In our studies of Canada 1815-1914 we came across many references to Loyalists. Who are Loyalists and why so many cross references to everything we are studying became questions we needed to answer early on in our research. We also felt defining a refugee and an immigrant would be helpful too.
A refugee: a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster
An Immigrant: a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.
A Loyalists: are citizens who remain loyal to the British Crown.
The 13 Colonies in America are declaring independence, they are to become the Unites States. Of course at this time all subjects are British. Not everyone wanted to become part of this new United States, they wanted to remain loyal to Great Britain therefore the name Loyalists. There became about 100,000 people who now were no longer welcome to remain in America. They either needed to return to England or settle in another British colony. So in 1783 about 8,000 Loyalists came as refugees to the Province of Quebec, and about 35,600 went to the colony of Nova Scotia. The Loyalists were also all English speaking.
Canada was not a country yet. The authorities in Quebec and Nova Scotia allowed the Loyalists in and granted these new refugees land (between 200 and 1,200 acres per family), farm equipment, as well as a food and clothing supply to last for 2 years. Not only did the Government of the Province of Quebec look after these refugees, they provided for their children as well. In a document dated November 9, 1789, it outlined that Canada would provide for the children of Loyalists when these children became adults or of age. Once these children became of age would each receive land of 200 acres.
Colony Number of ColoniesPercentage
Nova Scotia 21,000 48.1%
New Brunswick 14,000 32.1%
Cape Breton (Cape Breton Island) 100 0.2%
St. John Island (now Prince Edward Island) 500 1.1%
Québec (St. Lawrence Lowlands) 2,000 4.5%
Québec ("upper country" or Ontario) 6,000 13.7%
Total Loyalists 43,600 100%
Black Loyalists or Former Slaves in Nova Scotia.
There were about 12,000 British people living in Nova Scotia before the Loyalist refugees came. Among these Loyalists were about 3,500 Black Loyalists, former slaves who are now free or who belong to "White Loyalists.” Many black Loyalist settlement were established in Nova Scotia.