Hadiya (ሃድያ: Hadiya or Hadiyya) is the Ethiopian ethnic group of people who speak the Hadiyya language. However, proper historical definition of Hadiya people includes a number of Ethiopian ethnic groups currently know by other names according to ethnologist Ulrich Braukämper who lived in various parts of southern-central Ethiopia for over four years during his research In his book titled A history of the Hadiyya in Southern Ethiopia he establishes linkages to ancient Hadiya Kingdom the current ethnic groups of Halaba people (Allaaba or Alaba), Qabeena Kebena people, Silt'e or Selte Silt'e people, "Hadiyya" clans of the Arisi-Oromo & Ittuu-Oromo, and "Clans of Hadiyya origin in Wälaytta" in addition to current speakers of Hadiyya language in Hadiya Zone & the Libidoo (speakers of Libido language dialect) of Mareko in Gurage Zone. To be noted is the way Braukämper's spelling of the term as Hadiyya (probably correctly with extra y) rather than similar to the title of this article potentially creating ambiguity especially when looking up for information online.
The Hadiya Zone is named after the Hadiya people, whose homeland covers part of this administrative division. The 2007 Ethiopian national census reported that 1,269,382 people (or 1.5% of the population) identified themselves as Hadiya, of whom 150,087 were urban inhabitants. The Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region is home to 93.9% of this people.