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No, the Scots were not 26% of the population in Canada at the time of Confederation. In 1871, Canada's ethnic composition was:
French 1,082,940 31.1%
Irish 846,414 24.3%
English 706,369 20.3%
Scottish 549,946 15.8%
German 202,991 5.8%
Canada received lots of Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants in the 19th century. The Irish percentage went down over time because they made up a smaller percentage of late 19th century and early 20th century immigration than did the English and Scots. Also, it's quite likely that a lot of the Scots-Irish descendants started saying they were Scottish, since it's a kind of "prestige" ancestry in Canada.
Also, I really doubt that Toronto was 38% Scottish-born in 1848.
These is the source for the 1871 information (page 265), and the 1848 statistics (page 21-22).
The first stats wasn't specified if it's Scotland born or Scottish ancestry. Where did you find the 1871 statistics by the way? I wasn't able to find it but only these couple of sources. I am interested in checking that out! And if you have the early Australian ones as well.
And was Scottish a prestigious ancestry to claimed back then? I have always thought that there were some association with the highlander emigrations. English is firmly on top within the British Isles when it comes to status. Just my impression though.
As for the prestige of Scottish ancestry, I meant more today than then but yes they do have a sort of "special status" in Canada. The first PM was Scottish and the Scots while the smallest of the group of immigrants from the British Isles in the 19th century were also the most prosperous (they were more likely to be more prosperous farmers, merchants, etc.)
Thanks for the source! Good page to keep an eye on for! I wondered what are the sources of those publications I mentioned? Maybe they used a different parameter for their statistics and claims.
And interesting! I have thought that most of them left from the highland clearance. But perhaps that's only a small part of the history. Scotland does always seems to pull above their weight when it comes to politics in the colonies though!
The Highlanders are only a small percentage of the Scottish population in Canada, mainly in Nova Scotia and pockets of Scottish Highlander Loyalist settlements in Eastern Ontario.
Re: Australia, I recall reading somewhere that in 1900 it was said to be "more British than the British Isles" and that about 98% of its population in 1900 was of British or Irish descent - not sure how much that changed by say, 1930 - or if that proportion more or less held up until 1945. Even today it's pretty evident that Australian cities are a lot more Anglo Saxon than Canadian cities.
No, the Scots were not 26% of the population in Canada at the time of Confederation. In 1871, Canada's ethnic composition was:
French 1,082,940 31.1%
Irish 846,414 24.3%
English 706,369 20.3%
Scottish 549,946 15.8%
German 202,991 5.8%
Canada received lots of Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants in the 19th century. The Irish percentage went down over time because they made up a smaller percentage of late 19th century and early 20th century immigration than did the English and Scots. Also, it's quite likely that a lot of the Scots-Irish descendants started saying they were Scottish, since it's a kind of "prestige" ancestry in Canada.
Also, I really doubt that Toronto was 38% Scottish-born in 1848.
I though the other reason the percentage of Irish went down in Canada it's because many Irish people migrate to the United States after they settled in Canada. For them, Canada was just a temporary place.
As for the prestige of Scottish ancestry, I meant more today than then but yes they do have a sort of "special status" in Canada. The first PM was Scottish and the Scots while the smallest of the group of immigrants from the British Isles in the 19th century were also the most prosperous (they were more likely to be more prosperous farmers, merchants, etc.)
I think Canada actually has more Scots than Irish and certainly more than Welsh.
They're pretty similar in numbers and they've been in Canada for so long and are so assimilated that it's hard to know who is "really" ahead.
Scottish ancestry definitely represents a higher % of the population in Canada than the US and Australia. Australia is by far the most English. Irish is probably about the same in all three countries.
They're pretty similar in numbers and they've been in Canada for so long and are so assimilated that it's hard to know who is "really" ahead.
Scottish ancestry definitely represents a higher % of the population in Canada than the US and Australia. Australia is by far the most English. Irish is probably about the same in all three countries.
The Canadian accent sounds a bit Scottish tinged to me actually. Like maybe 80% American, 10% English and 10% Scottish or something, lol.
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