The Erzyas (also Erzyans, Erzya people; ; ) are a Finno-Ugric ethnic group. Their native language is Erzya. They are closely related to but distinct from Mokshas, and together they are often called Mordvin peoples, especially by outsiders.
According to the 2010 Russian census, 744,237 identified as Mordvin, of whom 57,008 specified Erzya ethnicity. Erzya are believed to form about two-thirds of the Mordvin population; however, low self-identification as Erzya is attributed to Soviet-era policies promoting a united Mordvin identity, with many Erzya culturally identifying under the broader label.
By the 2021 census, the Mordvin population declined to 484,450, of whom 50,086 self-identified as Erzya, reflecting continued low subgroup identification. The Erzya are primarily concentrated in the Republic of Mordovia in central Russia, where they form a substantial portion of the regional population alongside Russians.
Significant communities also reside in the neighboring oblasts of Nizhny Novgorod, Penza, Samara, and Ulyanovsk, as well as smaller numbers in Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Orenburg, Saratov, and other Volga-Ural regions. Rural areas maintain higher rates of Erzya proficiency and cultural practices compared to urban centers, where ongoing urbanization has intensified cultural identity erosion.