Icelandic Canadians facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Icelandic Canadians
íslensk-kanadísk(ur)

Total population
101,795 (by ancestry), 0.3% of Canada's population
Regions with significant populations
Canada
Manitoba	31,090
British Columbia	26,410
Alberta	20,225
Ontario	13,215
Languages
Canadian English · Canadian French · Icelandic
Religion
Christianity (Predominantly Protestant)
Related ethnic groups
Icelandic Americans Faroese Canadians Norwegian Canadians Swedish Canadians, Danish Canadians, Dutch Canadians, Flemish Canadians See Icelanders

Icelandic Canadians are people living in Canada who have Icelandic family roots. This also includes people born in Iceland who now live in Canada.

Canada has the largest group of people with Icelandic heritage outside of Iceland. In 2016, about 101,795 Canadians said they had Icelandic ancestors. Many of these families came to Canada after a big volcano called Askja erupted in Iceland in 1875.

The connection between Icelanders and North America goes back about 1,000 years. The first Europeans to reach North America were Norsemen from Iceland. They tried to settle in what is now Newfoundland around 1009 AD. This place is called L'Anse aux Meadows.

A boy named Snorri Þorfinnsson was born there. He was the son of Þorfinnr Karlsefni and Guðríður. Snorri is known as the first European born in the New World.

In 1875, over 200 Icelanders moved to Manitoba. They started a settlement called New Iceland along the west side of Lake Winnipeg. This was the start of many Icelanders moving to the Canadian prairies.

Historians say that most Icelanders chose to move to Canada instead of the United States. This was because Canadian officials and a shipping company called Allan Line worked together. They started promoting Canada to Icelanders in 1873. This plan worked well because not many people had left Iceland yet.

Many Icelandic Canadians served in World War I. About 1,245 people with Icelandic roots fought in the war. Most of them fought for Canada. Some women also served as nurses during this time.

Icelandic Canadians usually do not follow traditional Icelandic naming customs. In Iceland, people often use their parent's first name to create their last name. But in Canada, Icelandic immigrants mostly adopted regular surnames. These surnames often came from the first ancestor who settled in Canada. Sometimes, they chose a surname based on their family's village in Iceland.

Icelandic population in Canada

Here are the Canadian provinces with the most people reporting Icelandic heritage in 2016:

Province or territory	Icelandic Canadian	Percent Canadian
Canada	101,795	0.3%
Manitoba	31,090	2.4%
British Columbia	26,410	0.6%
Alberta	20,225	0.5%
Ontario	13,215	0.1%
Saskatchewan	8,255	0.8%
Quebec	955	0.01%
Nova Scotia	660	0.07%
New Brunswick	250	0.03%
Yukon	215	0.6%
Northwest Territories	200	0.5%
Newfoundland and Labrador	190	0.04%
Prince Edward Island	90	0.06%
Nunavut	30	0.08%

Communities with Icelandic Roots

Map showing where people of Icelandic origin live in North America.

Gimli, Manitoba, is home to the largest group of Icelanders outside of Iceland.

Gimli, Manitoba, is a town with many people of Icelandic descent. About 26% of the town's population has Icelandic ancestors. It is known for having the largest group of Icelanders outside of Iceland.

Other Canadian settlements known for their Icelandic history or people include:

• Markerville, Alberta
• Arborg, Manitoba
• Baldur, Manitoba
• Elfros, Saskatchewan
• Erickson, Manitoba
• Glenboro, Manitoba
• Lakeview, Manitoba
• Lundar, Manitoba
• Morden, Manitoba
• New Iceland
• Riverton, Manitoba
• Reykjavik, Manitoba
• Wynyard, Saskatchewan
• Kinmount, Ontario

Famous Icelandic Canadians

Vilhjalmur Stefansson, a famous explorer, with another Icelandic Canadian.

See also

In Spanish: Inmigración islandesa en Canadá para niños