Norwegian Canadian
Encyclopedia
Norwegian Canadians are Canadians of Norwegian
descent.
There are approximately 1.2 million Canadians of Scandinavian descent
living in Canada
, representing around 3.9% of Canada
’s population. In the Canada 2006 Census
432,515 Canadian residents claimed Norwegian ancestry, making up 1.4% of the population of Canada
. Significant Norwegian immigration took place from the mid-1880s to 1930.
Norwegians
have played important roles in the history of Canada
. The very first Europeans to reach North America were in fact Icelandic Norsemen
, who made at least one major effort at settlement in what is today the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador
(L'Anse aux Meadows
) around 1000 AD. Snorri Thorfinnsson aka Snorri Guðriðsson, the son of Thorfinn Karlsefni
and his wife Guđriđ, is thought to be the first white baby born in Canada and North America.
In 1960 archaeological
evidence of the only known Norse settlement
in North America (outside of Greenland
) was found at L'Anse aux Meadows
on the northern tip of the island of Newfoundland, in what is now the Canadian
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
. Although this proved conclusively the Viking
s' pre-Columbian
discovery of North America, whether this exact site is the Vinland
of the Norse accounts is still a subject of debate. There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings did reach North America, approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus
.
The main sources of information about the Norse voyages to Vinland
are two Icelandic saga
s, The Saga of Eric the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders. These stories were preserved by oral tradition until they were written down some 250 years after the events they describe. The existence of two versions of the story shows some of the challenges of using traditional sources for history, because they share a large number of story elements, but use them in different ways. For example, both sagas feature a mariner called Bjarni, who is driven off course on a voyage to Greenland
, and whose authority is subsequently called into question; in "Greenlanders" he is Bjarni Herjolfsson, who discovers the American mainland as a result of his mishap, but in "Eric" he is Bjarni Grimolfsson, who is driven into an area infested with shipworms on the way home from Vinland
, with the result that his ship sinks. A brief summary of the plots of the two sagas shows many more examples.
appears to be one of economics. The Norwegian farms were often small and unable to support a family. Added to that was the lack of other employment to augment the family income. Between 1850 and 1910 approximately 681,011 Norwegians
made their way to North America. Very few originally stayed in Canada
but some, after a stay in the American Midwest, made their way across the border and settled in the present provinces of Alberta
and Saskatchewan
. One of the earliest Norwegian parties to America in the nineteenth century sailed from Stavanger
on July 4, 1825. This party was led by Kleng Pedersen (Cleng Peerson
). The ship, Restauration
, of 45 tons, master being Helland, was a rebuilt sloop carrying 52 passengers. To that number was added baby Larson, who was born on the voyage. Many of this party were Quakers, leaving Norway for religious reasons. The voyage took 97 days and they arrived in New York on October 9, 1825. In 1836 the Norden and Den Norske Klippe sailed to America
with 167 passengers. Another two vessels sailed the following year.
The British Government repealed the navigation laws in 1849 and from 1850 on, Canada
became the port of choice as Norwegian ships carried passengers to Canada and took lumber back to Norway
. The Canadian route offered many advantages to the emigrant. "They moved on from Quebec
both by rail and by steamer for another thousand or more miles for a steerage fare of slightly less than $9.00. Steamers from Quebec
brought them to Toronto
, then the immigrants often traveled by rail for 93 miles to Collingwood
on Lake Huron
, from where steamers transported them across Lake Michigan
to Chicago, Milwaukee and Green Bay
." In 1855 there were eight vessels reported from Norway
to Canada
in the immigration report, averaging a 45 day crossing. These vessels carried 1,275 passengers. The following year, 14 vessels made the voyage averaging 54 days, and carrying 2,821 passengers. One of these vessels, the Orion from Stavanger
, was said to carry 50 paupers all heading for the American west but, due to a lack of funds were sent to Buffalo
. The passengers of the Gifion, all proceeded to Wisconsin
.
