European Canadians

European Canadians (French: les Canadiens Européens), also known as Euro-Canadians, are Canadians with ancestry from Europe.[1][2] They form the largest panethnic group within Canada. In the 2016 Canadian census, 25,111,700 Canadians self-identified as having origins from European countries.[3] However, the sum of the identified ethnic groups is greater than the total population estimate, because a person may report more than one ethnic origin in the census[3]: note103  [4] It is therefore not possible to assess European Canadians as a percentage of Canada's total population.

Canadians of European origins
Total population
25,111,700
Regions with significant populations
All areas of Canada
less prevalent in the North
Languages
Canadian English · Canadian French
Other European Languages
Historically: Scottish Gaelic · Irish
Religion
Majority:
Christianity:
Protestantism · Roman Catholicism · Eastern Orthodoxy · Oriental Orthodoxy · Mormonism · Other Latter Day Saints · Nondenominational and Other Christians
Minority:
Islam · Judaism
Related ethnic groups
European diaspora, Europeans, European Americans, European Australians, European New Zealanders, British (English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish), Irish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Ukrainian, Polish, Portuguese

Terminology

As with other panethnic groups, Statistics Canada records ethnic ancestry by employing the term "European origins" under the ethnic origin population section in the census data, [5] but does not specifically use the term "European Canadian". "Euro-Canadians" and "European Canadians" are terms primarily used by those opposed to immigration to Canada from the Third World, and their use has been criticised as conflating distinctions between very different European groups and nationalities.[6] Those employing the terms can recognise that most Canadians of European descent do not see that as their collective identity and instead identify with a specific ethnicity or country of ancestral origin, characterising themselves as for example "Anglo" or "Québecois" rather than as part of a larger "Euro-Canadian" group.[7] For most of the history of European settlement in North America, the French and the English were seen as two distinct races, with distinct cultures and national spirits.[8][9]

Statistics Canada has cautioned that "the reporting of ethnicity, and subsequent interpretation of the results, has become increasingly complex due to a number of factors, and poses challenges for historical data comparisons. The concept of ethnicity is fluid and is probably one of the more complex concepts measured in the census."[10] As well, patterns of self-reporting ethnic origins on the census vary with different population groups in Canada, with particular fluidity on self-reporting of the category "Canadian".[4][11] Use of statistics in this subject area must be approached with these cautions in mind.

The phrase "Euro-Canadian" can sometimes be a term used by members of the far right who express racist ideology, as for example in the name "Euro-Canadian Freedom Front", a telephone hotline maintained by the neo-Nazi Heritage Front in the 1990s.[12][13]

Subgroups

There are several subgroups of Canadians of European origin.[14] Although approximately defined categories (due to imprecise, or ethnocultural, regionalization of the continent), the subgroups have been utilized widely in ethnic and cultural identification.[15][16] This is especially relevant in diaspora, as is the case with European people in Canada.[17]

Statistics Canada does not use the term "European Canadian". The 2016 census asked individuals to self-identify their ethnic origins,[3] within six general categories:

History

Initial settlement

The French were the first Europeans to establish a continuous presence in what is now Canada. Hélène Desportes is considered the first white child born in New France. She was born circa 1620, to Pierre Desportes (born Lisieux, Normandie, France) and Françoise Langlois.[18]

20th century

Hundreds of thousands of European immigrants came through Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia in the 1900s.[19]

Diaspora

Substantial numbers of European Canadians of French extraction migrated to New England beginning in the late nineteenth century, taking jobs in the cotton mills there and forming a Catholic French-speaking immigrant community.[20] Notable francophone European-Canadian Americans included Beat novelist Jack Kerouac and best-selling novelist Grace Metalious.

Notable Canadians of European descent who settled in the United States or lived in the United States for extended periods have included Joni Mitchell, Lorne Michaels, Hal Foster, Todd McFarlane, Ted Cruz, Pamela Anderson, Justin Bieber, Seth Rogen and William Shatner.

