UNITED EMPIRE LOYALIST CULTURAL ORIGIN

Do you have a United Empire Loyalist cultural origin?

In the 2021 Census of Canada carried out as a national census by Statistics Canada, United Empire Loyalist was added as a distinct category for ethnic or cultural origin.  Prior to that, in censuses dating back to 1871, they tracked broad origins like English, French, Irish or Scottish. The 2021 Census included United Empire Loyalist as one of the specific ethnic or cultural choices on its 25% long form questionnaire. It was sent to a randam sample of 25% of private households across Canada. 

United Empire Loyalist Monument in Hamilton, Ontario

 on old postcard

The 2021 Census profile showed, as it appears below, that 10,015 residents identified with the specific cultural heritage of United Empire Loyalist. People could report up to six different ethnic or cultural origins from their maternal and paternal ancestors. 

English, Irish, Scottish, and French, perhaps unsurprisingly, remained the most popular identifications with each having well over 3 million respondents.  Chinese and Indian (India) , reflecting more recent immigration, were the 7th and 9th most popular. Indian had over 1.5 million. 

The number who identified as First Nations was 632,430 and  Métis was 560,335.    Acadians numbered 305,170.  The total who identified as Black was 94,585.

Historians have estimated that roughly 10 to 20 per cent of Canadians have an ancestor who would have been a United Empire Loyalist.  Ten percent of Canada's current population could be over four million descendants. According to the 2021 Census profile, despite many Canadians being from a United Empire Loyalist cultural origin a small number choose to recognize this in relation to others.

Nonetheless,  the  United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada  has branches in every province of Canada except Newfoundland and Labrador.  It has thousands of members and completes hundreds of applications each year for certicates of descent from a United Empire Loyalist. 