There were a considerable number of deaths among the Norwegians
in 1857. Of the 6,507 immigrants who arrived in that year there were 100 deaths. In 1859, however, emigration dropped off with only 16 vessels arriving from Norway
carrying 1,756 passengers. Of the over 28,460 Norwegians
who came to Canada
in the 1850s it is estimated that only 400 remained in Canada
the majority moved on into the American west. A small settlement of Norwegians was begun at Gaspe Peninsula
, Lower Canada
, in 1854. A report in 1859, stated that 25 families, totaling 126 persons, were settled in the Gaspe. They were joined in 1860 by another 50 persons. However, the Norwegians
were not content, and after a very hard winter in 1861-2 they began to make their way to the American Midwest. About 14 families who arrived on the ship Flora from Kristiania in 1856 went to the Eastern Townships, near present day Sherbrooke. They were following in the footsteps of two other Norwegians
who settled in this area in 1853. Johan Schroder, who travelled in the United States and Canada
in 1863, reported that a group of Norwegian immigrants, led by an agent, settled in Bury in the Eastern Townships in 1856. One of the first settlers in this area was Captain John Svenson who died in 1878.
Settlements in Canada
which were primarily created by Norwegian immigrants:
Canada is also the home of Little Norway
and Camp Norway, both Norwegian military training facilities, during the Second World War, and the port of Halifax was a refuge for the Norwegian merchant marine and Royal Norwegian Navy
during the same conflict.
figures from the 2006 census, 521,390 Canadians
reported themselves as having Norwegian ethnic background (multiple responses were allowed). The figures are also broken down by provinces and territories for Norwegians
:
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
descent.
There are approximately 1.2 million Canadians of Scandinavian descent
Scandinavian Canadian
Scandinavian Canadians are Canadians with ancestral roots in Scandinavia...
living in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, representing around 3.9% of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
’s population. In the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
432,515 Canadian residents claimed Norwegian ancestry, making up 1.4% of the population of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Significant Norwegian immigration took place from the mid-1880s to 1930.
Viking exploration
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
have played important roles in the history of Canada
History of Canada
The history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of Paleo-Indians thousands of years ago to the present day. Canada has been inhabited for millennia by distinctive groups of Aboriginal peoples, among whom evolved trade networks, spiritual beliefs, and social hierarchies...
. The very first Europeans to reach North America were in fact Icelandic Norsemen
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
, who made at least one major effort at settlement in what is today the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
(L'Anse aux Meadows
L'Anse aux Meadows
L'Anse aux Meadows is an archaeological site on the northernmost tip of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Discovered in 1960, it is the only known site of a Norse or Viking village in Canada, and in North America outside of Greenland...
) around 1000 AD. Snorri Thorfinnsson aka Snorri Guðriðsson, the son of Thorfinn Karlsefni
Thorfinn Karlsefni
Thorfinn Karlsefni was an Icelandic explorer who circa 1010 AD led an attempt to settle Vínland with three ships and 160 settlers. Among the settlers was Freydís Eiríksdóttir, according to Grœnlendinga saga and Eiríks saga rauða, sister or half-sister of Leif Eriksson...
and his wife Guđriđ, is thought to be the first white baby born in Canada and North America.
In 1960 archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
evidence of the only known Norse settlement
Norse colonization of the Americas
The Norse colonization of the Americas began as early as the 10th century, when Norse sailors explored and settled areas of the North Atlantic, including the northeastern fringes of North America....
in North America (outside of Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
) was found at L'Anse aux Meadows
L'Anse aux Meadows
L'Anse aux Meadows is an archaeological site on the northernmost tip of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Discovered in 1960, it is the only known site of a Norse or Viking village in Canada, and in North America outside of Greenland...
on the northern tip of the island of Newfoundland, in what is now the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. Although this proved conclusively the Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
s' pre-Columbian
Pre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
discovery of North America, whether this exact site is the Vinland
Vinland
Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norsemen, about the year 1000 CE.There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings reached North America approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus...
of the Norse accounts is still a subject of debate. There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings did reach North America, approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
.
