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Why did my ancestors come to Ontario?
Where did they settle in Ontario and why?
Why did they leave Ontario?
| Group | When | Cause of Migration | Area of Prominent Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| African Americans | 1755 + | The Revolutionary War (USA) The War of 1812 (USA/Canada) The abolition of slavery in Canada 1833 The fugitive slave act 1850 (USA) | Amherstburg, Colchester, Windsor Chatham, North Buxton, Dresden Cobourg Kingston Hamilton, London, St. Catharines, Toronto, Welland Communal settlements were established in Dawn (Lambton County), Elgin (Leeds County) and Wilberforce (Renfrew County) |
| Albania | 1904 + | The revolt against Turkey | Toronto (York County) and Peterborough (Peterborough County) |
| Arabian Peninsula* | 1901+ | Opportunities not available in country of origin *includes the areas of the Gulf States, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudia Arabia | Toronto (York County) with smaller settlements in Hamilton (Wentworth County), London (Middlesex Count), Ottawa (Carleton County), Sudbury (Sudbury District) and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Argentina | 1900's | Politics and Economy in Country of Origin | Sudbury (Sudbury District) and Toronto (York County) |
| Armenia | 1880's + | unknown | Toronto (York County) with smaller settlements in Hamilton (Wentworth County), Ottawa (Carleton County), and St. Catharines (Lincoln County) |
| Australia | unknown | Toronto (York County) and Ottawa (Carleton County) | |
| Austria | 1880's + | Pre and post war effects | Toronto (York County) |
| Belgium | 1920's + | The Dominion Sugar Company, which recruited workers from West Flanders, Belgium Settlement in the Grand Bend area (Huron County) was encouraged by Belgian immigrant and tobacco farmer Gerhard Vanden Bussche who brought several settlers from Belgium and Holland | Chatham & Wallaceburg (Kent County), Delhi & Langton (Norfolk County) and Kitchener (Waterloo County) |
| Bulgaria | 1912+ Post WW2 | The Balkan Wars (1912 - 1913) Political refugees | Hamilton (Wentworth County), Niagara (Lincoln & Welland Counties), and Toronto (York County) |
| Byelorussia (Soviet Union) | 1918 + Post WW2 | The Russian Revolution World War Two | Sudbury (Sudbury District), Timmins (Cochrane District), Toronto (York County) and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Carribean | 1946 + | unknown | Toronto (York County) |
| Ceylon (Sri Lanka after 1972) | 1960's + | Economy and Politics | Toronto (York County), Ottawa (Carleton County) |
| Chile | 1970 + | The Special Chilean Movement, which was created to assist political refugees from Chile who were forced to leave due to the overthrow of the Allende government | Toronto (York County) and Sudbury (Sudbury District) |
| China | 1947 + | The easing of the Chinese Immigration Act which was introduced in 1923 allowing no Chinese to migrate to Canada, sponsorship starting in 1947 allowed close relatives of Chinese-Canadians to immigrate | Toronto (York County) |
| Croatia | 1900 + | Politics and Economy | 1907 - Welland (Welland County) 1910 - Hamilton (Wentworth County) 1923 - Ford City (Essex County) 1924 - Creighton Mine & Levack (Sudbury District) 1925 - Toronto (York County) 1926 - Schumacher-Timmins & Kirkland Lake (Timiskaming District), Carson Mine, Kapuskasing (Algoma District) Port Arthur (Thunder Bay District) Sault Ste. Marie (Algoma District) |
| Czechoslovakia | 1900 + | 1921 - Sugar Beet Production World War Two | Chatham (Kent County), Hamilton (Wentworth County), Kingston (Frontenac County), Toronto (York County), and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Denmark | 1800's + | unknown | 1893 - London (Middlesex County) early 1900's - Pass Lake (Thunder Bay District) |
| Ecuador | 1970 + | USA's restritive immigration laws and Canada's need for unskilled workers | Sudbury (Sudbury District) Toronto (York County) |
