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Ethnic Origin in Alberta
Alberta the fourth-largest Canadian Province by population has a racially and ethnically diverse population. Ethnic origin refers to the ethnic or cultural origins of the respondent’s ancestors. About 250 ethnic origins were reported in the Alberta 2016 Census. The Ethnic Origin is most often reported in English, German, and Scottish.
European origins (65.4%) of the population are most common and Aboriginals are 6.8% of Alberta’s Population. First Nations, Metis, and Inuit are major Aboriginal people. Almost 27.8% of the population of Alberta belongs to a visible minority group. The main visible minority communities are South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latino, and Arab.
also read about the Population of Alberta
Source: Statistics Canada 2021
Alberta population by race
European ancestry is most prevalent with 65.4% of Alberta’s Population. The ethnic origin most often reported in Alberta was English, German, Scottish, Irish, and Irish.
Let’s look at the top Ethnic Origins of Alberta’s Population
| # | Origins | Numbers 2021 | Percentage |
| 1 | English | 766,070 | 18.34% |
| 2 | German | 641,025 | 15.34% |
| 3 | Scottish | 631,020 | 15.10% |
| 4 | Irish | 561,910 | 13.45% |
| 5 | Canadian | 484,655 | 11.60% |
| 6 | Ukrainian | 343,640 | 8.23% |
| 7 | French origins | 341,760 | 8.18% |
| 8 | Filipino | 203,955 | 4.88% |
| 9 | First Nations (North American Indian) | 188,315 | 4.51% |
| 10 | Chinese | 177,990 | 4.26% |
| 11 | Dutch | 174,625 | 4.18% |
| 12 | Polish | 169,925 | 4.07% |
| 13 | Indian (India) | 155,700 | 3.73% |
| 14 | Norwegian | 154,535 | 3.70% |
| 15 | British Isles | 124,835 | 2.99% |
| 16 | Métis | 115,455 | 2.76% |
| 17 | Italian | 98,725 | 2.36% |
| 18 | Russian | 97,890 | 2.34% |
| 19 | Swedish | 92,975 | 2.23% |
| 20 | Welsh | 76,810 | 1.84% |
| 21 | American | 66,100 | 1.58% |
| 22 | Danish | 56,190 | 1.34% |
| 23 | Hungarian | 51,360 | 1.23% |
| 24 | Spanish | 40,165 | 0.96% |
| 25 | Pakistani | 39,535 | 0.95% |
| 26 | Vietnamese | 39,395 | 0.94% |
| 27 | Punjabi | 37,585 | 0.90% |
| 28 | Austrian | 36,225 | 0.87% |
| 29 | African | 34,220 | 0.82% |
| 30 | French Canadian | 32,370 | 0.77% |
| 31 | Mennonite | 31,565 | 0.76% |
| 32 | Romanian | 31,525 | 0.75% |
| 33 | Sikh | 28,860 | 0.69% |
| 34 | Lebanese | 28,480 | 0.68% |
| 35 | Albertan | 26,600 | 0.64% |
| 36 | Mexican | 25,450 | 0.61% |
| 37 | Korean | 24,170 | 0.58% |
| 38 | Arab | 23,860 | 0.57% |
| 39 | Swiss | 22,450 | 0.54% |
| 40 | Belgian | 21,985 | 0.53% |
| 41 | Portuguese | 21,415 | 0.51% |
| 42 | Hindu | 20,535 | 0.49% |
| 43 | Czech | 19,730 | 0.47% |
| 44 | Icelandic | 19,720 | 0.47% |
| 45 | Finnish | 18,705 | 0.45% |
| 46 | Japanese | 18,605 | 0.45% |
| 47 | Somali | 16,310 | 0.39% |
| 48 | Jamaican | 15,620 | 0.37% |
| 49 | Nigerian | 14,600 | 0.35% |
| 50 | Jewish | 14,405 | 0.34% |
and 200+ population groups. Since responses are based on self-identification, it is possible for individuals to identify with multiple categories, which may add up to more than 100%. For example, an individual may identify as both Indian and Punjabi.
*”Canadian” as an ethnic group has since 1996 been added to census questionnaires for possible ancestral origin or descent. “The Respondents generally are visibly European (Anglophones and Francophones) and no longer self-identify with their ethnic ancestral origins. This response is attributed to a multitude or generational distance from ancestral lineage.
Source: Statistics Canada 2021
Visible minorities and Aboriginals in Alberta
Over the past few decades, migration has led to a significant increase in the percentage of visible minority groups in Alberta. According to the recent Census of 2021, visible minorities make up 27.8% of the population, while the total number of Aboriginal people stands at 6.8%.
Visible minority populations
Almost 27.8% of the population of Alberta belongs to a visible minority group. South Asians, Filipino, Black, Chinese, Arabs, etc. are the most commonly visible minorities.
| # | Visible minority Groups | Numbers | Percentage |
| 1 | South Asian | 297,650 | 7.12% |
| 2 | Filipino | 216,710 | 5.19% |
| 3 | Black | 177,945 | 4.26% |
| 4 | Chinese | 164,230 | 3.93% |
| 5 | Arab | 69,510 | 1.66% |
| 6 | Latin American | 66,515 | 1.59% |
| 7 | Southeast Asian | 54,005 | 1.29% |
| 8 | West Asian | 25,080 | 0.60% |
| 9 | Korean | 24,370 | 0.58% |
| 10 | Japanese | 13,555 | 0.32% |
| 11 | Multiple visible minorities | 39,745 | 0.95% |
| 12 | Visible minority others | 12,105 | 0.29% |
| Total | 1,161,420 | 27.80% |
Aboriginal populations
Around 6.8% of the population of Alberta belongs to Indigenous People.
| Aboriginal group | Population | Percent |
| First Nations | 145,640 | 3.5% |
| Métis | 127,470 | 3.1% |
| Inuit | 2,945 | 0.10% |
| Aboriginal, others | 4,785 | 0.10% |
| Multiple Aboriginal identity | 3,620 | 0.10% |
| Total Aboriginal population | 284,470 | 6.8% |
Source: Statistics Canada 2021
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