The main sources of information about the Norse voyages to Vinland
Vinland
Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norsemen, about the year 1000 CE.There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings reached North America approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus...
are two Icelandic saga
Saga
Sagas, are stories in Old Norse about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, etc.Saga may also refer to:Business*Saga DAB radio, a British radio station*Saga Airlines, a Turkish airline*Saga Falabella, a department store chain in Peru...
s, The Saga of Eric the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders. These stories were preserved by oral tradition until they were written down some 250 years after the events they describe. The existence of two versions of the story shows some of the challenges of using traditional sources for history, because they share a large number of story elements, but use them in different ways. For example, both sagas feature a mariner called Bjarni, who is driven off course on a voyage to Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, and whose authority is subsequently called into question; in "Greenlanders" he is Bjarni Herjolfsson, who discovers the American mainland as a result of his mishap, but in "Eric" he is Bjarni Grimolfsson, who is driven into an area infested with shipworms on the way home from Vinland
Vinland
Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norsemen, about the year 1000 CE.There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings reached North America approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus...
, with the result that his ship sinks. A brief summary of the plots of the two sagas shows many more examples.
Organized immigration
The major reason for Norwegian migrationNorwegian diaspora
The Norwegian diaspora consists of Norwegian emigrants and their descendants, especially those that maintain some of the customs of their Norwegian culture...
appears to be one of economics. The Norwegian farms were often small and unable to support a family. Added to that was the lack of other employment to augment the family income. Between 1850 and 1910 approximately 681,011 Norwegians
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
made their way to North America. Very few originally stayed in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
but some, after a stay in the American Midwest, made their way across the border and settled in the present provinces of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. One of the earliest Norwegian parties to America in the nineteenth century sailed from Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
on July 4, 1825. This party was led by Kleng Pedersen (Cleng Peerson
Cleng Peerson
Cleng Peerson was a Norwegian-American pioneer who led the first group of Norwegians to emigrate to the United States, traveling on the Norwegian sloop Restauration.-Background:...
). The ship, Restauration
Restauration (ship)
Restauration was a sloop built in 1801 in Hardanger, Norway. It became a symbol of Norwegian American immigration. Historical sources may contain several variations on the name of the sloop, including Restauration, Restoration, Restaurasjonen, and Restorasjon.-History:On what is considered the...
, of 45 tons, master being Helland, was a rebuilt sloop carrying 52 passengers. To that number was added baby Larson, who was born on the voyage. Many of this party were Quakers, leaving Norway for religious reasons. The voyage took 97 days and they arrived in New York on October 9, 1825. In 1836 the Norden and Den Norske Klippe sailed to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with 167 passengers. Another two vessels sailed the following year.
The British Government repealed the navigation laws in 1849 and from 1850 on, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
became the port of choice as Norwegian ships carried passengers to Canada and took lumber back to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The Canadian route offered many advantages to the emigrant. "They moved on from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
both by rail and by steamer for another thousand or more miles for a steerage fare of slightly less than $9.00. Steamers from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
brought them to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, then the immigrants often traveled by rail for 93 miles to Collingwood
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay.-History:...
on Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, from where steamers transported them across Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
to Chicago, Milwaukee and Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
." In 1855 there were eight vessels reported from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the immigration report, averaging a 45 day crossing. These vessels carried 1,275 passengers. The following year, 14 vessels made the voyage averaging 54 days, and carrying 2,821 passengers. One of these vessels, the Orion from Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, was said to carry 50 paupers all heading for the American west but, due to a lack of funds were sent to Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. The passengers of the Gifion, all proceeded to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
There were a considerable number of deaths among the Norwegians
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
in 1857. Of the 6,507 immigrants who arrived in that year there were 100 deaths. In 1859, however, emigration dropped off with only 16 vessels arriving from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
carrying 1,756 passengers. Of the over 28,460 Norwegians
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
who came to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the 1850s it is estimated that only 400 remained in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
the majority moved on into the American west. A small settlement of Norwegians was begun at Gaspe Peninsula
Gaspé Peninsula
The Gaspésie , or Gaspé Peninsula or the Gaspé, is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, extending into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
, Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
, in 1854. A report in 1859, stated that 25 families, totaling 126 persons, were settled in the Gaspe. They were joined in 1860 by another 50 persons. However, the Norwegians
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
were not content, and after a very hard winter in 1861-2 they began to make their way to the American Midwest. About 14 families who arrived on the ship Flora from Kristiania in 1856 went to the Eastern Townships, near present day Sherbrooke. They were following in the footsteps of two other Norwegians
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
who settled in this area in 1853. Johan Schroder, who travelled in the United States and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1863, reported that a group of Norwegian immigrants, led by an agent, settled in Bury in the Eastern Townships in 1856. One of the first settlers in this area was Captain John Svenson who died in 1878.
