Malays (ethnic group)

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This article is about the ethnic group. For the race concept, see Malay race. For
other uses, see Malay (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Malaysians.
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consider splitting content into sub-articles, condensing it, or
adding subheadings. (May 2020)

Malays
Orang Melayu

A Malay couple in traditional attire after their akad nikah (marriage

solemnisation) ceremony. The groom is wearing a baju melayu paired

with songkok and songket, while the bride wears baju kurung with

a tudong.

Total population

c. 23.5 million

Regions with significant populations

Malaysia: 14,749,378[1]

Brunei: 261,902[2]

Malay world c. 8 million

Indonesia 5,365,399[3]

Thailand 1,964,384[4]
 Singapore 653,449[5]

Diaspora c. 400,000–450,000

South Africa ~200,000[6]note

Saudi Arabia ~50,000[7][8]

Sri Lanka 40,189[9][a]

Australia 33,183[10]

United Kingdom ~33,000[11]

United States 29,431[12]

Myanmar ~27,000[13]

Canada 16,920[14]

Languages

• Malay

(Malaysian
• Indonesian)

Malayic languages

Religion

Predominantly Sunni Islam

Historically Hinduism, Buddhism, Nature worship, and Animism

Related ethnic groups

Other Austronesian peoples

a
Highly naturalized population of mixed origins, but using the 'Malay' identity

Malays (Malay: Orang Melayu, Jawi: ‫ )أورڠ ماليو‬are an Austronesian ethnic

group and nation native to the Malay Peninsula, eastern Sumatra of Indonesia and
coastal Borneo, as well as the smaller islands which lie between these locations —
areas that are collectively known as the Malay world. These locations are today part
of the nations of Malaysia (Malay nation state), Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia and
Southern Thailand.
There is considerable genetic, linguistic, cultural, artistic, and social diversity among
the many Malay subgroups, mainly due to hundreds of years of immigration and
assimilation of various regional ethnicity and tribes within Maritime Southeast Asia.
Historically, the Malay population is descended primarily from the earlier Malayic-
speaking Austronesians and Austroasiatic tribes who founded several ancient
maritime trading states and kingdoms, notably Brunei, Kedah, Langkasuka, Gangga
Negara, Chi Tu, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pahang, Melayu and Srivijaya.[15][16]
The advent of the Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century triggered a major revolution
in Malay history, the significance of which lies in its far-reaching political and cultural
legacy. Common definitive markers of a Malayness – the religion of Islam, the Malay
language and traditions – are thought to have been promulgated during this era,
resulting in the ethnogenesis of the Malay as a major ethnoreligious group in the
region.[17] In literature, architecture, culinary traditions, traditional dress, performing
arts, martial arts, and royal court traditions, Malacca set a standard that later Malay
sultanates emulated. The golden age of the Malay sultanates in the Malay
Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo saw many of their inhabitants, particularly from
various tribal communities like the Batak, Dayak, Orang Asli and the Orang
Laut become subject to Islamisation and Malayisation.[18] Today, some Malays have
recent forebears from other parts of Maritime Southeast Asia, termed as anak
dagang ("traders") and who predominantly consist
of Acehnese, Banjar, Bugis, Minangkabau people and the Javanese, while some are
also descended from more recent immigrants from other countries.[19]