The Kashubians (Kashubian: Kaszëbi; Polish: Kaszubi; German: Kaschuben) are a West Slavic ethnic group indigenous to the historic region of Pomerania, particularly its eastern part known as Pomerelia, in north‑central Poland. Their traditional settlement area is referred to as Kashubia (Kaszuby).
Population
Estimates of the Kashubian population in Poland have varied: about 500 000 in 2002, rising to roughly 567 000 in 2005. The 2021 Polish census recorded 179 685 individuals who declared Kashubian ethnicity, representing the most recent official figure. Significant diaspora communities exist in Germany, the United States, and Canada.
Language
Kashubians speak Kashubian, a Lechitic language closely related to Polish but classified by linguists as a separate language. Kashubian enjoys legal protection as a minority language in Poland and is taught in schools within the Kashubian region. Many Kashubians are bilingual in Polish, and various dialects and mixed dialects (e.g., Kociewie, Krajna, Bory Tucholskie) are spoken locally. Historically, East Pomeranian and Low Prussian dialects were also present.
Religion
The majority of Kashubians adhere to Roman Catholicism, with a Protestant minority. Traditional religious customs coexist with broader Polish Catholic practices.
Historical and Cultural Context
Kashubians are part of the broader West Slavic (Lechitic) family and share close historical ties with Poles. Some scholars consider them a subgroup of the Polish nation, while many Kashubians maintain a distinct Kashubian‑Polish identity. Historically, they were grouped with the Slovincians under the collective term “Pomeranians.” Traditional occupations centered on agriculture and fishing; contemporary livelihoods also include services, tourism, and agrotourism.
Geographical Distribution
Within Poland, Kashubian communities are concentrated in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, especially around the cities of Gdańsk (the regional capital) and Gdynia, which have the highest proportions of residents declaring Kashubian origin. Smaller towns such as Linia, Sierakowice, Szemud, Kartuzy, Chmielno, and Żukowo also have substantial Kashubian populations.
Organizations
The Kashubian‑Pomeranian Association (Kashubian: Kaszëbskò-Pòmòrsczé Zgromadzenié) is the principal cultural organization dedicated to preserving Kashubian language, traditions, and identity.
Related Groups
Kashubians are closely related to other West Slavic peoples, particularly other Lechites such as the Poles. Linguistically and historically, they are linked to the extinct Slovincian language and people, together forming the Pomeranian language subgroup.