Settlements
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
which were primarily created by Norwegian immigrants:
- Birch Hills, SaskatchewanBirch Hills, SaskatchewanBirch Hills is a town located in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located southeast of Prince Albert and the reserve of Muskoday First Nation. Directly to the west is the village of St. Louis, and to the east is Kinistino. It is surrounded by, but not part of, Birch Hills Rural Municipality No...
- Rose Valley, SaskatchewanRose Valley, Saskatchewan-Location:-External links:**...
- Hagensborg, British ColumbiaHagensborg, British ColumbiaHagensborg is a small community in the Bella Coola Valley in British Columbia, Canada. Its census population in 2006 was 248. The valley was already the ancient home to the Nuxálk people when European explorers arrived. Norwegian settlers from Minnesota and Wisconsin arrived in 1894, and the town...
- Tallheo, British ColumbiaTallheo, British ColumbiaTallheo is a First Nations community of the Nuxálk people and former cannery town near Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada, on North Bentinck Arm...
- Quatsino, British ColumbiaQuatsino, British ColumbiaQuatsino is a small hamlet of 91 people located on Quatsino Sound in Northern Vancouver Island, Canada only accessible by boat or float plane. Its nearest neighbour is Coal Harbour, to the east, about 20 minutes away by boat, and Port Alice, to the south, about 40 minutes away by boat...
- Pemberton, British ColumbiaPemberton, British ColumbiaPemberton is a village north of Whistler in the Pemberton Valley of British Columbia in Canada, with a population of 2,192. Until the 1960s the village could be accessed only by train but that changed when Highway 99 was built through Whistler and Pemberton.-Climate:The climate of Pemberton is...
(originally Agerton) - New Norway, AlbertaNew Norway, AlbertaNew Norway is a small rural village located in the central prairies of Alberta, Canada. Named in 1895 and properly established in 1909, it is located on Hwy 21, approximately 100 kilometres SSE of Edmonton and 22 kilometres SW of Camrose, the closest major trading center.With a population of over...
- Norway, Ontario
Today
Little Norway
The Flyvåpnenes Treningsleir , the official name) or "Little Norway" was a Norwegian Army Air Service/Royal Norwegian Air Force training camp in Canada during the Second World War.-Origins:...
and Camp Norway, both Norwegian military training facilities, during the Second World War, and the port of Halifax was a refuge for the Norwegian merchant marine and Royal Norwegian Navy
Royal Norwegian Navy
The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...
during the same conflict.
Norwegian population in Canada
According to Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
figures from the 2006 census, 521,390 Canadians
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
reported themselves as having Norwegian ethnic background (multiple responses were allowed). The figures are also broken down by provinces and territories for Norwegians
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
:
| Province | Norwegian Canadian | Percent Norwegian Canadian |
|---|---|---|
 Canada |
432,515 | 1.6% |
 Alberta |
144,585 | 4.9% |
 British Columbia |
129,425 | 3.6% |
 Saskatchewan |
68,650 | 7.6% |
 Ontario |
53,840 | 0.5% |
 Manitoba |
18,395 | 4.2% |
 Quebec |
6,350 | 0.09% |
 Nova Scotia |
4,675 | 0.5% |
 New Brunswick |
2,625 | 0.3% |
 Newfoundland and Labrador |
1,510 | 0.3% |
 Yukon |
1,340 | 4.7% |
 Northwest Territories |
670 | 2.0% |
 Prince Edward Island |
390 | 0.3% |
 Nunavut |
55 | 0.2% |
Norwegian language by province
| Province | Norwegian language Norwegian language Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language... | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Canada |
7,710 | 0.02% |
| British Columbia |
3,420 | 0.08% |
| Alberta |
1,360 | 0.04% |
| Ontario |
1,145 | 0.00% |
| Saskatchewan |
895 | 0.09% |
| Quebec |
370 | 0.00% |
| Nova Scotia |
175 | 0.01% |
| Manitoba |
160 | 0.01% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
95 | 0.01% |
| New Brunswick |
80 | 0.01% |
| Yukon |
10 | 0.03% |
| Northwest Territories |
0 | 0.00% |
| Nunavut |
0 | 0.00% |
| Prince Edward Island |
0 | 0.00% |
List of Canadians of Norwegian descent
Actors
- Melody AndersonMelody AndersonMelody Anderson is a Canadian American social worker and public speaker specializing in the impact of addiction on families. She is also known as an actress, with her most high-profile role being Dale Arden in the 1980 adaptation of Flash Gordon. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Anderson started off as...
