2006 Census Topic-based tabulations

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Topic-based tabulation: Detailed Mother Tongue (103), Knowledge of Official Languages (5), Age Groups (17A) and Sex (3) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data

About this tabulation

General information

Catalogue number :97-555-XCB2006016
Release date :December 4, 2007
Topic :Language
Data dimensions :

Note

Note: Data quality - Siouan languages (Dakota/Sioux)

When comparing the census results to those of the 2001 Census, it appears that there is some overestimation of persons reporting Siouan languages (Dakota/Sioux) in British Columbia and, as a result, also at the Canada level. Although it affects a relatively small population, it is best to apply caution when analysing the census data for Siouan languages (Dakota/Sioux) in these geographies.

For more information on factors that may explain such variances in census data, such as response errors and processing errors, please refer to the 2006 Census Dictionary, Appendix B Data quality, sampling and weighting, confidentiality and random rounding.

Note: Data on knowledge of official languages

According to studies on data certification, the 2006 Census statistics on knowledge of official languages could underestimate the category 'English and French' and overestimate the category 'French only,' particularly for the francophone population, but also for the whole population in general. More information on the subject will be available in the Languages Reference Guide, to be published in 2008.

Note: Impact of municipal restructuring

The boundaries and names of municipalities (census subdivisions) can change from one census to the next because of annexations, dissolutions and incorporations. To bridge the impact of these municipal changes on data dissemination, the 2006 Census team is producing a profile for dissolved census subdivisions. For additional information, please refer to the 2006 Census Dictionary, catalogue number 92-566-XWE or 92-566-XPE.

Note: Population universe

The population universe of the 2006 Census includes the following groups:
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants with a usual place of residence in Canada;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants who are abroad, either on a military base or attached to a diplomatic mission;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants at sea or in port aboard merchant vessels under Canadian registry;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who are claiming refugee status and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Study Permits and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Work Permits and members of their families living with them.

For census purposes, the last three groups in this list are referred to as 'non-permanent residents'. For further information, refer to the variable Immigration: Non-permanent resident found in the 2006 Census Dictionary, catalogue number 92-566-XWE or 92-566-XPE.