Demographics

Beginning with the first Canadian census in 1871, the European Canadian population as a percentage of the total Canadian population had a peak of 98.5 percent. Since then, their proportion of the total Canadian population has been decreasing gradually since the mid-20th century to the most recent census in 2016.[3][21][22] The actual decrease in the percentage of the population who are of European origins is hard to quantify, because individuals who fill out the census can self-identify under more than one category, based on their personal family history. Statistics Canada advises that the total number of people listed by ethnic origin is actually larger than the total population estimate.[3]: note103  [4] It is therefore not possible to express the number of individuals of European origin as a percentage of the total population.

The 2016 census recorded Canadians of European descent in the following categories: British Isles origins; French origins; Western European origins (except French origins); Northern European origins (except British Isles origins); Eastern European origins; and Southern European origins.[3]

"Canadian" was the single largest ethnic origin reported in the 2016 census, reported by 11,135,965 individuals, although the grouping from the British isles was collectively larger, at 11,211,850. The British category included 6,320,085 English, 4,799,005 Scottish, 4,627,000 Irish, and 474,805 Welsh. It was followed by France at 4,680,820. Other large groups included individuals with origins from Germany (3,322,405), Italy (1,587,965), Ukraine (1,359,655), The Netherlands (1,111,655), and Poland (1,106,585).[3]

European Canadian population in Canada
Year Population % of total population
1871[22][23] 3,433,315 98.5%
1881[23][24] 4,146,900 95.9%
1901[23][24] 5,170,522 96.0%
1911[23][24] 7,005,583 94.4%
1921[21][23][24] 8,568,584 96.0%
1931[21][22] 10,134,313 97.7%
1941[21][22] 11,242,868 97.8%
1951[21][22] 13,582,574 96.8%
1961[21][22] 17,653,864 96.8%
1966[22] N/A 96.8%
1971[21][22] 20,763,915 96.3%
1981[25] 22,402,000 93.0%
1986 N/A N/A
1991 N/A N/A
1996 N/A N/A
2001[26][27][nb 1] 24,678,880 83.3%
2006[28][nb 1] 25,000,150 80.0%
2011[29][nb 1] 25,186,890 76.7%
2016[3][nb 1] 25,111,700 72.9%
European Canadians by province and territory (2001–2016)
Province/territory Population (2001)[26][27] % of total ethnic population (2001) Population (2006)[28] % of total ethnic population (2006) Population (2011)[29] % of total ethnic population (2011) Population (2016)[3] % of total ethnic population (2016)
Ontario 8,944,190 79.3% 9,041,200 75.2% 9,070,795 71.7% 8,982,180 67.8%
Quebec 6,548,205 91.9% 6,673,120 89.7% 6,740,370 87.2% 6,750,200 84.7%
British Columbia 2,862,405 74.0% 2,869,450 70.4% 2,911,568 67.3% 2,908,420 63.8%
Alberta 2,455,005 83.5% 2,613,790 80.3% 2,690,955 75.4% 2,786,340 70.0%
Manitoba 866,545 78.5% 849,025 74.9% 824,820 70.2% 800,540 64.5%
Nova Scotia 846,030 94.3% 841,230 93.2% 825,050 91.1% 798,195 87.9%
Saskatchewan 805,380 83.6% 778,060 81.2% 787,745 78.1% 779,665 72.8%
New Brunswick 693,295 96.3% 688,650 95.7% 696,085 94.6% 676,785 92.6%
Newfoundland and Labrador 485,450 95.6% 471,430 94.2% 464,540 91.6% 454,710 88.8%
Prince Edward Island 130,860 98.1% 130,645 97.4% 130,885 95.3% 130,310 93.3%
Yukon 20,955 73.5% 21,395 70.9% 23,595 70.8% 23,915 68.1%
Northwest Territories 16,925 45.4% 18,150 44.2% 16,915 41.6% 16,320 39.7%
Nunavut 3,735 14.0% 3,990 13.6% 3,820 12.1% 4,115 11.6%
Canada 24,678,880 83.3% 25,000,150 80.0% 25,186,890 76.7% 25,111,695 72.9%

