Within Ngāi Tahu there are now five primary hapū being Kāti Kurī, Ngāti Irakehu, Kāti Huirapa, Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki.
Below is a a list of some of the traditional (or pre settlement) 178 hapū names of Ngāi Tahu. The list uses ‘ng’ and not ‘k’ and any use of the list should consider the dialectal variations of words.
- Hinekura (Kaikoura)
- Ngai Kahukura (Tuahiwi)
- Ngai Tamakaitaki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853) (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tamauoraki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tangata
- Ngai Taoka
- Ngai Taoka (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tara
- Ngai Tarawa
- Ngai Tarewa (Akaroa)
- Ngai Tawaitoraki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tawakiteraki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Te Aotaumarewa
- Ngai Te Atawhuia (Kaiapoi)
- Ngai Te Kahukura (Tuahiwi)
- Ngai Te Makahi
- Ngai Te Pahi
- Ngai Te Raki
- Ngai Te Rakiamoa
- Ngai Te Rangi
- Ngai Te Rangitamau
- Ngai Te Urupaoa
- Ngai Teatawiua (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tekahukura (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Terakiamoa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Terakitauneke (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Terangihokaia (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tereke (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tihapuiti (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tuahuriuri
- Ngai Tuaki
- Ngai Tueanuku (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tuhaitara
- Ngai Tuke
- Ngai Tuna (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Turakipawa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngai Tūteahurewa
- Ngai-te-rua-wai (pp. 93 and 94 Canterbury Place Names)
- Ngati Hamua (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hapa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hapuiti (Census of the Native Residents in 1853; pp. 93 and 94 Canterbury Place Names)
- Ngati Hateatea
- Ngati Hatoka (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hāwea
- Ngati Hikawaikura
- Ngati Hikoa
- Ngati Hikoata
- Ngati Hikuroroa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hinapuariari (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hinarau (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hine Kura (Kaikoura)
- Ngati Hine Matua (Bluff)
- Ngati Hinekakai (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hinekakau
- Ngati Hinekata (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hinekato (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hinekura (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hinemihi
- Ngati Hinepa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hineteao (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hinetewai (Census of the Native Residents in 1853) (Half Moon Bay)
- Ngati Hinewairaki (pp. 93 and 94 Canterbury Place Names)
- Ngati Hiuekura (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Hueka (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Huikai
- Ngati Huirapa
- Ngati Hurihia (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Huruhaka (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Ikatutahi (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Ira
- Ngati Irakehu (Banks Peninsula)
- Ngati Kahu (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Kane (Country from the Waitaki south to Shag Point and inland to Lakes Hawea and Wanaka)
- Ngati Karehu
- Ngati Kaweriri (Census of the Native Residents in 1853; pp. 93 and 94 Canterbury Place Names) (Southern end of Waihora (Tau, pp. 249).
- Ngati Koki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Koko (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Kopiha (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Kopihi (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Koreha (Their old pa stood back on the old coach road north of the Ahuriri Lagoon.)
- Ngati Kuia
- Ngati Kura (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Kurī
- Ngati Kuware (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Mahaki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Makaue (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Makihikihi (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Makō
- Ngati Manaia (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Maru (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Matamata (Ngati Māmoe)
- Ngati Mateka (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Mihi
- Ngati Moki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853) (Taumutu)
- Ngati Mokihi (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Moruka (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Mu (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Pahi
- Ngati Pakihau (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Puneke (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Putete (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Rahui
- Ngati Rakai – See Ngati Rakaihautu
- Ngati Rakai (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Rakaihautu – Ngati Rakai
- Ngati Rakaihikuroa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Rakaimamoe (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Rakewakaputa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Raki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853; pp. 93 and 94 Canterbury Place Names)
- Ngati Rakiamoa
- Ngati Rakiihia (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Rakiora (Canterbury)
- Ngati Rakiwakaputa/ Rakiwhakaputa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Rokomai
- Ngati Rua (Waimea)
- Ngati Ruahahikihiki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Ruatapu (West Coast)
- Ngati Tahupotiki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tairewa
- Ngati Tamahaki
- Ngati Tamateraki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tamatiraki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Taoka (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tawaiteraki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Te Aohikuraki
- Ngati Te Atawhiua
- Ngati Te Rakiāmoa
- Ngati Teaotauinarewa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Teatawiua (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tekahukura (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tepaihi (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Terakaimoa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Terakitawio (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Terakiwhakaputa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Teropuaki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Teuataki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Toaotaumarewa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tomoware (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tu (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tūahuriri (Tuahiwi)
- Ngati Tukete (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tuketemamoe (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tura
- Ngati Turakautahi (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tuteauka (Census of the Native Residents in 1853) (Kaiapoi)
- Ngati Tutekawa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Tuteuhuka
- Ngati Uakehu (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Uenuku
- Ngati Urihia
- Ngati Waewae (West Coast)
- Ngati Wairaki (Census of the Native Residents in 1853) (West Coast)
- Ngati Wairua (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Waita (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Waiwai (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Wakakaha
- Ngati Wakakino (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Wata (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Wera (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Whae
- Ngati Whaea
- Ngati Whaitara
- Ngati Whakai (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Ngati Whata (Waimea)
- Ngati Wheke (Rāpaki)
- Ngati-Paro-paro (pp. 93 and 94 Canterbury Place Names)
- Ngati-Paroparo near Cave in Orari hills (Canterbury Place Names pg 114 – A mixed Waitaha-Katimamoe)
- Ngāti-Tumatakokiri
- Poupoutunoa (Canterbury)
- Rakiwakaputa (Census of the Native Residents in 1853)
- Rongokako
- Tauponui
- Te Ahuriri
- Te Aitaka a Tapuiti
- Te Ana o Katiwairua (Mammoe Hapu)
- Te Ataumarewa
- Te Au Taumarewa (Moeraki)
- Te Rakiwhakaputa