Ethnic or cultural origin
Total - Ethnic or cultural origin for the population in private households - 25% sample data	Total 36,328,475	Men 17,937,165	Women 18,391,310	Total % 100.0	Men 100.0	Women 100.0
Canadian	5,677,205	2,836,675	2,840,530	15.6	15.8	15.4
English	5,322,830	2,600,245	2,722,580	14.7	14.5	14.8
Irish	4,413,120	2,102,610	2,310,505	12.1	11.7	12.6
Scottish	4,392,200	2,131,620	2,260,580	12.1	11.9	12.3
French	3,985,945	1,964,695	2,021,250	11.0	11.0	11.0
German	2,955,695	1,449,465	1,506,230	8.1	8.1	8.2
Chinese	1,713,870	806,365	907,500	4.7	4.5	4.9
Italian	1,546,390	774,250	772,140	4.3	4.3	4.2
Indian (India)	1,347,715	691,535	656,185	3.7	3.9	3.6
Ukrainian	1,258,635	612,455	646,175	3.5	3.4	3.5
Dutch	988,585	489,045	499,545	2.7	2.7	2.7
Polish	982,820	472,290	510,525	2.7	2.6	2.8
Québécois	981,635	490,130	491,510	2.7	2.7	2.7
British Isles	938,950	462,420	476,530	2.6	2.6	2.6
Filipino	925,490	414,915	510,570	2.5	2.3	2.8
French Canadian	906,315	441,610	464,705	2.5	2.5	2.5
Caucasian (White)	691,260	347,080	344,175	1.9	1.9	1.9
First Nations (North American Indian)	632,340	304,220	328,120	1.7	1.7	1.8
Métis	560,335	271,985	288,350	1.5	1.5	1.6
European	551,910	278,060	273,850	1.5	1.6	1.5
Russian	548,140	260,075	288,065	1.5	1.4	1.6
Norwegian	466,500	224,290	242,210	1.3	1.3	1.3
Welsh	455,720	216,490	239,230	1.3	1.2	1.3
Portuguese	448,305	222,770	225,535	1.2	1.2	1.2
American	353,495	172,240	181,255	1.0	1.0	1.0
Spanish	342,040	160,475	181,570	0.9	0.9	1.0
Swedish	334,505	156,840	177,665	0.9	0.9	1.0
Hungarian	320,150	155,755	164,395	0.9	0.9	0.9
Acadian	305,170	145,500	159,675	0.8	0.8	0.9
Pakistani	303,260	154,435	148,825	0.8	0.9	0.8
African	301,955	148,335	153,625	0.8	0.8	0.8
Jewish	282,015	141,530	140,490	0.8	0.8	0.8
Punjabi	279,950	145,620	134,330	0.8	0.8	0.7
Vietnamese	275,530	131,075	144,445	0.8	0.7	0.8
Arab	263,710	138,210	125,500	0.7	0.8	0.7
Greek	262,140	132,975	129,160	0.7	0.7	0.7
Jamaican	249,070	119,265	129,805	0.7	0.7	0.7
Asian	226,220	107,785	118,435	0.6	0.6	0.6
Cree	219,855	105,825	114,030	0.6	0.6	0.6
Korean	217,650	101,805	115,845	0.6	0.6	0.6
Romanian	215,885	103,720	112,165	0.6	0.6	0.6
Lebanese	210,605	107,990	102,615	0.6	0.6	0.6
Iranian	200,465	100,790	99,675	0.6	0.6	0.5
Christian	200,340	99,800	100,540	0.6	0.6	0.5
Danish	196,945	96,220	100,725	0.5	0.5	0.5
North American Indigenous	194,840	94,035	100,810	0.5	0.5	0.5
Sikh	194,640	101,255	93,385	0.5	0.6	0.5
Austrian	189,535	92,740	96,800	0.5	0.5	0.5
Belgian	182,175	90,150	92,030	0.5	0.5	0.5
Haitian	178,990	84,510	94,490	0.5	0.5	0.5
Hindu	166,160	87,665	78,495	0.5	0.5	0.4
Mexican	155,495	77,435	78,055	0.4	0.4	0.4
Mennonite	155,095	77,735	77,360	0.4	0.4	0.4
Swiss	145,570	72,015	73,555	0.4	0.4	0.4
Finnish	144,055	69,270	74,785	0.4	0.4	0.4
Sri Lankan	132,410	65,175	67,240	0.4	0.4	0.4
