Dutch Canadians

Dutch Canadians are Canadians with full or partial Dutch ancestry. According to the Canada 2006 Census, there were 1,035,965 Canadians of Dutch descent,^[1] including those of full or partial ancestry. This increased to 1,111,655 in 2016.^[2]

Dutch Canadians
Nederlandse Canadezen
Canadiens-néerlandais

Dutch Canadians as percent of population by province/territory
Total population
1,111,655 (2016 Census)
Regions with significant populations
Alberta, British Columbia, Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Quebec, Western Canada
Languages
Canadian English, Canadian French, Dutch, Frisian, Limburgish
Religion
Protestantism, Roman Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Dutch people, Dutch Americans

History

Dutch Canadian
Population History

Year	Pop.	±%
1871	29,662	—
1881	30,412	+2.5%
1901	33,845	+11.3%
1911	55,961	+65.3%
1921	117,505	+110.0%
1931	148,962	+26.8%
1941	212,863	+42.9%
1951	264,267	+24.1%
1961	429,679	+62.6%
1971	425,945	−0.9%
1981	408,235	−4.2%
1986	881,935	+116.0%
1991	961,595	+9.0%
1996	916,215	−4.7%
2001	923,310	+0.8%
2006	1,035,965	+12.2%
2011	1,067,245	+3.0%
2016	1,111,655	+4.2%
Source: Statistics Canada ^[3]^: 17^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14] Note: 1981 Canadian census did not include multiple ethnic origin responses, thus population is an undercount.

The first Dutch people to come to Canada were Dutch Americans among the United Empire Loyalists. The largest wave was in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century when large numbers of Dutch helped settle the Canadian west. During this period significant numbers also settled in major cities like Toronto. While interrupted by the First World War this migration returned in the 1920s, but again halted during the Great Depression and Second World War.

After World War II a large number of Dutch immigrants moved to Canada, including a number of war brides of the Canadian soldiers who liberated the Netherlands. There were officially 1,886 Dutch war brides to Canada, ranking second after British war brides.^[15] During the war Canada had sheltered Crown Princess Juliana and her family. The annual Canadian Tulip Festival held in May commemorates her with a generous number of tulips coming from The Netherlands. Due to these close links Canada became a popular destination for Dutch immigrants. The Canadian government encouraged this, recruiting skilled workers. This post-war wave went mainly to urban centres such as Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver. With the economic recovery of the Netherlands in the post-war years immigration to Canada slowed.

While one of the largest minority groups in Canada, Dutch Canadians have tended to rapidly assimilate and there are relatively few Dutch Canadian organizations and media. One important institution is the Christian Reformed Church in North America, with most congregations found throughout Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. The Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto, The King's University in Edmonton, and Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario are associated with this Dutch Reformed/Calvinist denomination. Christian Schools International, the Christian Labour Association of Canada, and the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario are organizations with strong Dutch-Canadian roots.

Dutch Canadians, because of their shared cultural and religious heritage, tend to form tight-knit communities. This has led to an in-joke known as "Dutch bingo",^[16] where it is said that a Dutch Canadian is able to figure out his/her connection to another Dutch Canadian by asking questions about the other's last name, town of birth, church and the college they attended.

Geographical distribution

Data from this section from Statistics Canada, 2021.^[17]

Provinces & territories

Province / Territory	Percent Dutch	Total Dutch
Alberta	4.2%	174,625
British Columbia	3.9%	189,985
Manitoba	3.3%	43,390
New Brunswick	1.8%	13,310
Newfoundland and Labrador	0.4%	1,830
Northwest Territories	2.3%	940
Nova Scotia	2.9%	27,375
Nunavut	0.5%	185
Ontario	3.4%	478,860
Prince Edward Island	3.0%	4,465
Quebec	0.3%	22,385
Saskatchewan	2.7%	29,410
Yukon	4.6%	1,825
Canada — Total	2.7%	988,585

Notable people

Academia

• Parzival Copes, economist
• Sidney van den Bergh, astronomer^[18]
• Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, physicist

Arts and entertainment

• Earl W. Bascom, actor, painter, sculptor
• Neve Campbell, actress
• Nicole de Boer, actress
• Sarah de Leeuw, writer (Dutch descent)^{[citation needed]}
• Kristen Hager, actress
• Ernest Hillen, journalist
• Kristin Kreuk, actress
• Cornelius Krieghoff, painter
• J.J. McCullough, writer, cartoonist, political commentator and YouTuber. Mother is Dutch
• Sigmund Brouwer, author, public speaker, athlete. Both his mother and father immigrated to Alberta from Holland following World War II. He won the gold medal for racquetball (doubles) at the Canada Winter Games in 1883 at the age of 22.
• Robert Naylor, actor
• Michael Ondaatje, poet, novelist, editor and filmmaker
• Patricia Rozema, writer, director
• Hubert J. M. Schuh, sculpture, painter
• Sonja Smits, actress (Dutch descent)^[19]
• Cobie Smulders, actress
• Jessica Steen, actress
• Dorothy Stratten, model
• Aritha Van Herk, writer
• Laura Vandervoort, actress
• Jeon Somi, singer and songwriter
• Kevin Zegers, actor and model
• Martin Kouprie, chef, author, cheesemaker

