Barnston Island (Post Office) adopted 11 February 1935 on 92 G/2, not "Barnston" as labelled on BC map 2B, 1914. Form of name changed to Barnston Island (Settlement) 3 July 1952 on 92 G/2, then to Barnston Island (Community).

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

Barnston Island Post Office opened 1 July 1911; closed 31 March 1944. At the time of closing, the post office was situated on Sec 9, NW 1/4, R 1.

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

After George Barnston (1798-1882). Born at Edinburgh, listed with HBC from 1921. Barnston, Annance and Manson were the three Hudson's Bay Company clerks who accompanied Chief Factor James McMillan in HMS Cadboro, when he established Fort Langley, 1827. Barnston was in charge of Fort Nez Perces (Walla Walla) 1830-31, later moving east; chief trader 1840; retired 1863. He settled in Montreal and became president of the Natural History Society. Additional biographical information in the journals of John Work (1824) and James McMillan (1827). See also Barnston Island (island).

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

Governor Simpson described him as "A well educated man, very active and high spirited to a romantic degree, who will on no account do what he considers an improper thing".

Source: Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; British Columbia Place Names; Sono Nis Press, Victoria 1986 /or University of British Columbia Press 1997