Channell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Irish surnames are all based on the Gaelic language native to Ireland. The original Gaelic form of the name Channell is Ó Conaill. 1

Early Origins of the Channell family

The surname Channell was first found in County Limerick where O'Connell was the chief of Hy-Cuilean, a territory south-east of Abbeyfeale, in the barony of Upper Connello near the borders of Cork and Kerry. The O'Connells had their chief residence in Castle Connell. In the twelfth century the O'Connells settled in Kerry. One reference claims that the O'Falvies, admirals of Desmond; the O'Connells, of Kerry; O'Sheas, chiefs of Muskerry, in Cork; and several other chiefs, claim descent from the Clan na Deaga, Chiefs of Munster, originally a branch of the Heremonians of Ulster.

The Cannell variant is "a name peculiar to the Isle of Man, is from the Celtic MacConaill." 2

Early History of the Channell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Channell research. Another 209 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1000, 1300, 1621, 1641, 1678, 1743, 1775, 1826 and 1833 are included under the topic Early Channell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Channell Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Channell revealed many variations, including Connell, O'Connell, Cannell, Connall, Conell, Conall, Connill, Connull, Connel, Connal, Connul, Canell, Cannel, O'Connall, O'Conell and many more.

Early Notables of the Channell family

Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Channell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Channell Ranking

In the United States, the name Channell is the 14,377^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Channell family

Thousands of Irish families left for North American shores in the 19th century. These people were searching for a life unencumbered with poverty, hunger, and racial discrimination. Many arrived to eventually find such conditions, but many others simply did not arrive: victims of the diseased, overcrowded ships in which they traveled to the New World. Those who lived to see North American shores were instrumental in the development of the growing nations of Canada and the United States. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name Channell: John Cannell who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1652; John Cannell settled in New England in 1652; Henry Cannell settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1852.

Contemporary Notables of the name Channell (post 1700) +

Lester Clark Channell (1886-1954), American Major League Baseball outfielder
William Channell, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1900 4
Christopher S. Channell, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kansas, 2000 4
Carl Channell, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Randolph County Democratic Party, 1945-46 4
B. F. Channell, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1908 4
John Channell (1929-1998), English actor
Fred Channell (1910-1975), British professional footballer
Sir Arthur Moseley Channell (1838-1928), English rower and High Court judge

The Channell Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ciall agus neart
Motto Translation: Reason and power.

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html