| Egypt | 1956 + | Politics and Economy | Ottawa (Carleton County), Toronto (York County), Windsor (Essex County) |
| England | 1610 + (1775-1812) (1815-1855) | American Revolution World Wars One & Two Promotion by the Canada Company "No organized attempt to sell Canada to the British public was made until 1826, when the Canada Company was incorporated in London, England" | Canada Company promoted the area lying north of the southern part of Lake Huron to the head of Lake Ontario |
| Estonia | 1944 + | World War Two | Toronto (York County) |
| Fiji | 1964 + | Economy | Toronto (York County) |
| Finland | 1870 +, mostly after 1920 | unknown | Port Arthur-Fort William (Thunder Bay District) Sudbury-Copper Cliff (Sudbury Distric |
| France | 1600's + | The creation of New France (Quebec) | 1749 - Windsor (Essex County) & the counties of Carleton, Dundas, Frontenac, Glengarry, Grenville, Leeds, Prescott, Renfrew,Russell, and Stormont |
| French Royalists | unknown | York County | |
| Georgia | 1945 + | World War Two | Hamilton (Wentworth County), St. Catharines (Lincoln County) and Toronto (York County) |
| German-Speaking | 1786 + | unknown | 1786-1828 - A migration from the counties of Franklin, Lancaster, Montgomery and Bucks in Pennsylvania to Ontario was begun, most were "Pennsylvania Deutsch" or Mennonites and of Swiss origins, to Niagara Peninsula (Lincoln & Welland Counties) & Waterloo County Renfrew County |
| Germany | 1792 + | unknown | 1792-1837 - (Pennsylvania Deutsch/Mennonites) Haldimand, Lincoln and Welland Counties 1820's - Grand River area & Kitchener-Waterloo (Waterloo County) Bruce, Grey, Huron & Perth Counties attracted those from Europe, while Renfrew County attracted those from Prussia The north shore of Lake Ontario attracted "Hessians" Germans who had served with the British Army during the Revolutionary War |
| Greece | early 1900's | Economy | Toronto (York County), Hamilton (Wentworth County), London (Middlesex County), Ottawa (Carleton County) and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Guyana | 1950's + | Racial and Political unrest | Toronto (York County) |
| Hungary | early 1900's + | unknown | Toronto (York County), Hamilton (Wentworth County), St. Catharines (Lincoln County), Windsor (Essex County), Ottawa (Carleton County), Kitchener (Waterloo County), and London (Middlesex County) |
| Iceland | 1873 + | unknown | 1873 - Rosseau (Parry Sound District) settled by about 100 immigrants 1874 - Kinmount (Victoria County) settled by 365 immigrants Toronto (York County) |
| India | 1960's + | unknown | Toronto (York County) |
| Indonesia | 1966 + | Easing of the Canadian immigration law | Toronto (York County) |
| Iran | 1970's + | unknown | Toronto (York County) |
| Ireland | 1798 + | Irish Rebellion (1798) Potato Famine (1823-1849) The highest number of those fleeing from the famine came during the years of 1847 & 1848 Depression (1880's) | 1823 - Ramsay Twp (Lanark County) and Huntley and Goulbourn Twps (Carleton County) Peter Robinson led 600 Irish immigrants from Ireland to the area in a British government emigration experiment 1825 - Peterborough County, Peter Robinson brought about 2000 immigrants to Peterborough 1804-1837 Elgin County, The Talbot Settlement founded by Colonel Thomas Talbot 1800's - settlers from Quebec's New Glasgow settlement and nearby Kilkenny Township migrated to Carleton County 1847 - Lake ports along Lake Ontario (Cobourg, Oshawa, Kingston, etc) |
| Italy | 1800's + | Building of the Railways | Hamilton (Wentworth County), Niagara/St. Catharines (Lincoln County), Sault Ste. Marie (Algoma District), Sudbury (Sudbury District), Thunder Bay (Thunder Bay District), Toronto (York County), and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Jamaica | early 1800's + | To avoid enslavement by the British | Toronto (York County) |
| Japan | 1945 + | World War Two Most arrived in British Columbia before coming East to Ontario | Toronto (York County) |
| Jews | 1830's + | Economy Religious persecution | Dundas & Hamilton (Wentworth County) Lancaster (Glengarry County), Ottawa (Carleton Carleton County), Toronto (York County) |
| Korea | unknown | Brampton (Peel County) Toronto (York County) | |
| Latvia | 1900's | World War Two | Hamilton (Wentworth County) Toronto (York County) |
| Lebanon | 1800's + | unknown | 1888 - Toronto (York County) c1890 - Ottawa (Carleton County) via Montreal (Quebec) via Tyre Valley, Lebanon 1800's - New Liskeard (Timiskaming District) London (Middlesex County), Windsor (Essex County) |
| Lithuania | 1800's + | 1812 - 150 imprisoned Napoleon soldiers migrated to Canada in order to gain their freedom by fighting for the British late 1880's - to escape conscription into the Russian army | c1812 - Fort Erie (Welland County) late 1800's - Hamilton (Wentworth County), London (Middlesex County), Ottawa (Carleton County), Toronto (York County) and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Macedonia | 1903 + | The revolt of 1903 | Toronto (York County) |
| Malaysia | 1970's + | Politics and Economy | Toronto (York County) |
| Malta | 1840's + | World War Two | 1840's - St. Catharines (Lincoln County) 1940's - Toronto (York County) Belleville (Hastings County), Guelph (Waterloo County), Hamilton (Wentworth County), London (Middlesex County), Oshawa & Whitby (Durham County), Ottawa (Carleton County), Peterborough (Peterborough County), St. Thomas (Elgin County), and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Mennonites | 1786 + | unknown | 1786 - Niagara Peninsula, Waterloo and York Counties welcomed those from Pennsylvania, aka the "Pennsylvania Deutsch" 1870's - western Waterloo County welcomed Amish Mennonites from Alsace 1920's - An influx of "Russian Mennonites" (those originally from Holland, then Prussia & Russia) into Ontario, place unknown Haldimand, Lincoln, and Welland Counties |
| Netherlands | 1780's/1790's 1900's + | The Revoltionary War (Several of Dutch origin were United Empire Loyalists) World War Two | Holland Marsh (Simcoe & York Counties) Toronto (York County) |
| New Zealand | 1900's + | unknown | Toronto (York County) |
| Nigeria | 1960's + | Quest for a higher education | Toronto (York County) |
| Pakistan | 1967 + | unknown | Toronto (York County) |
| Pennsylvania Deutsch | 1792 + | unknown | Haldimand, Lincoln and Welland Counties |
| Philippines | 1946 + | unknown | Toronto (York County) and Ottawa (Carleton County) |
| Poland | 1860's + | Repression by Russia, Austria and Prussia Railway construction (attracted some of those that originally settled in Northern USA) | 1860's - Renfrew County (those from the Kaszuby Region) c1860 - Waterloo County (those from Prussian occupied areas) Hamilton (Wentworth County) and Toronto (York County) |
| Portugal | 1950's + | unknown | Galt-Kitchener (Waterloo County), Hamilton (Wentworth County), Kingston (Frontenac County), London (Middlesex County), Ottawa (Carleton County), Toronto (York County) and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Quakers (The Society of Friends) | 1800 + | unknown | In 1800 a settlement was established in York County by Timothy Rogers |
| Roumania | unknown | Kitchener (Waterloo County), Toronto (York County) and Windsor (Essex County) | |
| Russia | 1900's + | unknown | Hamilton (Wentworth County), Kitchener (Waterloo County), London (Middlesex County), Ottawa (Carleton County), St. Catharines (Lincoln County), Timmins (Timiskaming District), Toronto (York County) and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Scotland | 1785 + | From Rick Raab-Faber - Some of the causes of migration were due, no doubt, to sovereignty issues. My particular Clan, the McFarlands, had been outlawed in Scotland due to the murder of the head of the Colquoun clan | 1785 - Glengarry County was settled by 600 from Glengarry, Scotland 1816 - Perth (Lanark County) 1849 - 50-60 families from South Uist emigrated to West Williams Township, Middlesex County 1852 - the Dundas County area was settled by 1500 from the Barra, Benbecula and South Uist regions of Scotland 1852 - Glengarry County welcomed some of a group of 4500 (some stayed in Glengarry, others went on to Nova Scotia) 1800's - settlers (originally from Glasgow and Paisley, Scotland) from Quebec's New Glasgow settlement and nearby Kilkenny Township migrated to Carleton County From Larry McLaren - There is considerable evidence of migration from PEI and Nova Scotia in the early to mid 1800s. There seems to be considerable settlment in the Bruce and Huron and surrounding Counties |
