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Ethnic Origin in Ontario
Ontario the largest Canadian Province by population, boasts a population characterized by rich racial and ethnic diversity. The term ‘ethnic origin’ refers to the ancestral roots that contribute to this vibrant tapestry. The 2021 Census identified a staggering 250+ ethnic origins reported in Ontario. English origin stands out as the most frequently reported ethnic origin, closely followed by Irish and Scottish.
European origins dominate at 62.8%, forming the majority of Ontario’s population. Meanwhile, Aboriginals make up 2.9% of the population, with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit being the prominent Aboriginal communities. A notable 34.3% of Ontario’s population belongs to visible minority groups, emphasizing the province’s commitment to inclusivity. Key visible minority communities include South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latino, and Arab. Exploring these trends provides a profound understanding of the inclusive nature of Ontario’s demographics, reflecting the dynamic interplay of race, ethnicity, and ancestral heritage
also read about the Population of Ontario
Ontario population by Race
European origin is most prevalent with more than two-thirds of people or 62.8% of Ontario’s Population. The ethnic origin most often reported in Ontario was English, Irish, Scottish, Canadian, and German. With the surge in Immigration in past decades now Chinese and Indian populations are also among the top ten origins in Ontario.
Let’s look at the top Ethnic Origins in Ontario
| # | Origin | Responses 2021 | % of Total |
| 1 | English | 2,347,690 | 16.73% |
| 2 | Irish | 1,999,985 | 14.25% |
| 3 | Scottish | 1,937,010 | 13.80% |
| 4 | Canadian | 1,621,660 | 11.56% |
| 5 | German | 1,058,075 | 7.54% |
| 6 | French origins | 1,043,040 | 7.43% |
| 7 | Italian | 905,105 | 6.45% |
| 8 | Chinese | 821,840 | 5.86% |
| 9 | Indian (India) | 764,430 | 5.45% |
| 10 | Dutch | 478,860 | 3.41% |
| 11 | British Isles | 463,000 | 3.30% |
| 12 | Polish | 461,090 | 3.29% |
| 13 | Filipino | 355,680 | 2.53% |
| 14 | Ukrainian | 342,255 | 2.44% |
| 15 | First Nations (North American Indian) | 332,555 | 2.37% |
| 16 | Portuguese | 300,600 | 2.14% |
| 17 | Pakistani | 212,655 | 1.52% |
| 18 | Jamaican | 201,945 | 1.44% |
| 19 | French Canadian | 199,845 | 1.42% |
| 20 | Welsh | 188,980 | 1.35% |
| 21 | Russian | 187,460 | 1.34% |
| 22 | Jewish | 155,180 | 1.11% |
| 23 | African | 149,270 | 1.06% |
| 24 | Hungarian | 149,040 | 1.06% |
| 25 | Spanish | 143,840 | 1.03% |
| 26 | Greek | 143,065 | 1.02% |
| 27 | Métis | 131,780 | 0.94% |
| 28 | American | 129,745 | 0.92% |
| 29 | Vietnamese | 122,730 | 0.87% |
| 30 | Punjabi | 119,085 | 0.85% |
| 31 | Arab | 110,250 | 0.79% |
| 32 | Iranian | 109,410 | 0.78% |
| 33 | Hindu | 106,970 | 0.76% |
| 34 | Sri Lankan | 105,765 | 0.75% |
| 35 | Korean | 100,020 | 0.71% |
| 36 | Tamil | 86,585 | 0.62% |
| 37 | Romanian | 86,435 | 0.62% |
| 38 | Guyanese | 85,450 | 0.61% |
| 39 | Lebanese | 80,345 | 0.57% |
| 40 | Croatian | 79,235 | 0.56% |
| 41 | Sikh | 77,800 | 0.55% |
| 42 | Finnish | 76,275 | 0.54% |
| 43 | Swedish | 68,260 | 0.49% |
| 44 | Serbian | 64,415 | 0.46% |
| 45 | Ontarian | 64,245 | 0.46% |
| 46 | Austrian | 63,920 | 0.46% |
| 47 | Norwegian | 62,840 | 0.45% |
| 48 | Afghan | 61,255 | 0.44% |
| 49 | Trinidadian/Tobagonian | 59,110 | 0.42% |
| 50 | Belgian | 56,860 | 0.41% |
and 200+ population groups less than 50K ( The sum of the ethnic or cultural origins in this table is greater than the total population estimate because a person may report more than one ethnic or cultural origin in the census.)
*“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.
Visible minorities and Aboriginals in Ontario
The population of visible minorities in Ontario has surged in recent decades, making it the largest such population in Canada. According to the 2021 Census, 34.3% of Ontario’s population falls within a visible minority group, while Aboriginals make up only 2.6% of the total population.
Visible minority populations
Almost 34.3% of the population of Ontario belongs to a visible minority group. South Asians, Chinese, African (Black), Filipino, Latinos, Arabs, etc. are the main visible minorities.
| # | Visible minority | Numbers | Percentage |
| 1 | South Asian | 1,515,295 | 10.8% |
| 2 | Chinese | 820,245 | 5.8% |
| 3 | Black | 768,740 | 5.5% |
| 4 | Filipino | 363,650 | 2.6% |
| 5 | Arab | 284,215 | 2% |
| 6 | Latin American | 249,190 | 1.8% |
| 7 | West Asian | 212,185 | 1.5% |
| 8 | Southeast Asian | 167,845 | 1.2% |
| 9 | Korean | 99,425 | 0.7% |
| 10 | Japanese | 31,420 | 0.2% |
| 11 | Visible minority Others | 124,120 | 0.9% |
| 12 | Multiple visible minorities | 181,025 | 1.3% |
| Total | 4,817,360 | 34.3% |
Aboriginal populations
Around 2.9% of the population of Ontario belongs to Indigenous People.
| Aboriginal | Numbers | Percentage |
| First Nations (North American Indian) | 251,030 | 1.8% |
| Métis | 134,615 | 1% |
| North American Indigenous | 16,630 | 0.1% |
| Inuit origins | 4,310 |
Source: Statistics Canada 2021
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