorates, along with data from the corresponding Māori Electoral Option.