, social worker and public speaker specializing in the impact of addiction on families. Also widely known as an actress. - Melyssa FordMelyssa FordMelyssa Savannah Ford is a Canadian model and actress. She attended York University and studied in the field of forensic psychology. Ford's father is Afro-Barbadian and her mother is Russian and Norwegian...
, model/actress. - Natassia MaltheNatassia MaltheNatassia Malthe is a Norwegian model and actress.-Biography:Natassia is the younger of two daughters. She was born in Oslo, Norway. She is half Filipino. She is usually credited by her birth name however is sometime credited as 'Lina Teal'...
Norwegian model/actress who grew up in Canada. - John QualenJohn QualenJohn Qualen was a Canadian-American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles....
- actor: "He was Hollywood's stock Scandinavian character actor but could also play just about any other ethnic type imaginable. He was born Johan Mandt Kvalen in Vancouver, British Columbia on December 8, 1899, the son of Norwegian immigrants. His father, a Lutheran minister, changed the spelling of their name to Qualen." - Rachel SkarstenRachel SkarstenRachel Skarsten is a Canadian actress best known for her role as Dinah Lance on the television series Birds of Prey.-Biography:...
, actress.
Athletes
- Glenn AndersonGlenn AndersonGlenn Christopher Anderson is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger in the National Hockey League who played for the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues...
, retired professional hockey player. - Jeff FriesenJeff FriesenJeff Daryl Friesen is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently a Free Agent. He most recently played with Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-Playing career:...
, professional hockey player. - Kristina GrovesKristina GrovesKristina Groves is a Canadian speedskater. She is Canada’s most decorated skater in the World Single Distances Championships with 13 career medals in this event. She won four Olympic medals: She won two silver medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, in the 1,500 meters and team pursuit....
, Olympic speed skater. - Rick HansenRick HansenRichard M. Hansen, CC, OBC is a Canadian Paralympian and an activist for people with spinal cord injuries. Following a car crash at the age of 15, Hansen sustained a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the waist down. Hansen is most famous for his Man In Motion World Tour...
, wheelchair celebrity and philanthropist - Anne HeggtveitAnne HeggtveitAnne Heggtveit, CM is a Canadian alpine skier born in Ottawa, Ontario.- Biography :Her father, Halvor Heggtveit, a Canadian cross-country champion, encouraged her at a young age. A student at Lisgar Collegiate Institute in Ottawa, she learned to ski in the nearby Gatineau Hills of Quebec...
, alpine skier. - Herman "Jackrabbit" Smith-JohannsenHerman Smith-JohannsenHerman "Jackrabbit" Smith-Johannsen, CM was a Norwegian-Canadian supercentenarian who gained widespread recognition for being one of the first people to introduce the sport of cross-country skiing to Canada and North America...
(1875–1987), a Norwegian-Canadian cross country skier, who lived to be 111 years old. - George KnudsonGeorge KnudsonGeorge Alfred Christian Knudson, CM was a Canadian professional golfer, who along with Mike Weir holds the record for the Canadian with the most wins on the PGA Tour, with eight career victories....
, CMOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, was a professional golferProfessional golferIn golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
, who along with Mike WeirMike WeirMichael Richard Weir, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 2001 and 2005. He is best known for winning the Masters in 2003....
holds the record for the Canadian with the most wins on the PGA TourPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, with eight career victories. - Karen MagnussenKaren MagnussenKaren Diane Magnussen, OC is a Canadian figure skater. She won the silver medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics, and is 1973 World Champion....
