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Ethnic Origin in Quebec
Quebec, the second-largest Canadian Province by population, boasts a richly diverse tapestry of races and ethnicities. In the 2021 Census, approximately 250 ethnic origins were reported, highlighting the cultural mosaic that defines the region. The most frequently reported ethnic origin is Canadian, followed by French and Irish.
With European origins dominating at 81.4%, Quebec’s population is characterized by a mosaic of ancestral roots. Aboriginals constitute 2.5% of the population, encompassing First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities. Additionally, nearly 16.1% of Quebec’s residents belong to visible minority groups, including South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latino, and Arab communities.
also read about the Population of Quebec
Quebec population by Race
The ethnic origin most often reported in Quebec was Canadian, followed by French, Irish, Italian, and First Nations.
“Canadian” “Québécois” as an ethnic group has 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.
Let’s look at the top Ethnic Origins in Quebec
| # | Ethnic Origin | Population 2021 | % of the Total Population |
| 1 | Canadian | 2,412,040 | 29.03% |
| 2 | French origins | 1,797,940 | 21.64% |
| 3 | Québécois | 931,940 | 11.22% |
| 4 | French Canadian | 588,810 | 7.09% |
| 5 | Irish | 404,185 | 4.86% |
| 6 | Italian | 316,320 | 3.81% |
| 7 | First Nations (North American Indian) | 288,520 | 3.47% |
| 8 | Scottish | 192,685 | 2.32% |
| 9 | English | 177,710 | 2.14% |
| 10 | Haitian | 156,070 | 1.88% |
| 11 | German | 124,305 | 1.50% |
| 12 | Chinese | 123,985 | 1.49% |
| 13 | Acadian | 83,945 | 1.01% |
| 14 | Moroccan | 81,225 | 0.98% |
| 15 | Lebanese | 78,210 | 0.94% |
| 16 | Spanish | 77,735 | 0.94% |
| 17 | African | 73,930 | 0.89% |
| 18 | Greek | 69,710 | 0.84% |
| 19 | Algerian | 65,865 | 0.79% |
| 20 | Indian (India) | 65,790 | 0.79% |
| 21 | Portuguese | 64,385 | 0.77% |
| 22 | Polish | 63,505 | 0.76% |
| 23 | Jewish | 57,325 | 0.69% |
| 24 | Belgian | 48,380 | 0.58% |
| 25 | Russian | 47,190 | 0.57% |
| 26 | Romanian | 46,765 | 0.56% |
| 27 | American | 46,600 | 0.56% |
| 28 | Vietnamese | 45,570 | 0.55% |
| 29 | Métis | 44,270 | 0.53% |
| 30 | Filipino | 43,580 | 0.52% |
| 31 | Colombian | 39,485 | 0.48% |
| 32 | Ukrainian | 38,685 | 0.47% |
| 33 | British Isles | 38,655 | 0.47% |
| 34 | Berber | 36,540 | 0.44% |
| 35 | Mexican | 34,305 | 0.41% |
| 36 | Syrian | 31,590 | 0.38% |
| 37 | Armenian | 30,720 | 0.37% |
| 38 | Egyptian | 30,240 | 0.36% |
| 39 | Algonquin | 29,880 | 0.36% |
| 40 | Tunisian | 26,015 | 0.31% |
| 41 | Iranian | 25,825 | 0.31% |
| 42 | Innu origins | 24,555 | 0.30% |
| 43 | Congolese | 24,070 | 0.29% |
| 45 | Hungarian | 23,360 | 0.28% |
| 46 | Swiss | 22,980 | 0.28% |
| 47 | Cree origins | 22,935 | 0.28% |
| 48 | Dutch | 22,385 | 0.27% |
| 49 | Mi’kmaq origins | 20,295 | 0.24% |
| 50 | Kabyle | 19,520 | 0.23% |
| 51 | Peruvian | 19,055 | 0.23% |
| 52 | Cameroonian | 18,610 | 0.22% |
| 53 | Inuit origins | 18,020 | 0.22% |
| 54 | Inuit, n.o.s. 36 | 17,970 | 0.22% |
| 55 | Cambodian (Khmer) | 17,600 | 0.21% |
| 56 | Salvadorean | 17,265 | 0.21% |
| 57 | Muslim | 16,665 | 0.20% |
| 58 | Pakistani | 16,645 | 0.20% |