Croatian	130,820	64,915	65,905	0.4	0.4	0.4
Japanese	129,425	56,850	72,580	0.4	0.3	0.4
South Asian	120,125	60,575	59,550	0.3	0.3	0.3
Mi'kmaq	111,605	53,700	57,905	0.3	0.3	0.3
Northern European	110,735	54,730	56,005	0.3	0.3	0.3
Muslim	105,620	54,095	51,525	0.3	0.3	0.3
Egyptian	105,245	55,230	50,020	0.3	0.3	0.3
Latin, Central or South American	104,765	51,375	53,395	0.3	0.3	0.3
Tamil	102,170	51,165	51,005	0.3	0.3	0.3
Icelandic	101,990	50,370	51,620	0.3	0.3	0.3
Colombian	100,555	47,995	52,560	0.3	0.3	0.3
Moroccan	99,980	50,835	49,150	0.3	0.3	0.3
Czech	98,925	47,495	51,430	0.3	0.3	0.3
Syrian	98,250	49,385	48,865	0.3	0.3	0.3
Guyanese	97,210	46,270	50,940	0.3	0.3	0.3
Afghan	96,810	48,255	48,550	0.3	0.3	0.3
Black	94,585	44,335	50,250	0.3	0.2	0.3
Serbian	93,360	46,945	46,410	0.3	0.3	0.3
Ojibway	92,220	44,610	47,600	0.3	0.2	0.3
Newfoundlander	91,670	45,665	46,005	0.3	0.3	0.3
Hong Konger	81,680	39,485	42,195	0.2	0.2	0.2
Ontarian	80,555	39,675	40,880	0.2	0.2	0.2
Persian	80,340	41,415	38,925	0.2	0.2	0.2
Trinidadian/Tobagonian	77,405	37,655	39,750	0.2	0.2	0.2
Turkish	76,745	39,955	36,795	0.2	0.2	0.2
Inuit	76,675	37,315	39,365	0.2	0.2	0.2
Bangladeshi	75,425	39,085	36,335	0.2	0.2	0.2
Algerian	73,770	38,035	35,740	0.2	0.2	0.2
Brazilian	71,755	34,670	37,085	0.2	0.2	0.2
Nigerian	69,540	34,680	34,860	0.2	0.2	0.2
Armenian	68,850	34,105	34,745	0.2	0.2	0.2
Slovak	68,210	33,475	34,740	0.2	0.2	0.2
Eastern European	66,780	31,525	35,255	0.2	0.2	0.2
Somali	65,555	31,555	33,995	0.2	0.2	0.2
Taiwanese	64,020	29,280	34,740	0.2	0.2	0.2
Iraqi	59,300	29,865	29,435	0.2	0.2	0.2
Salvadorean	59,280	29,150	30,130	0.2	0.2	0.2
African Caribbean	59,050	26,385	32,670	0.2	0.1	0.2
East or Southeast Asian	58,870	27,845	31,025	0.2	0.2	0.2
West or Central Asian or Middle Eastern	58,840	30,560	28,280	0.2	0.2	0.2
Caribbean	57,195	25,715	31,475	0.2	0.1	0.2
Algonquin	56,070	27,025	29,040	0.2	0.2	0.2
West Indian	52,085	23,685	28,395	0.1	0.1	0.2
Lithuanian	52,040	24,510	27,530	0.1	0.1	0.1
South African	49,840	24,885	24,955	0.1	0.1	0.1
Australian	46,765	24,165	22,595	0.1	0.1	0.1
Palestinian	45,905	23,930	21,975	0.1	0.1	0.1
Chilean	45,685	22,520	23,165	0.1	0.1	0.1
Congolese	45,260	22,000	23,260	0.1	0.1	0.1
Nova Scotian	44,720	21,700	23,025	0.1	0.1	0.1
Ethiopian	42,545	20,675	21,875	0.1	0.1	0.1
Hispanic	42,405	20,105	22,300	0.1	0.1	0.1
Peruvian	42,295	19,925	22,370	0.1	0.1	0.1
Yoruba	42,075	21,740	20,330	0.1	0.1	0.1
Cambodian (Khmer)	41,950	19,835	22,115	0.1	0.1	0.1
Berber	41,700	22,325	19,370	0.1	0.1	0.1
Albanian	41,620	21,050	20,570	0.1	0.1	0.1
Maltese	40,670	20,210	20,455	0.1	0.1	0.1
Macedonian	39,440	19,500	19,940	0.1	0.1	0.1
Slovenian	38,595	18,785	19,815	0.1	0.1	0.1
Western European	38,520	18,935	19,585	0.1	0.1	0.1
New Brunswicker	37,670	18,235	19,435	0.1	0.1	0.1
Gujarati	36,970	19,580	17,385	0.1	0.1	0.1
