Chanel and Chanalina
I found this record for a female named "Chanalina" from 17th-century Savoye. Any idea what this name's etymology could be?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6JF9-FG2D
Also found a lot of early instances in France of Chanel being used as a first name, I know it was common in France to honour a saint by using their last name. There was a St. Pierre Chanel, but he did not come about until the 19th-century, unless there was an earlier saint with this last name? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Chanel)
Here are the 17th-century male Chanels I found
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XVS-SXT4
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6F3K-91YT
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:69VF-S66Z
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:671Y-J6ZM
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W5D1-HQZM
And 1 female Chanelle
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6FKZ-674Q
A Marie Chenele
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:69Y5-R9PZ
I looked at the records and none are the mother's maiden name. Does this name have some other etymology?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6JF9-FG2D
Also found a lot of early instances in France of Chanel being used as a first name, I know it was common in France to honour a saint by using their last name. There was a St. Pierre Chanel, but he did not come about until the 19th-century, unless there was an earlier saint with this last name? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Chanel)
Here are the 17th-century male Chanels I found
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XVS-SXT4
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6F3K-91YT
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:69VF-S66Z
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:671Y-J6ZM
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W5D1-HQZM
And 1 female Chanelle
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6FKZ-674Q
A Marie Chenele
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:69Y5-R9PZ
I looked at the records and none are the mother's maiden name. Does this name have some other etymology?
Replies
Its likely from French Canel which was given to people who lived by a channel, itself deriving from latin Canalis. It was used as a surname and thus likely to be given as a forename, as early as the 1300s.
Really, I thought the surname as a first name was mainly an English custom that only started in the 17th-century. That is interesting.