| 59 | Abenaki | 16,400 | 0.20% |
| 60 | Brazilian | 15,775 | 0.19% |
| 61 | Turkish | 15,625 | 0.19% |
| 62 | Breton | 15,500 | 0.19% |
| 63 | Black | 14,505 | 0.17% |
| 64 | Gaspesian | 14,470 | 0.17% |
| 65 | Chilean | 14,420 | 0.17% |
| 66 | Afghan | 13,100 | 0.16% |
| 67 | Huron (Wendat) | 12,745 | 0.15% |
| 68 | Sri Lankan | 12,400 | 0.15% |
| 69 | Ivorian | 11,565 | 0.14% |
| 70 | Jamaican | 11,395 | 0.14% |
| 71 | Welsh | 11,260 | 0.14% |
| 72 | Norman | 11,120 | 0.13% |
| 73 | Bangladeshi | 11,075 | 0.13% |
| 74 | Austrian | 11,035 | 0.13% |
| 75 | Dominican | 10,875 | 0.13% |
| 76 | Korean | 10,655 | 0.13% |
| 77 | Guatemalan | 10,370 | 0.12% |
| 78 | Cuban | 10,285 | 0.12% |
| 79 | North African | 10,285 | 0.12% |
| 81 | Moldovan | 9,600 | 0.12% |
| 82 | Bulgarian | 9,500 | 0.11% |
| 83 | African Caribbean | 9,305 | 0.11% |
| 84 | Hindu | 8,930 | 0.11% |
| 85 | Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) | 8,890 | 0.11% |
| 86 | Punjabi | 8,765 | 0.11% |
| 87 | Venezuelan | 8,690 | 0.10% |
| 88 | Atikamekw | 8,270 | 0.10% |
| 89 | Norwegian | 8,215 | 0.10% |
| 90 | Persian | 8,190 | 0.10% |
| 91 | Senegalese | 8,045 | 0.10% |
| 92 | Burundian | 7,640 | 0.09% |
| 93 | Tamil | 7,610 | 0.09% |
| 94 | Laotian | 7,485 | 0.09% |
| 95 | Japanese | 7,460 | 0.09% |
| 96 | Western European | 7,000 | 0.08% |
| 97 | Swedish | 6,970 | 0.08% |
| 98 | Croatian | 6,790 | 0.08% |
| 99 | Israeli | 6,750 | 0.08% |
| 100 | Mohawk | 6,635 | 0.08% |
and 200+ population groups.
Note: 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.
Source: Statistics Canada 2021
Visible minorities and Aboriginals
The visible minority population in Quebec has experienced significant growth due to increased migration in recent times. According to the 2021 Census, 16.1% of Quebec’s population belongs to a visible minority group, while the number of Aboriginal people totals 2.5%.
Visible minority populations
The visible minority population in Quebec makes up 16.1%. The largest group is Black, totaling 5% of the population, followed by Arab (3.37%), Latin Americans (3.37%), South Asian (1.54%), and Chinese (1.39%).
| # | Visible minority Groups | Pop. 2021 | % 0f Total Pop. |
| 1 | Black | 422,405 | 5.08% |
| 2 | Arab | 280,080 | 3.37% |
| 3 | Latin American | 172,920 | 2.08% |
| 4 | South Asian | 127,995 | 1.54% |
| 5 | Chinese | 115,235 | 1.39% |
| 6 | Southeast Asian | 70,455 | 0.85% |
| 7 | Filipino | 44,880 | 0.54% |
| 8 | West Asian | 43,990 | 0.53% |
| 11 | Korean | 10,360 | 0.12% |
| 12 | Japanese | 5.310 | 0.06% |
| 9 | Multiple visible minorities | 34,955 | 0.42% |
| 10 | Visible minority, n.i.e. 8 | 12,145 | 0.15% |
| – | Total | 1340730 | 16.14% |
Aboriginal populations
In 2021, the Indigenous population of Quebec numbered 205,010 (2.5% of the population), including 15,800 Inuit, 116,550 First Nations people, and 61,010 Métis. There is an undercount, as some Indian bands regularly refuse to participate in Canadian censuses.
| Aboriginal/Indigenous | Population 2016 | Percent |
| First Nations | 116,550 | 1.10% |
| Métis | 61,010 | 0.80% |
| Inuit | 15,800 | 0.20% |
| Aboriginal | 8,515 | 0.10% |
| Multiple Aboriginal identities | 3,135 | 0% |
| Total Aboriginal Population | 205,010 | 2.5% |
Source: Statistics Canada 2021
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