Adopted 2 September 1930 on 92G/12, as labelled on A.C. Anderson's 1858 map, Arrowsmith's 1859 map, Trutch's 1871 map, and on BC map 2B, 1914, etc.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

The first mention by name is "Pitts River" which occurs in the 1827 HBC journal kept by James McMillan. This proves that it does not derive from a settler: "Tuesday 24th July [1827]. We were opposite the Quoitle or Pitts River about 5 p.m. and at half past seven o'clock anchored close to the north side and about half a mile above Pine Island." (Journal of the HBC, Fort Langley, 1827-29; copy in Provincial Archives)

Source: Nelson, Denys; Place Names of the Delta of the Fraser River; 1927, unpublished manuscript held in the Provincial Archives

After William Pitt (1759-1806), great British statesman who was Prime Minister at age 24.

Source: Provincial Archives of BC "Place Names File" compiled 1945-1950 by A.G. Harvey from various sources, with subsequent additions

The alternate name, Quoitle, seems to be the same as "Kwantlen", the name of the Indian Tribe who inhabit the banks of the Fraser River at this point, and which was formerly often spelled Quantlum or other variations. (Journal of the HBC, Fort Langley, 1827-29; copy in Provincial Archives)

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

In 1972, Joseph Whidbey, master of HMS Discovery, made a long exploratory journey with the ship's boats from Nepean Sound via Grenville Channel to Chatham Sound and back. Upon his return, Captain George Vancouver gave the name Pitt's Archipelago to the group of islands that now includes Pitt, McCauley, Porcher and their smaller outliers. Years later, when more detailed surveys were done, the name Pitt was reserved for the archipelago's main island - the fifth largest in B.C. at 1,373 sq km. Vancouver was honouring William Pitt the younger (1759-1806), who was Britian's Prime Minister at the time of his voyage. He had become Prime Minister in 1783, at the astonishing age of 24, and remained in that office, with a three-year hiatus, until his death. he was also the son of a Prime Minister (William Pitt the elder). In the sense that he consolidated his powers in order to supervise and coordinate the various government depts, the younger Pitt was the first modern British Prime Minister. He rehabilitated Britain's finances after the US War of Independence, improving the tax system, issuing banknotes and controlling the national debt. However, he failed to realize his goals of reforming parliament and abolishing the slave trade. Many other features in B.C. are named for him, including the Pitt River, Pitt Lake, Pitt Marsh, Mount Pitt on Pitt Island, Mount Pitt near the headwaters of the Pitt River, and the community of Pitt Meadows.

Source: Scott, Andrew; "The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names"; Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, 2009, pp. 463.