Business

• William Cornelius Van Horne, president of CPR

Farming

• Wiebo Ludwig

Politics and civil service

• Michael Chong, Conservative MP, Wellington-Halton Hills
• Roméo Dallaire, former Force Commander of UNAMIR peacekeeping force during the Rwandan genocide, former Liberal Senator, humanitarian^[20]
• Stephen de Boer, Canada's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland
• Harry de Jong, Abbotsford, British Columbia Social Credit MLA from 1986 to 1994
• Mike de Jong, Abbotsford, British Columbia Liberal MLA since 1994
• Simon De Jong, former federal Saskatchewan NDP MP
• Jacob De Witt, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
• Rick Dykstra, Conservative MP St. Catharines from 2006 to 2015 and Parliamentary Secretary
• Fred Eisenberger, former Ward Alderman and Mayor of Hamilton, Ontario
• John Gerretsen, former Mayor of Kingston, Ontario, former Ontario MPP and provincial cabinet minister
• Samuel Holland, Royal Engineer and first Surveyor General of British North America
• Eiling Kramer, the longest-serving member in the history of Saskatchewan's Legislative Assembly.
• David Mathews, American Loyalist and former Mayor of New York City during the American Revolution who settled in Nova Scotia and became a leading administrator.
• John Oostrom, first Dutch-born MP, Progressive Conservative for Willowdale^[21]
• Case Ootes, former city councillor in Toronto; served as deputy mayor under Mayor Mel Lastman and represents one of the two Toronto—Danforth wards
• Maximilien Polak, Quebec Liberal MNA for Saint-Anne from 1981 to 1989
• Egerton Ryerson, Methodist minister, public education advocate, Chief Superintendent of Education for Upper Canada
• Peter Stoffer, NDP MP Sackville-Eastern Shore from 1997 to 2015
• Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal MP Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill since 2019
• Jacob Van Buskirk, Representative for Shelburne County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1805 to 1818
• John van Dongen, Abbotsford, British Columbia Liberal MLA from 1995 to 2013
• Anthony Van Egmond, Member of the Reform Movement in Upper Canada, a leader of the rebels in the Upper Canada Rebellion
• Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative MP, Chatham-Kent-Leamington
• Bill Vander Zalm, 28th Premier of British Columbia^[22]
• Adam Swart Vedder, Westminster-Chilliwhack, British Columbia MLA from 1897 to 1898
• Elizabeth Witmer, former Progressive Conservative MPP, Ontario cabinet minister and Chair of Workplace Safety & Insurance Board of Ontario

Sports

• Earl W. Bascom, rodeo pioneer, first rodeo champion inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, "father of modern rodeo"
• Kyle Bekker, soccer player
• Ted-Jan Bloemen, Olympic speed skater, born in the Netherlands with a Canadian-born father^[23]
• Jeff Beukeboom, retired NHL ice hockey player
• Jay Bouwmeester, former NHL ice hockey player
• Petra Burka, Olympic figure skater, Dutch born^[24]
• Jason de Vos, retired professional soccer player
• Greg de Vries, former NHL ice hockey player
• Karl Dykhuis, ice hockey player; first cousin of Mark Brodwin, astrophysicist
• Dan Hamhuis, former NHL ice hockey player
• Harry Geris, wrestler
• Bill Hogaboam, retired NHL player for the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings
• Ferdi Kadıoğlu, soccer player
• Slater Koekkoek, NHL player for the Edmonton Oilers
• Trevor Linden, retired ice hockey player and former General Manager in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks
• Dwight Lodeweges, footballer, manager
• Dirk Jan De Vries*, South African cricket player.
• George Momberg, professional wrestler known by stage name "Killer Karl Krupp"
• Matt Murray, NHL goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs
• Jake Muzzin, defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs
• Joe Nieuwendyk, former ice hockey player in the NHL, Hockey Hall of Fame member and former General Manager of the Dallas Stars
• Beorn Nijenhuis, speed skater, who represents the Netherlands at the 2006 Winter Olympics^[25]
• Pete Peeters, former NHL ice hockey player
• Daniel Sprong, ice hockey player in the NHL for the Seattle Kraken
• Eric Staal, ice hockey player in the NHL for the Florida Panthers
• Jared Staal, ice hockey player formerly in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Charlotte Checkers
• Jordan Staal, ice hockey player in the NHL for the Carolina Hurricanes
• Marc Staal, ice hockey player in the NHL for the Florida Panthers
• Evert van Benthem, speed skater, won the Elfstedentocht in 1985 and 1986
• Wayne Van Dorp, former ice hockey player in the NHL
• Debbie Van Kiekebelt, track and field athlete
• Adam van Koeverden, Olympic gold medallist in K-1 500 m; his last name relates him to the Dutch city of Coevorden
• Lauren van Oosten, swimmer
• John van 't Schip, footballer, manager currently serving Greece national football team
• Ryan VandenBussche, former ice hockey player in the NHL
• Kelly VanderBeek, alpine skier
• David Van der Gulik, former ice hockey player in the NHL
• Mike Vanderjagt, most accurate kicker in NFL history; played for the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys
• Jim Vandermeer, ice hockey player in the NHL
• Pat Verbeek, former ice hockey player in the NHL
• Tonya Verbeek, Sport wrestler, three time Olympic medallist
• Kris Versteeg, retired NHL ice hockey player for the Chicago Blackhawks
• Steve Yzerman, retired NHL player for the Detroit Red Wings
• Marcel De Jong