| Serbia | 1903 + | unknown | Hamilton (Wentworth County) Niagara Falls (Welland County) Toronto (York County) |
| Six Nations | 1800 + | The Six Nations were six different "tribes" or nations of the Iroquois. They moved to Ontario from New York because they were promised land in British North America after the American Revolution for fighting on the side of the British, in other words, they were United Empire Loyalists | Haldimand and Brant Counties on either side of the Grand River |
| Slovakia | 1878 + | Lack of work in the USA Mining work available in Northern Ontario | 1878 - Toronto (York County) via USA 1920's-30's - Sudbury (Sudbury District) and Timmins (Timiskaming District) Hamilton (Wentworth County), St. Catharines (Lincoln County), Thunder Bay (Thunder Bay District), and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Slovenia | 1875 + | Economic Reasons Establishment of the communist regime in Yugoslavia After World War One - Restrictions on USA immigration 1956-1958 - Hungarian uprising | Toronto (York County) Timmins & Kirkland Lake (Timiskaming District) Hamilton (Wentworth County), St. Catharines (Lincoln County), Niagara Peninsula |
| Spain | 1913 + | Economy | Toronto (York County) |
| Sweden | 1890's + | unknown | Northern shore of Lake-of-the-Woods (Kenora District) Mossley (Middlesex County) Toronto (York County) |
| Switzerland | 1786 + | 1786-1820 - The Pennsylvania Dutch migration 1812 - Disbanding of military regiments late 1800's - A migration of Bernese farmers to Zurich | Haldimand, Lincoln and Welland Counties Whitchurch (York County) Along the Grand River Waterloo County via Pennsylvania (some of the Pennsylvania Dutch Mennonites) Perth (Lanark County) Zurich (Huron County) |
| Syria | 1901 + | unknown | |
| Tibet | 1971 + | Invasion by China | Toronto (York County) |
| Tobago | 1970's + | unknown | |
| Trinidad | 1970's + | unknown | |
| Turkey | 1890's + | Politics and Economy | Toronto (York County) Windsor (Essex County) |
| Uganda | 1972 + | Uganda ordered those of Asian Indian and Asian Pakistan origins out of the country | London (Middlesex County), Toronto (York County) and Windsor (Essex County) |
| Ukraine | 1896 + | Oppresive social and economic conditions World Wars One and Two | Hamilton (Wentworth County), St. Catharines-Niagara (Lincoln County), Thunder Bay (Thunder Bay District), Toronto (York County) |
| United Empire Loyalists | 1776 + | The Revolutionary War | 1776-1791 - Niagara Peninsula to the Eastern border of Ontario 1784 - Augusta (Grenville County), Cornwall (Stormont County), Fredericksburg (Lennox & Addington County), Kingston (Frontenac County), Prescott (Carleton County), Prince Edward County, Along the Thames and Detroit Rivers, and the Lake Erie shoreline |
| United States of America | 1760 + | The Revolutionary War World War Two Escaping the draft for the Vietnam War | |
| Uruguay | 1973 + | Politics | Sudbury (Sudbury District), Toronto (York County) |
| Vietnam | 1975 + | The fall of Saigon | Ottawa (Carleton County), Toronto (York County) |
| Wales | 1800's + | Economy Disbanding of Welsh military groups that fought in the War of 1812 | York County - Families from Pennsylvania 's Welsh tract founded 1682 established a Quaker Settlement in York County Demoblized military men (1818) settled in Kingston, London, and Niagara Peninsula Talbot Settlement Southwold Twp (Elgin County) Queenston & Stamford (Niagara) |
| West Indies | 1946 + | unknown | Toronto (York County) |
