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Religion in Tamil Nadu

The Census of India records religion as declared by the respondent, with no verification against any document. These are the published 2011 figures for Tamil Nadu, ordered from largest group to smallest. People who chose not to answer are counted under not stated.

Religion wise population of Tamil Nadu, Census of India 2011
Religion Population Share
Hindu 63,188,168 87.58%
Christian 4,418,331 6.12%
Muslim 4,229,479 5.86%
Not stated 188,586 0.26%
Jain 89,265 0.12%
Sikh 14,601 0.02%
Buddhist 11,186 0.02%
Other religions 7,414 0.01%

Largest group by district

Largest religious group in each district of Tamil Nadu
District Largest group Share
Ariyalur Hindu 93.84%
Chennai Hindu 80.73%
Coimbatore Hindu 88.03%
Cuddalore Hindu 91.78%
Dharmapuri Hindu 96.42%
Dindigul Hindu 87.02%
Erode Hindu 93.95%
Kancheepuram Hindu 88.47%
Kanniyakumari Hindu 48.65%
Karur Hindu 93.35%
Krishnagiri Hindu 91.70%
Madurai Hindu 90.86%
Nagapattinam Hindu 88.78%
Namakkal Hindu 96.93%
Perambalur Hindu 92.29%
Pudukkottai Hindu 88.29%
Ramanathapuram Hindu 77.39%
Salem Hindu 95.53%
Sivaganga Hindu 88.57%
Thanjavur Hindu 86.28%
The Nilgiris Hindu 77.44%
Theni Hindu 92.22%
Thiruvallur Hindu 89.21%
Thiruvarur Hindu 89.60%
Thoothukkudi Hindu 78.50%
Tiruchirappalli Hindu 83.73%
Tirunelveli Hindu 78.83%
Tiruppur Hindu 91.92%
Tiruvannamalai Hindu 93.08%
Vellore Hindu 86.32%
Viluppuram Hindu 91.79%
Virudhunagar Hindu 93.84%

Questions about religion data in Tamil Nadu

Hindu, at 87.58 per cent of the population as recorded in the Census of India 2011, which is 63,188,168 people.

Christian, at 6.12 per cent.

Religion is self declared. Enumerators record whatever the respondent states, and answers are not verified against any document. People who decline to answer are counted under not stated.

Each figure is rounded independently, and a small share of respondents do not state a religion. The published totals therefore come very close to 100 without always landing on it.

Not at this level of detail. The 2011 census remains the most recent completed count, and religion tables from it were published in 2015.

Source: Census of India 2011 religion tables. See about the data, or open all districts in Tamil Nadu.