Eritrean	36,290	18,185	18,110	0.1	0.1	0.1
African Canadian	35,395	17,140	18,250	0.1	0.1	0.1
Israeli	35,345	18,410	16,940	0.1	0.1	0.1
Mohawk	33,330	16,485	16,845	0.1	0.1	0.1
Czechoslovakian	33,135	15,355	17,775	0.1	0.1	0.1
Bulgarian	33,085	16,235	16,850	0.1	0.1	0.1
Albertan	32,575	16,525	16,055	0.1	0.1	0.1
Ghanaian	31,720	15,650	16,065	0.1	0.1	0.1
Barbadian	31,440	15,265	16,175	0.1	0.1	0.1
African American	31,430	15,700	15,730	0.1	0.1	0.1
Yugoslavian	30,565	14,635	15,930	0.1	0.1	0.1
Tunisian	30,465	16,585	13,875	0.1	0.1	0.1
Slavic	30,220	15,225	14,995	0.1	0.1	0.1
Cuban	30,065	14,830	15,235	0.1	0.1	0.1
Bosnian	28,490	14,320	14,170	0.1	0.1	0.1
Venezuelan	28,395	13,220	15,175	0.1	0.1	0.1
Innu/Montagnais	28,225	13,490	14,735	0.1	0.1	0.1
Latvian	28,140	13,515	14,620	0.1	0.1	0.1
Bengali	26,675	13,830	12,850	0.1	0.1	0.1
Cameroonian	26,535	12,960	13,580	0.1	0.1	0.1
Guatemalan	26,460	13,920	12,540	0.1	0.1	0.1
Indonesian	26,330	11,910	14,415	0.1	0.1	0.1
Laotian	25,875	12,500	13,375	0.1	0.1	0.1
Ilocano	25,575	11,860	13,715	0.1	0.1	0.1
Northern Irish	25,200	12,495	12,710	0.1	0.1	0.1
Celtic	24,420	12,265	12,155	0.1	0.1	0.1
British Columbian	24,325	12,230	12,095	0.1	0.1	0.1
Ecuadorian	24,255	11,510	12,745	0.1	0.1	0.1
Franco Ontarian	24,110	11,540	12,570	0.1	0.1	0.1
Argentinian	23,500	11,665	11,840	0.1	0.1	0.1
Estonian	23,455	11,080	12,375	0.1	0.1	0.1
Kurdish	23,130	12,670	10,460	0.1	0.1	0.1
Fijian	23,020	11,040	11,980	0.1	0.1	0.1
Jatt	22,785	11,695	11,090	0.1	0.1	0.1
North American	22,785	11,680	11,105	0.1	0.1	0.1
Coptic	22,570	11,405	11,165	0.1	0.1	0.1
Thai	22,275	8,525	13,750	0.1	0.0	0.1
Dominican	22,125	10,615	11,510	0.1	0.1	0.1
Nepali	21,975	11,215	10,765	0.1	0.1	0.1
Kabyle	20,565	10,595	9,975	0.1	0.1	0.1
Assyrian	19,685	9,730	9,955	0.1	0.1	0.1
Igbo	19,305	9,890	9,415	0.1	0.1	0.1
Byelorussian	18,850	9,055	9,795	0.1	0.1	0.1
Dene	18,745	9,030	9,710	0.1	0.1	0.1
Blackfoot	18,545	8,975	9,570	0.1	0.1	0.1
Abenaki	18,420	8,545	9,870	0.1	0.0	0.1
Moldovan	18,190	8,850	9,340	0.1	0.0	0.1
Iroquois (Haudenosaunee)	17,955	8,625	9,330	0.0	0.0	0.1
New Zealander	17,755	9,275	8,470	0.0	0.1	0.0
Sudanese	17,485	8,825	8,665	0.0	0.0	0.0
Breton	17,465	8,710	8,755	0.0	0.0	0.0
Pennsylvania Dutch	17,315	7,300	10,020	0.0	0.0	0.1
Malaysian	17,050	7,935	9,115	0.0	0.0	0.0
Plains Cree	16,570	8,255	8,310	0.0	0.0	0.0
North African	16,315	8,565	7,750	0.0	0.0	0.0
Huron (Wendat)	15,910	7,715	8,195	0.0	0.0	0.0
Saskatchewanian	15,780	7,505	8,280	0.0	0.0	0.0
Buddhist	15,660	7,485	8,175	0.0	0.0	0.0
Gaspesian	15,650	7,290	8,360	0.0	0.0	0.0
Norman	15,340	8,155	7,190	0.0	0.0	0.0
Southern or East African	15,055	7,180	7,875	0.0	0.0	0.0
Ivorian	15,010	7,255	7,755	0.0	0.0	0.0
Saulteaux	14,265	6,730	7,535	0.0	0.0	0.0
Anishinaabe	14,260	6,525	7,735	0.0	0.0	0.0
Burundian	14,110	6,810	7,295	0.0	0.0	0.0
