Ethnic origin, as defined in the census, refers to the ethnic or cultural group(s) to which an individual's ancestors belonged. It pertains to the ancestral roots or origins of the population, and should not be confused with place of birth, citizenship or nationality.
(Source: The Daily -- Statistics Canada -- 1998.02.17)
Most of these lists are limited to three items. However, the number of items in some lists vary, as the content warrants.