Shanty-chanty as applied to sailors songs first appeared in print in English in 1850s-1860s, in Chambers Journal (shanty), and in Nordhoff, 1856, "Nine Years a Sailor" (chantey). However, chaunt appeared in English in Chaucer, 14th c. The spellng chant is known from the 16th c. (and earlier?).

Whether the word came directly from French sailors and 'chantez' is open to argument, since the word chant was common in English and adapted from the French probably in Norman times.

Shanty, for a shack (small log cabin at first) probably came from Canadian French chantier, a logging camp hut. It appeared in the 1820s in print. It was noted, however, that those living in shanties were often Highland Scots, Americans and Irishmen (McTaggart, 1829, Three Years in Canada).