Tigrinya	13,910	7,435	6,470	0.0	0.0	0.0
Nicaraguan	13,840	6,730	7,120	0.0	0.0	0.0
Mauritian	13,755	7,020	6,730	0.0	0.0	0.0
Kenyan	13,565	6,510	7,055	0.0	0.0	0.0
Oji-Cree	13,525	6,610	6,915	0.0	0.0	0.0
Vincentian	13,245	5,800	7,445	0.0	0.0	0.0
Jordanian	13,225	7,055	6,170	0.0	0.0	0.0
Manitoban	13,095	6,530	6,565	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cape Bretoner	13,065	6,175	6,885	0.0	0.0	0.0
Rwandan	12,890	6,150	6,740	0.0	0.0	0.0
Grenadian	12,890	5,965	6,930	0.0	0.0	0.0
Malayali	12,490	6,580	5,910	0.0	0.0	0.0
Chaldean	12,115	6,080	6,035	0.0	0.0	0.0
Sinhalese	12,080	5,905	6,170	0.0	0.0	0.0
Mayan	11,710	5,980	5,730	0.0	0.0	0.0
Honduran	10,920	5,370	5,550	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cherokee	10,825	5,080	5,745	0.0	0.0	0.0
Qalipu Mi'kmaq	10,750	5,130	5,620	0.0	0.0	0.0
Indo-Caribbean	10,490	4,710	5,775	0.0	0.0	0.0
Flemish	10,275	4,950	5,325	0.0	0.0	0.0
United Empire Loyalist	10,015	4,975	5,045	0.0	0.0	0.0
Senegalese	9,955	5,115	4,840	0.0	0.0	0.0
Azerbaijani	9,915	5,165	4,750	0.0	0.0	0.0
Sicilian	9,835	5,135	4,695	0.0	0.0	0.0
Pashtun	9,825	5,195	4,625	0.0	0.0	0.0
Malay	9,795	4,725	5,065	0.0	0.0	0.0
Goan	9,700	4,710	4,990	0.0	0.0	0.0
Bantu	9,455	4,705	4,755	0.0	0.0	0.0
Tibetan	9,350	4,650	4,700	0.0	0.0	0.0
Zimbabwean	9,165	4,435	4,725	0.0	0.0	0.0
Burmese	9,150	4,385	4,760	0.0	0.0	0.0
Mongolian	9,090	4,240	4,850	0.0	0.0	0.0
Azorean	8,970	4,235	4,735	0.0	0.0	0.0
Atikamekw	8,400	4,270	4,125	0.0	0.0	0.0
Bamileke	8,315	4,220	4,090	0.0	0.0	0.0
Indo-Guyanese	8,310	3,765	4,545	0.0	0.0	0.0
Ugandan	8,285	3,910	4,375	0.0	0.0	0.0
Oromo	8,255	4,425	3,830	0.0	0.0	0.0
Tanzanian	8,140	3,945	4,195	0.0	0.0	0.0
Yemeni	8,115	3,995	4,130	0.0	0.0	0.0
Central African	8,080	3,830	4,250	0.0	0.0	0.0
Libyan	7,945	4,265	3,680	0.0	0.0	0.0
Basque	7,745	4,030	3,710	0.0	0.0	0.0
Uruguayan	7,660	3,870	3,790	0.0	0.0	0.0
Akan	7,640	3,835	3,805	0.0	0.0	0.0
Central or West African	7,635	3,690	3,950	0.0	0.0	0.0
Igorot	7,535	3,305	4,230	0.0	0.0	0.0
Fulani	7,480	3,865	3,620	0.0	0.0	0.0
Woodland Cree	7,415	3,615	3,800	0.0	0.0	0.0
Guinean	7,390	3,700	3,695	0.0	0.0	0.0
St. Lucian	7,285	3,340	3,945	0.0	0.0	0.0
Prince Edward Islander	7,225	3,355	3,875	0.0	0.0	0.0
Maliseet	7,220	3,515	3,705	0.0	0.0	0.0
Beninese	6,810	3,630	3,180	0.0	0.0	0.0
Telugu	6,670	3,730	2,945	0.0	0.0	0.0
Roma	6,545	3,225	3,320	0.0	0.0	0.0
Costa Rican	6,500	3,265	3,230	0.0	0.0	0.0
African Nova Scotian	6,480	2,945	3,535	0.0	0.0	0.0
Malagasy	6,255	3,085	3,170	0.0	0.0	0.0
Kashmiri	6,165	3,020	3,145	0.0	0.0	0.0
Singaporean	6,060	2,755	3,305	0.0	0.0	0.0
Karen	6,050	3,065	2,985	0.0	0.0	0.0
Edo	5,985	2,995	2,995	0.0	0.0	0.0
Tajik	5,980	2,965	3,015	0.0	0.0	0.0
Amhara	5,945	3,010	2,930	0.0	0.0	0.0
Paraguayan	5,925	2,855	3,075	0.0	0.0	0.0

Source

Source:  Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population