718,362 41.3% of Penang's population in 2020[1] (census)
Regions with significant populations
Penang
George Town: City centre, Balik Pulau, Ayer Itam, Tanjong Bungah, Jelutong, Paya Terubong, Tanjong Tokong[2]
Seberang Perai: Bukit Mertajam, Nibong Tebal, Butterworth, Simpang Ampat[2]
Languages
Penang Hokkien and Malaysian Mandarin (lingua franca) Malaysian, Kedah Malay, English, Manglish Other dialects: Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka
Religion
Predominantly Buddhism and/or Taoism, with a significant number of Christians. Minority: Islam, Atheism
Related ethnic groups
Chinese diaspora, Peranakan, Chindian
Penangite Chinese are ethnic Chinese Malaysians of full or partial Chinese ancestry who either hail from or live within the State of Penang. As of 2020[update], 45% of Penang's population belonged to the Chinese ethnic group, making ethnic Chinese the largest ethnic community within the state.[3][4]
Most Chinese Penangites are the descendants of Chinese colonists, traders, accountants, merchants, labourers and immigrants from southern China who moved to the Penang between the 18th and 20th centuries. By the mid-19th century, George Town, the capital city of Penang, was home to a significant Peranakan community, also known as the King's Chinese due to their loyalty to the British crown.[5] Under British colonial rule, Penang continued to experience increasing Chinese immigration throughout the 19th century. As the largest group of Penangite Chinese are ethnic Hokkiens (38% of the Chinese penangite population in 1957)[6][7] who came from southern Fujian Province, home to the Hokkien language, Penang Hokkien was gradually developed and is now widely used by Penangites for daily communication.
Penang's Chinese have been well-represented within Malaysia and also internationally in various professional, political, economic and other fields. To date, Penang is the only state in Malaysia where the position of the Chief Minister, who leads the state government, has been continuously held by an ethnic Chinese since independence. Renowned figures, including Jimmy Choo and Nicol David, hailed from Penang and have contributed greatly in raising the country's profile internationally.
Penangite Chinese typically refer to themselves as Tn̂g-lâng in Penang Hokkien.[8] In English parlance within Penang, Penangite Chinese are simply referred to as "Chinese".
^"Key Findings of Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2020" (pdf) (in Malay and English). Department of Statistics, Malaysia. ISBN 978-967-2000-85-3.
^ ab"MyCensus 2020: Mukim/Town/Pekan". Department of Statistics Malaysia. Putrajaya: 174–175. February 2024. ISBN 9789672537069.
^"Current Population Estimates 2017". Malaysian Department of Statistics: 55. 14 July 2017.
^"Penang – not so Chinese after all". Free Malaysia Today. 2011-06-10. Archived from the original on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
^Singapore, National Library Board. "Peranakan (Straits Chinese) community | Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
^Koh Aun Qi (9 September 2017). "Penang Hokkien and its struggle for survival".
^"The process and effects of demographic transition in Penang, Malaysia". January 2013.
^Johny Chee (2008). A Tapestry of Baba Poetry. Areca Books. ISBN 9789834291211.
PenangiteChinese are ethnic Chinese Malaysians of full or partial Chinese ancestry who either hail from or live within the State of Penang. As of 2020[update]...
Malaysian Malays (includes Johorean Malay and Penangite Malay), Malaysian Chinese (includes PenangiteChinese) and Tamil Malaysians community was officially...
National Organisation, Malayan Chinese Association, and Malayan Indian Congress) Penang Ethnic groups: Penangites, PenangiteChinese Proposed state: Penang Organization:...
origins and a respondent who answered "Chinese Malaysian" (leading to him/her being counted once for "Chinese" and once for "Malaysian"). As with all...
Chieng – stand-up comedian Yong Mun Sen (杨曼生; 1896–1962) –-Kuching born Penangite watercolorist and Malaysian artist; "father of Malaysian painting"; one...
these factors have resulted in most of the populations speaking only Chinese. Although a Nakh people, they are heavily assimilated into Georgian society...
contrasts with earlier Chinese communities such as the Straits-born Chinese of Baba-Nyonya, Kelantanese and Terengganuan Peranakans, Penangite Hokkien and Sabah...
Rome. He was born in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, as the son of ethnic PenangiteChinese parents of Hakka descent, namely Cecilia Foo Nguk Yin and John Wong...
Penang's Chinese community, and also by some Penangite Indians and Penangite Malays. It was once the lingua franca among the majority Chinese population...
Tunisia Uganda (Abayudaya) Zambia Zimbabwe Asia Afghanistan Bahrain Cambodia China Hong Kong India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kurdistan...
century, Admiral Zheng He of Ming China referred to the island as Bīngláng Yǔ (traditional Chinese: 檳榔嶼; simplified Chinese: 槟榔屿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Pin-nn̂g-sū;...
stalls, known as "hawker food" and colloquially as "muckan carts". Local Penangites typically find these hawker fares cheaper and easier to eat out at due...
Penangite Indians (Tamil: பினாங்கு இந்தியர்கள்; Malay: Kaum India di Pulau Pinang), also known as Chulias, are Malaysian Indians that live primarily in...
the Penang Chinese Town Hall, it retains its religious significance amongst Penangites of Chinese descent. It remains a focal point for Chinese festivities...
was a Penangite tycoon and the first sole distributor of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia. Loh Boon Siew was born in Hui'an County, Fujian, China. He spent...
headquartered in Hong Kong. Eswaran was born in Penang, Malaysia to Penangite Indian parents of minority Ceylonese Tamil descent, namely Pushpavathy...
sculptures. The promenade was renamed after the late Karpal Singh, a Penangite lawyer who rose to prominence in the Democratic Action Party (DAP). He...
is controversial and often discussed in local forums. Majority of the Penangites and hawkers are Hokkien who talked in Hokkien-dialect. Thus, the Hokkien...
Generasi Penang, an NGO aimed to provide more opportunities for young Penangites to show their talents. He is also the founding member of the Sustainable...
roti canai (Indian bread) and teh tarik (milk tea). Also, insatiable Penangites often eat until late at night in places like coffee shops. Penang Malaysia...
unions in 1967, led to a loss of popular support for the Alliance amongst Penangites. During the 1969 State Elections, Gerakan, then an opposition party, was...
former Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, a fellow Penangite, once quipped that David is "now more famous than me". In July 2007, David...
those Chinese perceived as being threats began. This was the start of the Sook Ching massacres in which an estimated 50,000 or more ethnic Chinese were...
Global Information
Penang
George Town: City centre, Balik Pulau, Ayer Itam, Tanjong Bungah, Jelutong, Paya Terubong, Tanjong Tokong[2]
Seberang Perai: Bukit Mertajam, Nibong Tebal, Butterworth, Simpang Ampat[2]