See also

•  Canada portal
•  Netherlands portal

• Canada–Netherlands relations
• Dutch Americans
• European Canadians

References

1. "Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories - 20% sample data". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. 2 April 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
2. "Ethnic origin population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
3. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (29 July 1999). "Historical statistics of Canada, section A: Population and migration - ARCHIVED". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
4. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (3 April 2013). "1961 Census of Canada : population : vol. I - part 2 = 1961 Recensement du Canada : population : vol. I - partie 2. Ethnic groups". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
5. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (3 April 2013). "1971 Census of Canada : population : vol. I - part 3 = Recensement du Canada 1971 : population : vol. I - partie 3. Ethnic groups". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
6. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (3 April 2013). "1981 Census of Canada : volume 1 - national series : population = Recensement du Canada de 1981 : volume 1 - série nationale : population. Ethnic origin". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
7. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (3 April 2013). "Census Canada 1986 Profile of ethnic groups". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
8. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (3 April 2013). "1986 Census of Canada: Ethnic Diversity In Canada". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
9. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (3 April 2013). "1991 Census: The nation. Ethnic origin". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
10. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (4 June 2019). "Data tables, 1996 Census Population by Ethnic Origin (188) and Sex (3), Showing Single and Multiple Responses (3), for Canada, Provinces, Territories and Census Metropolitan Areas, 1996 Census (20% Sample Data)". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
11. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (23 December 2013). "Ethnic Origin (232), Sex (3) and Single and Multiple Responses (3) for Population, for Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2001 Census - 20% Sample Data". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
12. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (1 May 2020). "Ethnic Origin (247), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3) and Sex (3) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
13. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (23 January 2019). "Ethnic Origin (264), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3), Generation Status (4), Age Groups (10) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2011 National Household Survey". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
14. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (17 June 2019). "Ethnic Origin (279), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3), Generation Status (4), Age (12) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2016 Census - 25% Sample Data". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
15. Ganzevoort, Herman (1983). Dutch immigration to North America. Toronto: Multicultural History Society of Ontario. p. 192. ISBN 0-919045-15-4.
16. "Dutch Bingo - Everything2.com". everything2.com. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
17. "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". 9 February 2022.
18. "Sidney van den Bergh Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Science: Canada's most respected astronomer". GCS Research Society. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
19. Hampson, Sarah (21 December 2000). "The vagina dialogues". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
20. "Former UN commander Dallaire writes book on Rwanda massacre » The Windmill news articles » goDutch". Godutch.com. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
21. . Collections.ic.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 8 April 2005. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
22. "ABCBookWorld". Abcbookworld.com. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
23. Robertson, Grant (15 February 2018). "Two countries, four years, 10,000 metres: How Ted-Jan Bloemen went from Dutch also-ran to Canadian gold". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
24. . collections.ic.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2 September 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2006.
25. "Beorn Nijenhuis Fan Site". Skatelog.com. Retrieved 17 March 2015.

External links

• Canadian Encyclopedia - Dutch
• DCA: Dutch Canadian Association - Dutch Canadians
• CAANS: Canadian Association for the Advancement of Netherlandic Studies - Dutch Canadians
• Maandblad de Krant, monthly magazine for Canadians and Americans of Dutch Origin
• DUTCH the magazine, about the Netherlands and its people, at home and abroad
• Historical articles about postwar Dutch immigration to Canada and the USA