Ethnicity
European Canadian population by country of origin (1871–1911)
Ethnicity Population (1871)[24] % of Canadian population (1871) Population (1881)[24] % of Canadian population (1881) Population (1901)[24] % of Canadian population (1901) Population (1911)[24] % of Canadian population (1911)
Albanian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Austrian N/A N/A N/A N/A 10,947 0.2% 42,535 0.6%
Basque N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Belgian N/A N/A N/A N/A 2,994 0.1% 9,593 0.1%
Bosnian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
British Isles (not otherwise specified) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Bulgarian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Croatian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Cypriot N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Czechoslovakian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Czech N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Danish N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Dutch 29,662 0.9% 30,412 0.7% 33,845 0.6% 54,986 0.8%
English 706,369 20.3% 881,301 20.4% 1,260,899 23.5% 1,823,150 25.3%
Estonian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Finnish N/A N/A N/A N/A 2,502 0.1% 15,497 0.2%
French 1,082,940 31.1% 1,298,929 30.0% 1,649,371 30.7% 2,054,890 28.5%
German 202,991 5.8% 254,319 5.9% 310,501 5.8% 393,320 5.5%
Greek N/A N/A N/A N/A 291 0.0% 3,594 0.0%
Hungarian N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,549 0.0% 11,605 0.2%
Icelandic N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Irish 846,414 24.3% 957,403 22.1% 988,721 18.4% 1,050,384 14.6%
Italian 1,035 0.0% 1,849 0.0% 10,834 0.2% 45,411 0.6%
Kosovar N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Latvian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Lithuanian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Luxembourger N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Macedonian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Maltese N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Moldovan N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Montenegrin N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Norwegian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Polish N/A N/A N/A N/A 6,285 0.1% 33,365 0.5%
Portuguese N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Romanian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Russian 607 0.0% 1,227 0.1% 19,825 0.4% 43,142 0.6%
Scottish 549,946 15.8% 699,863 16.2% 800,154 14.9% 997,880 13.9%
Serbian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Slovak N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Slovene N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Spanish N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Swedish N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Swiss 2,962 0.1% 4,588 0.1% 3,865 0.1% 6,625 0.1%
Ukrainian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Welsh N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Yugoslav N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
European Canadian population by country of origin (1921–1961)
Ethnicity Population (1921)[24] % of Canadian population (1921) Population (1941)[30][31] % of Canadian population (1941) Population (1951)[30][31] % of Canadian population (1951) Population (1961)[30][31] % of Canadian population (1961)
Albanian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Basque N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Belgian 20,234 0.2% 29,711 0.3% 35,148 0.3% 61,382 0.3%
Bosnian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
British Isles (not otherwise specified) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Bulgarian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Croatian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Cypriot N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Czechoslovakian N/A N/A 42,912 0.4% 63,959 0.4% 73,061 0.4%
Czech N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Danish N/A N/A 37,439 0.3% 42,671 0.3% 85,473 0.5%
Dutch 117,506 1.2% 212,863 1.8% 264,267 1.9% 429,679 2.4%
English 2,545,496 29.0% 2,968,402 25.1% 3,630,344 25.9% 4,195,175 23.0%
Estonian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Finnish 21,494 0.2% 41,683 0.4% 43,745 0.3% 59,436 0.3%
French 2,452,751 27.9% 3,483,038 29.5% 4,319,167 30.8% 5,540,346 30.4%
German 294,636 3.4% 464,682 3.9% 619,995 4.4% 1,049,599 5.8%
Greek 5,740 0.1% 11,692 0.1% 13,966 0.1% 56,475 0.3%
Hungarian 13,181 0.1% 54,598 0.5% 60,460 0.4% 126,220 0.7%
Icelandic N/A N/A 21,050 0.2% 23,307 0.2% 30,623 0.2%
Irish 1,107,817 12.6% 1,267,702 10.7% 1,439,635 10.3% 1,753,351 9.6%
Italian 66,769 0.8% 112,625 1.0% 152,245 1.1% 459,351 2.5%
Kosovar N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Latvian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Lithuanian N/A N/A 7,789 0.1% 16,224 0.1% 27,629 0.2%
Luxembourger N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Macedonian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Maltese N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Moldovan N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Montenegrin N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Norwegian N/A N/A 100,718 0.9% 119,266 0.9% 148,681 0.8%
Polish 53,403 0.6% 167,485 1.4% 219,845 1.6% 323,517 1.8%
Portuguese N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Romanian N/A N/A 24,689 0.2% 23,601 0.2% 43,805 0.2%
Russian 100,064 1.1% 83,708 0.7% 91,279 0.6% 119,168 0.7%
Scottish 1,173,637 13.4% 1,403,974 11.9% 1,547,470 11.0% 1,902,302 10.4%
Serbian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Slovak N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Slovene N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Spanish N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Swedish N/A N/A 85,396 0.7% 97,780 0.7% 121,757 0.7%
Swiss 12,837 0.2% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Ukrainian N/A N/A 305,929 2.6% 395,043 2.8% 473,337 2.6%
Welsh N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Yugoslav N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 21,214 0.2%
European Canadian population by country of origin (1991–2006)
Ethnicity Population (1991)[32] % of Canadian population (1991) Population (1996)[33] % of Canadian population (1996) Population (2001)[34] % of Canadian population (2001) Population (2006)[35] % of Canadian population (2006)
Albanian N/A N/A N/A N/A 14,935 0.1% 22,395 0.1%
Austrian 107,671 1.2% 37,715 0.3% 32,231 0.2% 106,535 0.6%
Austrian N/A N/A N/A N/A 147,585 0.5% 194,255 0.6%
Basque N/A N/A N/A N/A 2,715 0.0% 4,975 0.0%
Belgian N/A N/A N/A N/A 129,780 0.4% 168,910 0.5%
Bosnian N/A N/A N/A N/A 15,720 0.1% 21,045 0.1%
British Isles (not otherwise specified) N/A N/A N/A N/A 150,585 0.5% 403,915 1.3%
Bulgarian N/A N/A N/A N/A 15,195 0.1% 27,255 0.1%
Croatian N/A N/A N/A N/A 97,050 0.3% 110,880 0.4%
Cypriot N/A N/A N/A N/A 2,060 0.0% 3,395 0.0%
Czechoslovakian N/A N/A N/A N/A 33,540 0.1% 36,970 0.1%
Czech N/A N/A N/A N/A 79,910 0.3% 98,090 0.3%
Danish N/A N/A N/A N/A 170,780 0.6% 200,035 0.6%
Dutch 961,600 3.4% 916,215 3.1% 923,310 3.1% 1,035,965 3.3%
English 8,605,125 30.7% 6,832,095 23.1% 5,978,875 20.2% 6,570,015 21.0%
Estonian N/A N/A N/A N/A 22,085 0.1% 23,930 0.1%
Finnish N/A N/A N/A N/A 114,690 0.4% 131,040 0.4%
French 8,369,210 29.9% 5,597,845 18.9% 4,668,410 15.8% 4,941,210 15.8%
German 2,793,775 10.0% 2,757,140 9.3% 2,742,765 9.3% 3,179,425 10.2%
Greek 191,475 0.7% 203,345 0.7% 215,105 0.7% 242,685 0.8%
Hungarian N/A N/A N/A N/A 267,255 0.9% 315,510 1.0%
Icelandic N/A N/A N/A N/A 75,090 0.3% 88,875 0.3%
Irish N/A N/A N/A N/A 3,822,660 12.9% 4,354,155 13.9%
Italian 1,147,780 4.1% 1,207,475 4.2% 1,270,370 4.3% 1,445,335 4.6%
Kosovar N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,200 0.0% 1,530 0.0%
Latvian N/A N/A N/A N/A 22,615 0.1% 27,870 0.1%
Lithuanian N/A N/A N/A N/A 36,485 0.1% 46,690 0.1%
Luxembourger N/A N/A N/A N/A 2,390 0.0% 3,225 0.0%
Macedonian N/A N/A N/A N/A 31,265 0.1% 37,055 0.1%
Maltese N/A N/A N/A N/A 33,000 0.1% 37,120 0.1%
Moldovan N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Montenegrin N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,055 0.0% 2,370 0.0%
Norwegian 286,240 1.0% N/A N/A 363,760 1.2% 432,515 1.4%
Polish 740,720 2.6% 786,735 2.7% 817,085 2.8% 984,565 3.2%
Portuguese 292,185 1.0% 335,110 1.1% 357,690 1.2% 410,850 1.3%
Romanian N/A N/A N/A N/A 131,830 0.4% 192,170 0.6%
Russian N/A N/A N/A N/A 337,960 1.1% 500,600 1.6%
Scottish 4,248,365 15.2% 4,260,840 14.4% 4,157,210 14.0% 4,719,850 15.1%
Serbian N/A N/A N/A N/A 55,540 0.2% 72,690 0.2%
Slovak N/A N/A N/A N/A 50,860 0.2% 64,145 0.2%
Slovene N/A N/A N/A N/A 28,910 0.1% 35,935 0.1%
Spanish 158,915 0.6% 204,360 0.7% 213,105 0.7% 325,730 1.0%
Swedish N/A N/A N/A N/A 282,760 1.0% 334,765 1.1%
Swiss N/A N/A N/A N/A 110,795 0.4% 137,775 0.4%
Ukrainian 1,054,295 3.8% 1,026,470 3.5% 1,071,060 3.6% 1,209,085 3.9%
Welsh N/A N/A N/A N/A 350,365 1.2% 440,965 1.4%
Yugoslav 21,404 0.2% 68,587 0.4% 65,505 0.2% 65,305 0.2%
European Canadian population by country of origin (2011–2016)
Ethnicity Population (2011)[36] % of Canadian population (2011) Population (2016)[3] % of Canadian population (2016)
Albanian 28,270 0.1% 36,185 0.1%
Austrian 197,990 0.6% 207,050 0.6%
Basque 5,570 0.0% 6,965 0.0%
Belgian 176,615 0.5% 186,665 0.5%
Bosnian 22,920 0.1% 26,740 0.1%
British Isles (not otherwise specified) 576,030 1.8% 644,695 1.9%
Bulgarian 30,485 0.1% 34,565 0.1%
Croatian 114,880 0.3% 133,970 0.4%
Cypriot 4,815 0.0% 5,650 0.0%
Czechoslovakian 40,035 0.1% 40,715 0.1%
Czech 94,805 0.3% 104,580 0.3%
Danish 203,080 0.6% 207,470 0.6%
Dutch 1,067,245 3.2% 1,111,655 3.2%
English 6,509,500 19.8% 6,320,085 18.3%
Estonian 23,180 0.1% 24,530 0.1%
Finnish 136,215 0.4% 143,645 0.4%
French 5,065,690 15.4% 4,670,595 13.6%
German 3,203,330 9.8% 3,322,405 9.6%
Greek 252,960 0.8% 271,410 0.8%
Hungarian 316,765 1.0% 348,085 1.0%
Icelandic 94,205 0.3% 101,795 0.3%
Irish 4,544,870 13.8% 4,627,000 13.4%
Italian 1,488,425 4.5% 1,587,970 4.6%
Kosovar 2,760 0.0% 2,865 0.0%
Latvian 27,355 0.1% 30,725 0.1%
Lithuanian 49,130 0.1% 59,285 0.2%
Luxembourger 3,790 0.0% 3,915 0.0%
Macedonian 36,985 0.1% 43,110 0.1%
Maltese 38,780 0.1% 41,920 0.1%
Moldovan 8,050 0.0% 14,915 0.0%
Montenegrin 2,970 0.0% 4,160 0.0%
Norwegian 452,705 1.4% 463,275 1.3%
Polish 1,010,705 3.1% 1,106,585 3.2%
Portuguese 429,850 1.3% 482,605 1.4%
Romanian 204,625 0.6% 238,050 0.7%
Russian 550,520 1.7% 622,445 1.8%
Scottish 4,714,970 14.4% 4,799,005 13.9%
Serbian 80,320 0.2% 96,530 0.3%
Slovak 66,545 0.2% 72,285 0.2%
Slovene 37,170 0.1% 40,470 0.1%
Spanish 368,305 1.1% 396,460 1.2%
Swedish 341,845 1.0% 349,645 1.0%
Swiss 146,830 0.4% 155,120 0.5%
Ukrainian 1,251,170 3.8% 1,359,655 3.9%
Welsh 458,705 1.4% 474,805 1.4%
Yugoslav 48,320 0.1% 38,480 0.1%