Data table

Select data categories for this table


This table details detailed mother tongue , knowledge of official languages , age groups and sex for the population in CanadaFootnote 1
Detailed mother tongue (103) Knowledge of official languages (5)
Total - Knowledge of official languages English only French only English and French Neither English nor French
Total - Detailed mother tongue 31,241,030 21,129,945 4,141,850 5,448,850 520,385
Single responses 30,848,270 20,900,705 4,123,705 5,306,190 517,665
English 17,882,775 16,199,625 3,205 1,673,865 6,080
French 6,817,650 32,705 3,893,015 2,890,835 1,100
Non-official languages 6,147,840 4,668,370 227,490 741,490 510,490
Algonquin 1,920 235 1,005 615 60
Atikamekw 5,250 20 4,220 145 860
Blackfoot 3,085 3,045 0 20 20
Carrier 1,560 1,540 0 15 0
Chilcotin 1,070 995 20 30 25
Chipewyan 525 495 0 20 10
Cree 78,855 71,445 295 3,695 3,420
Siouan languages (Dakota/Sioux) 5,585 5,460 10 45 70
Dene 9,745 9,245 0 45 460
Dogrib 2,020 1,905 0 10 105
Gitksan 1,180 1,170 0 0 10
Inuinnaqtun 365 350 0 0 15
Inuktitut, n.i.e. 32,015 24,860 815 1,635 4,700
Kutchin-Gwich'in (Loucheux) 360 355 0 0 0
Malecite 535 510 0 20 10
Mi'kmaq 7,365 6,980 25 280 80
Mohawk 290 205 0 85 0
Montagnais-Naskapi 10,975 1,855 7,125 930 1,065
Nisga'a 680 670 0 0 10
North Slave (Hare) 1,065 1,005 0 10 50
Ojibway 24,190 23,325 15 165 685
Oji-Cree 11,690 10,755 0 60 875
Shuswap 935 905 15 15 0
South Slave 1,605 1,500 0 30 75
Tlingit 80 80 0 0 0
Italian 455,040 283,625 22,445 116,990 31,980
Portuguese 219,275 152,415 11,755 31,965 23,140
Romanian 78,495 36,860 6,995 30,830 3,815
Spanish 345,345 201,205 46,380 71,575 26,185
Danish 18,735 17,405 0 1,285 40
Dutch 128,900 115,525 410 12,200 765
Flemish 5,660 3,735 210 1,705 15
Frisian 2,890 2,720 0 135 25
German 450,570 401,950 2,140 34,860 11,620
Norwegian 7,225 6,650 10 565 0
Swedish 8,220 6,960 55 1,165 35
Yiddish 16,295 10,765 80 4,085 1,365
Bosnian 12,790 9,545 1,035 1,350 850
Bulgarian 16,790 10,165 1,285 4,590 755
Croatian 55,330 49,015 360 4,475 1,480
Czech 24,450 20,850 160 3,245 195
Macedonian 18,435 16,555 50 850 985
Polish 211,175 176,175 2,130 24,990 7,880
Russian 133,580 102,955 3,685 18,100 8,840
Serbian 51,665 42,820 665 5,160 3,025
Serbo-Croatian 12,510 8,485 1,075 2,290 650
Slovak 18,820 16,340 70 2,035 380
Slovenian 13,135 11,505 75 1,400 150
Ukrainian 134,500 122,345 480 9,240 2,435
Latvian 7,000 6,010 0 945 40
Lithuanian 8,335 6,855 50 1,305 120
Estonian 8,240 7,000 35 1,150 60
Finnish 21,030 19,410 45 1,295 275
Hungarian 73,335 61,935 590 9,170 1,630
Greek 117,285 79,495 1,220 28,810 7,760
Armenian 30,130 11,515 1,470 15,285 1,860
Turkish 24,745 17,160 2,060 3,380 2,145
Amharic 14,555 13,090 65 905 495
Arabic 261,640 128,845 36,195 82,375 14,220
Hebrew 17,635 13,100 210 3,970 350
Maltese 6,405 6,155 15 215 20
Somali 27,320 22,160 475 2,910 1,780
Tigrigna 7,105 6,280 70 380 375
Bengali 45,685 37,560 540 5,010 2,570
Gujarati 81,465 69,120 250 4,950 7,145
Hindi 78,240 71,070 65 3,775 3,330
Kurdish 7,660 5,740 515 575 830
Panjabi (Punjabi) 367,505 295,165 460 13,350 58,525
Pashto 9,025 7,310 70 520 1,130
Persian (Farsi) 134,080 105,200 2,860 15,020 11,000
Sindhi 10,355 9,080 0 860 410
Sinhala (Sinhalese) 10,180 9,480 10 455 235
Urdu 145,805 127,730 555 7,630 9,890
Malayalam 11,925 11,165 10 425 325
Tamil 115,880 98,425 495 6,910 10,040
Telugu 6,625 6,130 0 275 220
Japanese 40,200 35,700 205 1,870 2,425
Korean 125,570 106,260 315 5,390 13,605
Cantonese 361,450 274,335 945 14,730 71,430
Chinese, n.o.s.Footnote 2 456,705 343,320 6,615 26,315 80,455
Mandarin 170,950 136,695 985 7,070 26,205
Taiwanese 9,620 7,530 10 560 1,520
Lao 13,940 8,065 2,045 2,735 1,095
Khmer (Cambodian) 19,105 9,655 2,520 4,495 2,425
Vietnamese 141,625 97,305 7,355 18,265 18,700
Bisayan languages 11,240 10,850 15 230 145
Ilocano 13,450 12,675 0 450 320
Malay 9,490 8,870 15 370 230
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 235,615 225,885 100 6,650 2,980
Akan (Twi) 12,780 11,510 10 1,025 235
Swahili 7,935 4,600 1,320 1,750 260
Creoles 53,515 4,045 27,330 20,375 1,765
Other languagesFootnote 3 172,650 123,355 14,220 24,375 10,695
Multiple responses 392,760 229,240 18,145 142,660 2,715
English and French 98,630 10,460 2,045 86,065 55
English and non-official language 240,005 213,180 385 24,330 2,110
French and non-official language 43,335 4,325 15,420 23,125 465
English, French and non-official language 10,790 1,270 290 9,140 85

Footnotes

Footnote 1

Excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements.

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Footnote 2

The 2006 category 'Chinese, n.o.s.' includes responses of 'Chinese' as well as all Chinese languages other than Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Chaochow (Teochow), Fukien, Hakka and Shanghainese. Data for the 'Chinese, n.o.s.' category in 2001 and 2006 are not directly comparable. The 2001 category 'Chinese, n.o.s.' is equivalent to the sum of the 2006 categories 'Chinese, n.o.s.' and 'Chaochow (Teochow),' 'Fukien,' 'Shanghainese' and Taiwanese.'

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Footnote 3

This is a subtotal of all languages collected by the census that are not displayed separately here. For a full list of languages collected in the census, please refer to Appendix G in the 2006 Census Dictionary.

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97-555-XCB2006016.

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Footnotes

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Footnote b

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Footnote c

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Footnote d

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