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Top 25 Ethnic Origins in Canada (1), Showing Single and Multiple Responses, 1996 Census (20% Sample Data)

Canada

Total population = 28,528,125
Ethnic Origin Total responses Single responses (2) Multiple responses (3)
1 Canadian (4) 8,806,275 5,326,995 3,479,285
2 English 6,832,095 2,048,275 4,783,820
3 French 5,597,845 2,665,250 2,932,595
4 Scottish 4,260,840 642,970 3,617,870
5 Irish 3,767,610 504,030 3,263,580
6 German 2,757,140 726,145 2,030,990
7 Italian 1,207,475 729,455 478,025
8 Aboriginal origins (5) 1,101,955 477,630 624,330
9 Ukrainian 1,026,475 331,680 694,790
10 Chinese 921,585 800,470 121,115
11 Dutch (Netherlands) 916,215 313,880 602,335
12 Polish 786,735 265,930 520,805
13 South Asian origins (6) 723,345 590,145 133,200
14 Jewish 351,705 195,810 155,900
15 Norwegian 346,310 47,805 298,500
16 Welsh 338,905 27,915 310,990
17 Portuguese 335,110 252,640 82,470
18 Swedish 278,975 31,200 247,775
19 Russian 272,335 46,885 225,450
20 Hungarian (Magyar) 250,525 94,185 156,340
21 Filipino 242,880 198,420 44,460
22 American 211,790 22,085 189,705
23 Spanish 204,360 72,470 131,895
24 Greek 203,345 144,940 58,405
25 Jamaican 188,770 128,570 60,200


(1) This table shows counts for the 25 most frequently reported ethnic origins in this region, based on total response counts. Data for the remaining ethnic groups are available in the Nation Series. For more information, please contact your local Statistics Canada regional office.
 
  In this table, respondents who reported one ethnic origin are included in the single response column. Respondents who reported more than one ethnic origin are included in the multiple response column for each ethnic group they reported. The total response column indicates the number of respondents who reported each ethnic origin.
   
  Users should be careful when interpreting multiple response counts because respondents who reported more than one ethnic origin are counted in the multiple response count for each ethnic origin they reported. For example, a respondent who reported “English and Scottish” is included in the multiple response count for “English” and the multiple response count for “Scottish”.
   
  This table cannot be used to calculate the ethnic distribution of the population. To calculate the ethnic distribution of the population, please refer to Table 2.
   
  Comparability of ethnic origin data between the 1996 Census and previous censuses has been affected by several factors, including changes in the question format, wording, examples, instructions and data processing, as well as by the social environment at the time of the census. The 1996 Census required that respondents write in their ethnic origin(s) on four write-in lines, whereas previous censuses provided the respondent with both mark-in categories and write-in lines. Caution should be used in comparing ethnic origin data from census to census.
   
(2) Includes persons who reported one ethnic origin only.
   
(3) Includes persons who reported more than one ethnic origin.
   
(4) Caution should be used in comparing data for "Canadian" ethnic origin between censuses.
   
  The increase in the reporting of “Canadian” is the result of a number of factors. The change in the format of the ethnic origin question between 1996 and 1991 has had an impact on counts for this group
   
  The 1991 Census question included 15 mark-in categories and two write-in spaces for the ethnic origin question. In 1996, respondents were required to write in their ethnic origin(s) in four write-in spaces. Twenty-four examples, including "Canadian", were provided. "Canadian" was included as one of the examples on the 1996 Census questionnaire because it was one of the most frequently reported ethnic origins in the 1991 Census.
   
  As a result of the change in format of the ethnic origin question in 1996, many respondents who checked a mark-in category to indicate their ethnic origin in 1991 may have written in "Canadian" as their ethnic origin in 1996.
   
  Although the increase in the reporting of “Canadian” ethnic origins may have impacted the reporting of single ethnic origins for many groups, English, Irish, Scottish and French origins appear to have been particularly affected.
   
(5) Aboriginal includes North American Indian, Métis and Inuit.
   
(6) South Asian includes Bangladeshi, Bengali, East Indian, Goan, Gujarati, Pakistani, Punjabi, Sinhalese, Sri Lankan, Tamil and South Asian, n.i.e. (n.i.e. means “not included elsewhere”.)

This table contains data selected from the Ethnic Origin Area Profiles.

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