Language and immigration

In the 2016 census, the largest non-official European mother tongue languages were Spanish (458,850), German (384,035), Italian (375,635) and Portuguese (221,540) and Russian (188,255).[3] English and French are not included in this table because most Canadians have one of those languages as their mother tongue, regardless of their ethnic origin.[37]

European mother tongue by language (1991–2001)
Language Population (1991)[38] % of non-official language mother
tongue speakers in Canada (1991)		 % of all language mother tongue
speakers in Canada (1991)		 Population (1996)[39] % of non-official language mother
tongue speakers in Canada (1996)		 % of all language mother tongue
speakers in Canada (1996)		 Population (2001)[40] % of non-official language mother
tongue speakers in Canada (2001)		 % of all language mother tongue
speakers in Canada (2001)
Albanian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Belarusan N/A N/A N/A 420 0.0% 0.0% 530 0.0% 0.0%
Bosnian N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Bulgarian N/A N/A N/A 6,330 0.1% 0.0% 9,130 0.2% 0.0%
Catalan N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Croatian N/A N/A N/A 50,105 1.1% 0.2% 54,880 1.1% 0.2%
Czech N/A N/A N/A 24,985 0.5% 0.1% 24,795 0.5% 0.1%
Danish N/A N/A N/A 20,280 0.4% 0.1% 18,230 0.4% 0.1%
Dutch 124,535 3.5% 0.5% 133,805 2.9% 0.5% 128,670 2.5% 0.4%
Estonian N/A N/A N/A 10,690 0.2% 0.0% 8,720 0.2% 0.0%
Finnish N/A N/A N/A 24,735 0.5% 0.1% 22,400 0.4% 0.1%
Flemish N/A N/A N/A 6,980 0.2% 0.0% 6,010 0.1% 0.0%
Frisian N/A N/A N/A 2,915 0.0% 0.0% 3,185 0.1% 0.0%
German 424,645 12.0% 1.6% 450,140 9.8% 1.6% 438,080 8.4% 1.5%
Greek 114,370 3.2% 0.4% 121,180 2.6% 0.4% 120,365 2.3% 0.4%
Hungarian 72,900 2.1% 0.3% 77,235 1.7% 0.3% 75,550 1.5% 0.3%
Icelandic N/A N/A N/A 2,675 0.1% 0.0% 2,075 0.0% 0.0%
Italian 449,660 12.7% 1.7% 484,500 10.5% 1.7% 469,485 9.0% 1.6%
Latvian N/A N/A N/A 9,635 0.2% 0.0% 8,230 0.2% 0.0%
Lithuanian N/A N/A N/A 9,385 0.2% 0.0% 8,770 0.2% 0.0%
Macedonian N/A N/A N/A 19,300 0.4% 0.1% 16,905 0.3% 0.1%
Maltese N/A N/A N/A 7,120 0.2% 0.0% 7,375 0.1% 0.0%
Norwegian N/A N/A N/A 10,235 0.2% 0.0% 8,725 0.2% 0.0%
Polish 171,975 4.9% 0.6% 213,410 4.6% 0.7% 208,370 4.0% 0.7%
Portuguese 186,995 5.3% 0.7% 211,290 4.6% 0.7% 213,815 4.1% 0.7%
Romanian N/A N/A N/A 35,710 0.8% 0.1% 50,900 1.0% 0.2%
Russian N/A N/A N/A 57,495 1.3% 0.2% 94,555 1.8% 0.3%
Scottish Gaelic N/A N/A N/A 2,175 0.0% 0.0% 2,155 0.0% 0.0%
Serbian N/A N/A N/A 28,620 0.6% 0.1% 41,175 0.8% 0.1%
Serbo-Croatian N/A N/A N/A 17,940 0.4% 0.1% 26,685 0.5% 0.1%
Slovak N/A N/A N/A 18,285 0.4% 0.1% 17,540 0.3% 0.1%
Slovene N/A N/A N/A 14,085 0.3% 0.0% 12,800 0.2% 0.0%
Spanish 158,655 4.5% 0.6% 212,890 4.6% 0.8% 245,495 4.7% 0.8%
Swedish N/A N/A N/A 9,760 0.2% 0.0% 9,070 0.2% 0.0%
Ukrainian 166,830 4.7% 0.6% 162,695 3.5% 0.6% 148,085 2.8% 0.5%
Welsh N/A N/A N/A 1,670 0.0% 0.0% 1,615 0.0% 0.0%
Yiddish N/A N/A N/A 21,415 0.1% 0.5% 19,290 0.4% 0.1%
European mother tongue by language (2006–2016)