, Olympic figure skater, North Vancouver, BC. - Christine NordhagenChristine NordhagenChristine Nordhagen-Vierling is a former Canadian wrestler.-Wrestling Achievements:Nordhagen, who began wrestling at age 20, is a graduate of the University of Alberta...
, Norwegian-Canadian Olympic female wrestler - Pat OnstadPat OnstadPatrick Stewart "Pat" Onstad is a Canadian soccer retired goalkeeper, who is currently an assistant coach for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
, professional soccer goalkeeper. - Terry PuhlTerry Puhl-See also:*List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases*List of Major League Baseball players from Canada*UHV Jaguars-External links:...
, former professional baseball player. He is currently the head coach of University of Houston-Victoria'sUniversity of Houston–VictoriaThe University of Houston–Victoria is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Houston System. Its campus spans 20-acre in Victoria, with satellite locations at UH System centers in Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch...
baseball teamUHV JaguarsThe UHV Jaguars are the athletic teams of the University of Houston–Victoria. The nickname "Jaguar" originates from input by students, staff, faculty, and the local community...
. - Cliff RonningCliff RonningClifford John Ronning is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the 7th round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, 134th overall...
, professional hockey player. - Ryder HesjedalRyder HesjedalRyder Hesjedal is a Canadian professional racing cyclist for . He is a former mountain biker, winning a silver medal at the 2001 Under-23 world championship...
, professional road cyclist - Svein TuftSvein TuftSvein Tuft is a Canadian road bicycle racer and the UCI America Tour champion. Tuft currently races for Canadian Professional Continental Cycling Team 'SpiderTech'. He is the current Canadian road and time trial champion.-Personal life:...
, professional road cyclist - Ryan RishaugRyan RishaugRyan Rishaug is a sports broadcaster with TSN. For TSN, he serves as an ice reporter, on the NHL on TSN and covers Edmonton for SportsCentre...
,former ice-hockey player. He is currently sports-commentator on TSN.
Explorers
- Henry Larsen Norwegian born Canadian Arctic seaman for the Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRoyal Canadian Mounted PoliceThe Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. Second to traverse Canada's Northwest PassageNorthwest PassageThe Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
in the famous St. Roch.
Filmmakers
- Torill KoveTorill KoveTorill Kove is a Norwegian born Canadian film director and animator. She won the 2007 Academy Award for Animated Short Film for the film The Danish Poet, co-produced by Norway's Mikrofilm AS and the National Film Board of Canada....
, Norwegian-Canadian film director and animator. Academy Awards winner for the animated short film The Danish PoetThe Danish PoetThe Danish Poet is a 2006 animated short film written, directed, and animated by Torill Kove and narrated by Liv Ullmann. A co-production of the National Film Board of Canada and Mikrofilm AS of Norway, it has won both the Academy Award and Genie Award for best animated short film.-Synopsis:The...
.
Musicians
- Endre Johannes ClevenEndre Johannes ClevenEndre Johannes Cleven was a Norwegian-born Canadian who was prominent in the settlement and culture of Norwegian immigrants in Manitoba, Canada during the early 20th century....
, musician/composer and founder of the Canadian Viking Regiment (197th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary ForceCanadian Expeditionary ForceThe Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
) - Mitch DorgeMitch DorgeMitch Dorge is a Canadian drummer, composer and record producer.-Biography:...
, musician. - Bruce HaackBruce HaackBruce Clinton Haack was a musician, composer, and pioneer of electronic music. He was born in Alberta, Canada.-From Alberta to New York :...
, Norwegian-Canadian musician and composer. - Joni MitchellJoni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
, singer/songwriter. - John K. SamsonJohn K. SamsonJohn Kristjan Samson is a musician from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is a singer-songwriter and currently the frontman of the Canadian folk punk band The Weakerthans...
, musician
Politicians
- Ione ChristensenIone ChristensenIone Jean Christensen, is a former Canadian Senator.The daughter of former North-West Mounted Police constable Gordon Irwin Cameron, and Dawson City born Martha Ballentine Cameron, her family moved to Whitehorse in 1949. Christensen graduated from high school in 1953...
, CMOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, is a former CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
SenatorCanadian SenateThe Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
. - Nellie CournoyeaNellie CournoyeaNellie Cournoyea, OC is a former Canadian politician, who served as the sixth Premier of the Northwest Territories from 1991 to 1995...
, former Canadian politician, who served as Premier of the Northwest Territories from 1991 to 1995. - David EggenDavid EggenDavid Eggen is a Canadian politician. He is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the riding of Edmonton-Calder.- Educator :...
, Alberta NDP MLA for Edmonton-CalderEdmonton-CalderEdmonton-Calder is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. It is currently represented by Progressive Conservative MLA Doug Elniski.-Boundary history:- Members of the Legislative Assembly :...
. - Colin HansenColin HansenColin Hansen was Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier for the Canadian province of British Columbia from June 10, 2009 to March 13,2011. He had also served as Minister Responsible for Small Business since October 25, 2010. On November 30, 2010, he was additionally appointed as the Minister of...
, British Columbia's Minister of Finance and Minister Responsible for the 2010 Winter Olympics.. - Hans Lars HelgesenHans Lars HelgesenHans Lars Helgesen was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada from 1878 to 1886...
, MLALegislative Assembly of British ColumbiaThe Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
for EsquimaltEsquimalt (electoral district)Esquimalt was a provincial electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It was one of the province's first twelve ridings upon its entry into Confederation. It was originally a two-member riding...
, 1878-1886. The first non-Briton to serve in the BC legislature and prominent in the establishment of the commercial fishery in the Queen Charlotte IslandsQueen Charlotte IslandsHaida Gwaii , formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands, is an archipelago on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. Haida Gwaii consists of two main islands: Graham Island in the north, and Moresby Island in the south, along with approximately 150 smaller islands with a total landmass of...
. - Chuck StrahlChuck StrahlCharles Strahl, PC, MP was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. He was a Member of Parliament in the governing Conservative Party of Canada.-Before politics:...
, MP for Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon and Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
Writers
- Holly NelsonHolly NelsonHolly Nelson is a Canadian writer, poet, activist and print reporter. She served as leader of the Green Party of Manitoba from 2005 to 2006.- Early life and career :...
, poet, writer and political activist. - Martha OstensoMartha OstensoMartha Ostenso was a Canadian novelist and screenwriter.-Background:Ostenso was born in Haukeland , in Hordaland County, Norway. Her parents were Sigurd and Olina Ostenso. She emigrated with her family to the United States in 1902...
, novelist, poet and screenwriter. - Sonja SkarstedtSonja SkarstedtSonja Skarstedt was a Canadian poet, short story, playwright writer, painter and illustrator. Born in Montreal, Quebec, she was the founder and former editor of the literary magazine Zymergy, 1987-1991, and founder of Empyreal Press, 1990. She graduated from McGill University with a BA in English...
, poet, short story, playwright writer, painter and illustrator. - Fred StensonFred Stenson (writer)Frederick Stenson is a Canadian writer of historical fiction and non-fiction relating to the Canadian West.In addition to his published work, Stenson has been a faculty member at The Banff Centre, where he has directed the Wired Writing Studio for eleven years. He is also a documentary film...
, writer of historical fiction and non-fiction relating to the Canadian West.
Others
- Gerda HnatyshynGerda HnatyshynKaren Gerda Hnatyshyn, CC was the wife of Ray Hnatyshyn, Governor General of Canada from 1990 to 1995, and served as viceregal consort during Ray Hnatyshyn's term of office....
, president and chair of the Hnatyshyn Foundation, an arts granting organization. - Norman Wolfred Kittson, was variously a fur trader, steamboat-line operator, and railway entrepreneur.
- Peter Norman NissenPeter Norman NissenPeter Norman Nissen , a Canadian-American mining engineer, developed the prefabricated shelter called the Nissen hut in 1916.-Early years:...
, inventor - Paul ThorlaksonPaul ThorlaksonPaul Henrik Thorbjorn Thorlakson, CC was a Canadian physician and Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg....
, was a Canadian physician and Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg.