2006 Census Topic-based tabulations

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Topic-based tabulation: Various Languages Spoken (147), Age Groups (17A) and Sex (3) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data

About this tabulation

General information

Catalogue number :97-555-XCB2006010
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: Knowledge of various languages

Official and non-official languages are included in this table.

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

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This table details various languages spoken , age groups and sex for the population in CanadaFootnote 1
Various languages spoken (147) Sex (3)
Total - Sex Male Female
English 26,578,795 13,206,055 13,372,735
French 9,590,700 4,614,135 4,976,565
Algonquin 2,680 1,305 1,380
Atikamekw 5,645 2,855 2,790
Blackfoot 4,920 2,355 2,565
Cree 99,950 48,490 51,460
Malecite 790 380 405
Mi'kmaq 8,750 4,205 4,540
Montagnais-Naskapi 11,815 5,690 6,125
Ojibway 32,460 15,735 16,730
Oji-Cree 12,600 6,210 6,395
Algonquian languages, n.i.e. 1,345 725 620
Carrier 2,490 1,130 1,365
Chilcotin 1,400 630 770
Chipewyan 765 400 365
Dene 11,130 5,495 5,635
Dogrib 2,640 1,360 1,285
Kutchin-Gwich'in (Loucheux) 570 240 330
North Slave (Hare) 1,235 580 655
South Slave 2,310 1,115 1,195
Athapaskan languages, n.i.e. 1,735 840 895
Haida 190 90 105
Mohawk 615 315 300
Iroquoian languages, n.i.e. 285 165 120
Kutenai 200 90 105
Shuswap 1,650 770 880
Thompson (Ntlakapamux) 670 335 335
Salish languages, n.i.e. 3,025 1,490 1,535
Siouan languages (Dakota/Sioux) 6,495 3,215 3,280
Tlingit 175 95 85
Gitksan 1,570 760 810
Nisga'a 1,090 525 560
Tsimshian 640 335 305
Nootka 510 305 205
Wakashan languages, n.i.e. 1,075 530 545
Inuinnaqtun 575 250 325
Inuktitut, n.i.e. 35,695 17,890 17,805
Aboriginal languages, n.i.e. 2,220 1,085 1,135
Italian 660,945 327,260 333,680
Portuguese 274,670 135,525 139,145
Romanian 89,175 43,310 45,870
Spanish 758,280 347,625 410,655
Romance languages, n.i.e. 3,350 1,985 1,365
Dutch 152,735 73,975 78,760
Flemish 6,705 2,930 3,775
Frisian 3,275 1,830 1,450
German 622,650 303,230 319,415
Yiddish 27,605 12,700 14,900
Danish 21,925 11,000 10,925
Icelandic 2,170 935 1,235
Norwegian 10,585 5,250 5,335
Swedish 14,955 7,160 7,795
Germanic languages, n.i.e. 21,205 10,840 10,370
Gaelic languages 6,015 3,100 2,910
Welsh 2,160 925 1,230
Celtic languages, n.i.e. 210 145 60
Belarusian (Byelorussian) 1,480 730 750
Bosnian 15,160 7,595 7,565
Bulgarian 18,570 9,210 9,360
Croatian 72,685 36,335 36,350
Czech 29,735 14,565 15,170
Macedonian 24,820 12,130 12,685
Polish 242,885 113,700 129,185
Russian 191,520 91,830 99,685
Serbian 62,780 31,405 31,375
Serbo-Croatian 14,470 7,225 7,250
Slovak 21,735 10,000 11,735
Slovenian 15,030 7,050 7,985
Ukrainian 174,160 78,245 95,915
Slavic languages, n.i.e. 9,660 5,000 4,665
Latvian 8,025 3,530 4,495
Lithuanian 9,315 3,965 5,355
Estonian 8,860 3,815 5,045
Finnish 23,375 10,115 13,260
Hungarian 84,275 41,340 42,940
Greek 157,385 80,095 77,290
Armenian 35,260 17,075 18,180
Azerbaijani 2,455 1,365 1,090
Turkish 36,935 19,540 17,390
Turkic languages, n.i.e. 2,270 1,085 1,180
Berber languages (Kabyle) 2,235 1,300 940
Oromo 2,765 1,475 1,290
Somali 32,045 14,995 17,045
Amharic 19,885 9,865 10,020
Arabic 365,085 195,120 169,965
Hebrew 67,390 33,715 33,680
Maltese 8,635 4,285 4,350
Tigrigna 8,430 4,250 4,180
Semitic languages, n.i.e. 6,035 3,075 2,960
Afro-Asiatic languages, n.i.e. 8,990 5,125 3,860
Bengali 52,430 27,235 25,200
Gujarati 105,395 51,185 54,210
Hindi 299,600 150,805 148,800
Konkani 4,780 2,150 2,630
Marathi 7,665 3,775 3,885
Panjabi (Punjabi) 456,090 231,635 224,450
Sindhi 14,010 6,245 7,770
Sinhala (Sinhalese) 19,830 10,340 9,490
Urdu 208,125 108,785 99,335
Kurdish 9,185 5,080 4,105
Pashto 11,680 6,380 5,295
Persian (Farsi) 154,385 79,190 75,190
Indo-Iranian languages, n.i.e. 12,550 6,490 6,055
Kannada 4,220 2,280 1,935
Malayalam 14,100 7,100 7,000
Tamil 138,675 69,665 69,010
Telugu 8,340 4,285 4,060
Dravidian languages, n.i.e. 285 160 125
Japanese 71,695 31,580 40,125
Korean 133,800 64,230 69,570
Cantonese 434,720 204,570 230,145
Chaochow (Teochow) 1,235 525 710
Fukien 4,355 2,010 2,345
Hakka 3,975 1,870 2,100
Mandarin 281,840 131,775 150,060
Shanghainese 1,585 665 920
Taiwanese 14,060 6,600 7,465
Chinese, n.o.s.Footnote 2 472,080 227,690 244,390
Tibetan languages 3,875 2,035 1,840
Sino-Tibetan languages, n.i.e. 3,630 1,945 1,685
Lao 18,390 9,185 9,205
Thai 10,580 4,615 5,965
Khmer (Cambodian) 23,355 11,165 12,185
Vietnamese 184,050 89,090 94,960
Bisayan languages 11,285 4,325 6,960
Ilocano 14,125 5,565 8,560
Malay 19,405 8,875 10,530
Pampango 2,260 945 1,315
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 324,120 129,900 194,220
Malayo-Polynesian languages, n.i.e. 6,905 3,165 3,740
Akan (Twi) 17,595 8,520 9,075
Lingala 9,415 4,480 4,940
Rundi (Kirundi) 4,275 2,150 2,125
Rwanda (Kinyarwanda) 4,015 1,875 2,140
Shona 3,180 1,550 1,630
Swahili 27,795 14,580 13,210
Bantu languages, n.i.e. 12,155 6,290 5,860
Edo 1,740 890 855
Igbo 3,025 1,715 1,310
Wolof 1,985 1,165 815
Niger-Congo languages, n.i.e. 20,375 10,810 9,565
African languages, n.i.e. 11,220 6,210 5,015
Creoles 97,815 43,710 54,105
American Sign Language 11,110 3,845 7,265
Quebec Sign Language 3,340 1,235 2,105
Sign languages, n.i.e. 28,640 11,050 17,585
Other languages 25,475 13,275 12,200

Footnotes

Footnote 1

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

Return to footnote 1 referrer

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.'

Return to footnote 2 referrer

Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97-555-XCB2006010.

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Footnotes

Footnote a

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Footnote b

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Footnote c

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Footnote d

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