Language Population (2006)[41] % of non-official language mother
tongue speakers in Canada (2006)		 % of all language mother tongue
speakers in Canada (2006)		 Population (2011)[42] % of non-official language mother
tongue speakers in Canada (2011)		 % of all language mother tongue
speakers in Canada (2011)		 Population (2016)[3] % of non-official language mother
tongue speakers in Canada (2016)		 % of all language mother tongue
speakers in Canada (2016)
Albanian N/A N/A N/A 23,820 0.4% 0.1% 26,890 0.4% 0.1%
Belarusan N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 810 0.0% 0.0%
Bosnian 12,790 0.2% 0.0% 11,685 0.2% 0.0% 12,210 0.2% 0.0%
Bulgarian 16,790 0.3% 0.1% 19,050 0.3% 0.1% 20,025 0.3% 0.1%
Catalan N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 865 0.0% 0.0%
Croatian 55,335 0.9% 0.2% 49,730 0.8% 0.2% 48,200 0.7% 0.1%
Czech 24,450 0.4% 0.1% 23,585 0.4% 0.1% 22,290 0.3% 0.1%
Danish 18,735 0.3% 0.1% 14,145 0.2% 0.0% 12,630 0.2% 0.0%
Dutch 128,905 2.1% 0.4% 110,490 1.7% 0.3% 99,020 1.4% 0.3%
Estonian 8,245 0.1% 0.0% 6,385 0.1% 0.0% 975 0.0% 0.0%
Finnish 21,030 0.3% 0.1% 17,415 0.3% 0.1% 2,790 0.0% 0.0%
Flemish 5,665 0.1% 0.0% 4,690 0.1% 0.0% 3,895 0.1% 0.0%
Frisian 2,890 0.0% 0.0% 14,935 0.1% N/A 2,100 0.0% 0.0%
German 450,570 7.3% 1.4% 409,200 6.2% 1.2% 384,035 5.2% 1.1%
Greek 108,925 1.7% 0.3% 106,525 1.5% 0.3% 117,285 1.9% 0.4%
Hungarian 73,335 1.2% 0.2% 67,920 1.0% 0.2% 61,235 0.8% 0.2%
Icelandic N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,285 0.0% 0.0%
Italian 455,040 7.4% 1.5% 407,485 6.2% 1.2% 375,635 5.1% 1.1%
Latvian 6,995 0.1% 0.0% 6,200 0.1% 0.0% 5,455 0.1% 0.0%
Lithuanian 8,335 0.1% 0.0% 7,245 0.1% 0.0% 7,075 0.1% 0.0%
Macedonian 18,440 0.3% 0.0% 17,245 0.3% 0.1% 16,775 0.2% 0.0%
Maltese 6,405 0.1% 0.0% 6,220 0.1% 0.0% 5,565 0.1% 0.0%
Norwegian 7,225 0.1% 0.0% 5,800 0.1% 0.0% 4,615 0.1% 0.0%
Polish 211,175 3.4% 0.7% 191,645 2.9% 0.6% 181,710 2.5% 0.5%
Portuguese 219,270 3.6% 0.7% 211,335 3.2% 0.6% 221,540 3.0% 0.6%
Romanian 78,500 1.3% 0.3% 90,300 1.4% 0.3% 96,665 1.3% 0.3%
Russian 133,575 2.2% 0.4% 164,330 2.5% 0.5% 188,255 2.6% 0.5%
Scottish Gaelic N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,090 0.0% 0.0%
Serbian 51,665 0.8% 0.2% 56,420 0.9% 0.2% 57,350 0.8% 0.2%
Serbo-Croatian 12,510 0.2% 0.0% 10,155 0.2% 0.0% 9,555 0.1% 0.0%
Slovak 18,825 0.3% 0.1% 17,580 0.3% 0.1% 17,580 0.2% 0.1%
Slovene 13,135 0.2% 0.0% 10,775 0.2% 0.0% 9,790 0.1% 0.0%
Spanish 345,345 5.6% 1.1% 410,670 6.3% 1.2% 458,850 6.3% 1.3%
Swedish 8,220 0.1% 0.0% 7,350 0.1% 0.0% 6,840 0.1% 0.0%
Ukrainian 134,500 2.2% 0.4% 111,540 1.7% 0.3% 102,485 1.4% 0.3%
Welsh N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1,075 0.0% 0.0%
Yiddish 16,295 0.3% 0.1% 15,205 0.2% 0.0% 13,555 0.2% 0.0%
European immigrant population in Canada
Year Population % of immigrants
in Canada		 % of Canadian
population
1986[43] 2,430,470 62.2% 9.3%
1991[43] 2,364,695 54.5% 8.4%
1996[43] 2,334,005 47.0% 7.9%
2001[44] 2,287,535 42.0% 7.4%
2006[45] 2,269,705 36.7% 7.0%
2011[46] 2,226,100 30.8% 6.5%
2016[47] 2,082,765 27.6% 5.7%

