French Canadian

French Canadians (also referred to as Franco-Canadians or Canadiens; French: Canadien(ne)s français(es)) are a major North American ethnic group who trace their French ancestry from the descendants of colonists who arrived in Canada from the 17th century onward.

Today, French Canadians constitute the main French-speaking population of Canada, accounting for about 22% of the total population of that country.

During the mid-18th century, Canadian colonists born in French Canada expanded across North America and colonized various regions, cities, and towns. Today, French Canadians live across North America, including the United States and Canada. The province of Quebec has the largest population of French-Canadian descent, though smaller communities exist throughout Canada and in the United States (particularly New England). Between 1840 and 1930, roughly 900,000 French Canadians emigrated to the United States, mostly to the New England region.

Other terms for French Canadians who continue to reside in the province of Quebec, are Quebecers or Québécois. The other major group of French Canadians are the Acadians (Acadiens) who reside in the Maritime Provinces. French Canadians (including those who are no longer French-speaking) constitute the second largest ethnic group in Canada, behind the English Canadians, and ahead of Scottish Canadians and Irish Canadians, although it must be noted that essentially those in Canada of French ancestry are the largest group, due to the divide between those identifying as French Canadians and those simply identifying as French. In total, those who identify as French Canadian, French, Quebecois and Acadian number up to 11.9 million people or comprising 33.78% of the Canadian population.