[4] The parish of Skonevig was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law).

The area of Skånevik situated south of the Skånevikfjord and Åkrafjorden, as well as the parts of Skånevik located north of the fjord and east of the village of Åkra (population: 1,493) were merged with the neighboring municipality of Etne to the south.

[5] The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Skaanevik farm (Old Norse: Skǫðinarvik) since the first Skånevik Church was built there.

[6] On 21 December 1917, a royal resolution enacted the 1917 Norwegian language reforms.

[9] The municipal council (Heradsstyre) of Skånevik was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms.