Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province. According to the 2011 National Household Survey, the largest ethnic group consists of people of Scottish descent (39.2%), followed by English (31.1%), Irish (30.4%), French (21.1%), German (5.2%), and Dutch (3.1%) descent. Prince Edward Island is mostly a white community and there are few visible minorities. Chinese people are the largest visible minority group of Prince Edward Island, comprising 1.3% of the province's population. Almost half of respondents identified their ethnicity as "Canadian." Prince Edward Island is by a strong margin the most Celtic and specifically the most Scottish province in Canada and perhaps the most Scottish place (ethnically) in the world, outside Scotland. 38% of islanders claim Scottish ancestry, but this is an underestimate and it is thought that almost 50% of islanders have Scottish roots. When combined with Irish and Welsh, almost 80% of islanders are of some Celtic stock, albeit most families have resided in PEI for at least two centuries. Few places outside Europe can claim such a homogeneous Celtic ethnic background. The only other jurisdiction in North America with such a high percentage of British Isles heritage is Newfoundland.

Population history

+ Population of Prince Edward Island since 1851YearPopulationMean annual % change5-year % change10-year % changeRank among provinces1850 62,678 n/a n/a n/a 51861 80,857 2.6 n/a 29.0 51871 94,021 1.5 n/a 16.3 51881 108,891 1.5 n/a 15.8 51891 109,078 0.017 n/a 0.2 61901 103,259 −0.55 n/a -5.3 71911 93,728 −0.96 n/a -9.2 91921 88,615 −0.56 n/a -5.4 91931 88,038 −0.065 n/a -0.7 91941 95,047 0.77 n/a 8.0 91951 98,429 0.35 n/a 3.6 101956 99,285 0.17 0.9 n/a 101961 104,629 1.1 5.4 6.3 101966 108,535 0.74 3.7 9.3 101971 111,635 0.56 2.9 6.7 101976 118,225 1.2 5.9 8.9 101981 122,506 0.7 3.6 9.7 101986 126,640 0.67 3.4 7.1 101991 129,765 0.49 2.5 5.9 101996 134,557 0.73 3.7 6.3 102001 135,294 0.11 0.5 4.2 102006 138,581 0.47 2.4 2.9 102011 140,204 0.25 1.2 3.6 102016 142,907n/a1.93.1102021 154,331n/an/an/an/a

Statistics Canada - PEI Population trendPopulation urban and rural, by province and territory (Nova Scotia) . Statistics Canada, 2005.

Population geography Census agglomerations

City2021201620112006Land Area (km2)Density (/km2)Charlottetown 78,85871,82164,48759,3251,112.4370.9Summerside 18,15716,83116,48816,153125.12145.1

Cities and towns

+ Town Population Population (2011) Population ranking Land Area (km) Area ranking Density (/km) Density ranking Alberton 1,145 1,135 7 4.52 6 253.5 8 Borden-Carleton 724 750 9 12.99 5 55.7 10 Charlottetown 36,094 34,562 1 44.34 1 814.1 1 Cornwall 5,348 5,162 4 28.19 3 189.7 9 Georgetown 555 675 10 1.59 10 348.1 6 Kensington 1,619 1,513 6 3.01 9 537.8 3 Montague 1,961 1,895 5 3.16 8 620.8 2 Souris 1,053 1,173 8 3.47 7 303.7 7 Stratford 9,706 8,574 3 22.53 4 430.8 5 Summerside 14,829 14,751 2 28.49 2 520.5 4

Ethnic origins

Ethnic originPopulationPercentCanadian60,00044.98%Scottish50,70038.01%English38,33028.74%Irish37,17027.87%French28,41021.30%German5,4004.05%Dutch (Netherlands)4,1303.10%Acadian3,0202.26%North American Indian2,3601.77%Welsh1,4401.08%American (USA)640Polish615Italian605Lebanese525Danish420Norwegian325Ukrainian320Swedish315 Belgian240Métis245Chinese225Hungarian (Magyar)225 British, not included elsewhere210Spanish175 Jewish165Russian160 Swiss145 Finnish135Inuit120 .

