<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Related ethnic groups </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> French, Bretons, Acadians, Cajuns, Métis, French Americans, French Canadian Americans, French Haitians, Brayons </Td> </Tr> <P> French Canadians (also referred to as Franco - Canadians or Canadiens; French: Canadien (ne) s français (es)) are an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to French colonists who settled in Canada from the 17th century onward . Today, French Canadians constitute the main French - speaking population in Canada, accounting for about 22 per cent of the country's total population . The majority of French Canadians reside in Quebec, where they constitute the majority of the province's population, although French Canadian and francophone minority communities exist in all other Canadian provinces and territories as well . </P> <P> During the mid-18th century, Canadian colonists born in French Canada expanded across North America and colonized various regions, cities, and towns; the French Canadian settlers originated primarily from districts in the west of France, such as Normandy, Perche, Beauce, Maine, Anjou, Touraine, Poitou, Aunis, Angoumois, Saintonge and Gascony . </P>

When did the french immigrants come to canada