Kanavel last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Kanavel is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kanavel.

Meaning of Kanavel

A variant spelling of the French surname Cheneville, derived from Old French meaning "new house."

Kanavel, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Kanavel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kanavel in America

Kanavel is the 90853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kanavel surname appeared 203 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kanavel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kanavel to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 90853 86341 5.09%
Count 203 201 0.99%
Proportion per 100k 0.07 0.07 0.00%

The history of the last name Kanavel

The surname KANAVEL originated in France in the early 16th century. It is derived from the Old French word "canavel," which means "canal" or "waterway." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a canal or worked on its construction or maintenance.

The earliest recorded instance of the name KANAVEL can be found in a French census record from the year 1543, where a family by the name of Canavel is listed as residing in the village of Montpellier. It is believed that this family may have been involved in the construction or operation of the Languedoc Canal, a major waterway in the region.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various historical records from the region of Burgundy, France. One notable figure was Jean-Baptiste KANAVEL (1632-1705), a winemaker and merchant who owned several vineyards along the Saône River.

As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as Canaval, Canavel, and Canavelle. In the late 18th century, a family by the name of KANAVEL settled in the region of Alsace, France, where they became prominent landowners and farmers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in North America dates back to the late 17th century, when a French immigrant named Pierre KANAVEL (1670-1745) settled in the colony of New France (now part of Canada). He is believed to have been a fur trader and explorer, and his descendants can be found throughout parts of Quebec and Ontario.

Another notable figure was Émile KANAVEL (1823-1892), a French engineer and inventor who patented several innovations in the field of hydraulic engineering. His work contributed significantly to the development of canal systems and water management technologies in France and other parts of Europe.

Throughout history, the surname KANAVEL has been associated with various professions and fields, including engineering, agriculture, winemaking, and exploration. While not a particularly common name, it has left a lasting legacy in various regions and cultures, reflecting its origins and connections to the world of waterways and canals.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kanavel

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kanavel.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kanavel was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.12% 187
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 4.93% 10
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Kanavel has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 92.12% 93.03% -0.98%
Black 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 4.93% 5.97% -19.08%
Hispanic (S)% 0.00% (S)%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Kanavel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kanavel, please contact us.

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Kanavel last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 8, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/kanavel-surname-popularity/.

"Kanavel last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/kanavel-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 July, 2025

Kanavel last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/kanavel-surname-popularity/.

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