Visible minorities and Indigenous peoples

+Visible minority & Indigenous population in Prince Edward Island (1986–2021)GroupPopulation2021 census2016 census2011 census2006 census2001 census1996 census1991 census1986 census Non-Indigenous / non-visible minority group British Isles 89,155 85,140 91,780 91,335 84,315 98,830 110,155 109,560 French 30,800 29,440 32,760 30,880 29,955 31,780 31,040 28,700 Western European 12,175 11,625 11,625 11,770 9,335 9,740 10,045 8,125 Southern European 3,600 2,650 2,370 1,960 1,335 1,170 970 750 Eastern European 3,315 3,030 2,650 2,260 1,440 1,535 1,300 950 European, & 2,475 430 300 310 3,190 225 175 160 Northern European 2,275 1,915 2,155 1,915 1,290 1,285 865 650 Total non-Indigenous / non-visible minority population 132,790 130,300 130,890 130,650 130,860 130,415 124,850 122,515 Visible minority group South Asian 3,740 925 490 135 115 140 210 255 Chinese 3,340 2,565 1,830 255 205 345 115 190 Black 1,815 825 385 645 370 265 265 355 Filipino 1,760 670 90 30 40 40 10 0 Arab 1,130 585 200 265 170 Southeast Asian 1,040 150 205 30 45 45 25 10 Latin American 590 255 235 215 75 20 95 35 West Asian 290 215 345 30 20 Japanese 185 110 210 65 80 95 50 0 Multiple visible minorities 175 85 70 25 20 55 10 10 Visible minority, 125 55 75 65 30 10 10 0 Korean 115 210 140 70 20 50 10 0 Arab/West Asian 460 570 455 Total visible minority population 14,305 6,645 4,255 1,825 1,180 1,525 1,340 1,295 Indigenous group First Nations 2,165 1,875 1,520 1,230 1,035 780 1,670 1,100 Métis 845 710 410 385 220 110 190 135 Inuk (Inuit) 180 75 55 30 20 10 80 20 Indigenous responses, 170 60 235 75 65 Multiple Indigenous responses 30 15 0 10 10 10 25 Total Indigenous population 3,385 2,740 2,230 1,730 1,345 915 1,910 1,280 Total responses 150,480 139,685 137,375 134,205 133,385 132,855 128,100 125,090 Total population 154,331 142,907 140,204 138,581 135,294 134,557 129,765 126,640

Languages Knowledge of languages

The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses. The following figures are from the 2021 Canadian Census and the 2016 Canadian Census, and lists languages that were selected by at least 0.5 per cent of respondents. +Knowledge of languages in Prince Edward IslandLanguage20212016Pop. English 149,525 138,735 French 19,445 17,875 Mandarin 2,940 2,105 Hindi 1,660 165 Tagalog 1,630 615 Punjabi 1,550 185 Spanish 1,425 945 Arabic 1,165 650 German 1,040 570 Vietnamese 785 55

Mother tongue

The 2006 Canadian census showed a population of 135,851. Of the 133,570 singular responses to the question concerning mother tongue the most commonly reported languages were: Place Language Population Percentage1English125,26093.78%2French5,3454.00%3Dutch8650.65%4German2750.21%5Spanish2200.16%6Chinese languages1900.14%Mandarin450.03%Cantonese150.01%7Arabic1500.11%8Hungarian1200.09%9Algonquian languages950.07% Mi'kmaq900.07%10Serbo-Croatian languages850.07% Serbian350.03% Croatian200.01% Bosnian150.01% Serbo-Croatian150.01%11Japanese800.06%12Bantu languages700.05%12Polish700.05%14Korean650.05%14Scandinavian languages650.05%Danish400.03%Swedish150.01%Icelandic100.01%16Frisian550.04%16Italian550.04%18Flemish400.03%18Hindi400.03%20Creole350.03%20Urdu350.03% There were also 30 single-language responses for Greek and Niger-Congo languages n.i.e.; 25 for Russian; 20 for Ukrainian; 15 for Finnish, Germanic languages n.i.e., Inuktitut, Maltese, Persian and Tagalog; and 10 for Czech, Estonian, Portuguese, Slovenian, Turkish and Vietnamese. In addition, there were also 105 responses of English and a non-official language; 25 of French and a non-official language; 495 of English and French; and 10 of English, French, and a non-official language. (Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.)