Culture
Main articles: Canadian culture and Western culture

The various cultures of the Canadians of European descent have had a predominant influence on the culture of Canada. Over time, many people of European Canadian origins have brought with them or contributed literature, art, architecture, cinema and theater, religion and philosophy, ethics, agricultural skills, foods, medicine, science and technology, fashion and clothing styles, music, language, business, economics, legal system, political system, and social and technological innovation to Canadian culture. European settlers brought with them European plants, animals, viruses and bacteria, remaking significant portions of the Canadian ecology and landscape in the image of their homelands.[48][49] Canadian culture evolved in large part from the culture that the English, French, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish settlers brought with them, long before Canada became a country. Much of English-Canadian culture shows influences from the cultures of the British Isles, with later influence, due to 19th-century immigration from different regions of Europe, such as Eastern Europe. Colonial ties to Great Britain and the cultural presence of the United States spread the English language, legal system and other cultural attributes.

Elements of Aboriginal, French, British and more recent immigrant customs, languages and religions have combined to form the culture of Canada and thus a Canadian identity, without eradicating specific regional or cultural identities such as Aboriginal or Québecois. Canada has also been strongly influenced by its linguistic, geographic and economic neighbour, the United States.

Many Canadians see the Cultural Mosaic, which promotes multiculturalism and an equality of cultures, as a distinctive feature of Canadian culture, one that sets it apart from the melting pot philosophy of many Americans.[50][51]

Music
Scottish-Canadian Robert Stanley Weir wrote the lyrics to O Canada.

Another area of cultural influence are Canadian Patriotic songs:

Sport
  • Ice Hockey - British soldiers and immigrants to Canada and the United States brought their stick-and-ball games with them and played them on the ice and snow of winter. Ice hockey was first played in Canada during the early nineteenth century, based on similar sports such as field hockey that were played in Europe.[62] The sport was originally played with a stick and ball, but in 1860 a group of English veterans from the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment played a game in Kingston, Ontario, utilising a puck for what is believed to be the first time. This match, played on the frozen harbour by the city, is sometimes considered to be the birth of modern ice hockey.[63] According to legend, the first hockey pucks were molded from fresh cow dung that was then allowed to freeze in below-zero outdoor temperatures.[64] Whether or not this was how the first puck was made, the use of horse or cow droppings was common thereafter, a distinctively Euro-Canadian aspect of the game made possible by the country’s Northern climate.[65][66]

Prime Ministers

Most of the heritage that all twenty-three Canadian Prime Ministers come from (or in some combination thereof): is British (English, Scottish, Ulster Scot or Welsh) ancestry. Later Canadian Prime Ministers' ancestry can often be traced to ancestors from multiple nations in Europe.

See also

Notes
    1. Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an aboriginal identity.

    References
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    14. A. S. Whiteley, “The Peopling of the Prairie Provinces of Canada.” American Journal of Sociology 38#2 (1932), pp. 240–52, online states: "The Prairie born constituted the largest single element in the population in 1926 and with those from other provinces comprised 62.75 per cent of the total. With respect to "origin," about one-half of those from Central, South, and East Europe and less than one-fourth of those from Northwest European stocks were foreign born."
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    Further reading
    • Allen, Willow Samara. "Learning to become white girls in a settler colonial context: Exploring the racial socialization of white Euro-Canadian women." Settler Colonial Studies 10.3 (2020): 378-402.

    Statistical

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