Major Immigrant Groups That Settled Ontario (Beyond the French & British)

Key Settler Communities in Ontario History

• Loyalists (post–American Revolution): Brought British traditions; shaped early institutions.
• Scottish Highlanders (early 1800s): Ottawa Valley, Glengarry; Gaelic culture.
• Irish (1840s Famine, 1860s Fenian era): Cities (Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa); labor, construction.
• Germans (19th c.): Rural & urban; farming, brewing, trades.
• Chinese (mid-1800s): CPR railway workers; later urban communities.
• Italians (late 19th–early 20th c.): Farming, construction, services.
• Portuguese (early 20th c.): Similar sectors; vibrant communities in Toronto.

These groups created Ontario's multicultural fabric.