Religion The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown comprises the entire Island and is the second oldest English diocese in Canada. The Archdiocese of Kingston is the oldest. Religious groups in Prince Edward Island (1981−2021)Religious group2021 Canadian census2011 Canadian census2001 Canadian census1991 Canadian census1981 Canadian census Christianity 101,755 115,620 123,805 122,750 117,675 Irreligion 42,830 19,820 8,945 4,880 3,240 Islam 1,720 660 195 60 70 Hinduism 1,245 205 30 25 75 Sikhism 1,165 10 0 65 0 Buddhism 755 560 135 60 50 Judaism 165 100 55 85 80 Indigenous spirituality 75 55 50 25 0 Other 765 350 160 150 35 Total responses 150,480 137,375 133,385 128,100 121,225 Total population 154,331 140,204 135,294 129,765 122,506

Migration Immigration Prince Edward Island immigration statistics (1841–2021)Census yearImmigrant percentageImmigrant populationTotal responsesTotal populationSource(s)1841 Census of Prince Edward Island15,51347,04247,0421851 Census of Prince Edward Island18,81962,67862,6781861 Census of Prince Edward Island17,83080,85780,8571871 census of Prince Edward Island13,75094,02194,0211881 Canadian census9,494108,891108,8911891 Canadian census6,398109,078109,0781901 Canadian census4,253103,259103,2591911 Canadian census2,57493,72893,7281921 Canadian census2,36588,81588,8151931 Canadian census2,78788,03888,0381941 Canadian census2,43995,04795,0471951 Canadian census2,57198,42998,4291961 Canadian census2,992104,629104,6291971 Canadian census3,705111,640111,6411981 Canadian census4,555121,220122,5061986 Canadian census4,330125,090126,6461991 Canadian census4,110128,100129,7651996 Canadian census4,395132,855134,5572001 Canadian census4,140133,385135,2942006 Canadian census4,780134,205138,5812011 Canadian census7,085137,375140,2042016 Canadian census8,940139,685142,9072021 Canadian census11,765150,480154,331

The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 11,765 persons or 7.8 percent of the total population of Prince Edward Island. +Immigrants in Prince Edward Island by country of birthCountry of Birth2021 census2016 census2011 census2006 census2001 census1996 census1991 census1986 census1981 census1971 census1961 census1951 census1941 census1931 censusChina & Taiwan1,8351,9151,54075901153045501524262724United Kingdom1,3851,3751,2601,1651,0501,1251,1751,0801,3451,140959948622758United States1,1751,2051,3301,2551,3101,2601,3401,6001,7351,2951,0751,1171,3351,380Philippines1,01048050202520000India84022585553060859550801526Syria & Lebanon5353001101006514095125404742Vietnam5255570151520035100Netherlands4304704504954154654804454353103711161116Former Yugoslavia23015015514521590251015154300Germany & Austria205270195240175240180270275330133231417Iran1852303051515151005Russia & Ukraine180125502020401052020466811France & Belgium1651401001006585557575130611668Jamaica & Trinidad and Tobago150502040154015251010641011Hong Kong125100302520100152515South Africa120652025151010553123Nigeria & Ghana11075001030050Poland95554045502550552045233330Japan9040905040251000151300Brazil8520500101001010Ireland85504020405025302080897976152Bangladesh851030101010000Pakistan85504510251010451010Portugal8070301020251535350Myanmar8010250100000Italy7565151510201030201023235Scandinavia70957585455075508550926766112United Arab Emirates70200000Sri Lanka654045000000Australia & New Zealand6525151303020202515157788Morocco6015010100005Bahamas551000020500Switzerland552020202020601030254674Egypt5570101002510350El Salvador & Guatemala & Nicaragua553045302505505Iraq552035102510000Nepal5011535000000Mexico5020401015103000Bulgaria500000000000Hungary45601540503525201003703Kenya & Tanzania & Uganda45300150025510South Korea4010080701015000Colombia4055107000000Czech Republic & Slovakia40401025153530151515111213Saudi Arabia401025000Chile351010102010101010Malaysia & Singapore3045250100105Romania3015251010101010552200Israel & Palestine2530030204015015DR Congo & Cameroon152501000000Total immigrants11,7658,9407,0854,7804,1404,3954,1104,3304,5553,7052,9922,5712,4392,787Total responses150,480139,685137,375134,205133,385132,855128,100125,090121,220111,640104,62998,42995,04788,038Total population154,331142,907140,204138,581135,294134,557129,765126,646122,506111,641104,62998,42995,04788,038

Recent immigration The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 4,860 people who immigrated to Prince Edward Island between 2016 and 2021.