King Island adopted 3 April 1934 on C327 as labelled on British Admiralty Chart 592, 1861 et seq. Name changed to Edward King Island 6 November 1934 on C327 as recommended by H.D. Parizeau, Hydrograhic Service, to avoid confusion with King Island off the mainland coast.

Source: BC place name cards, files, correspondence and/or research by BC Chief Geographer/Geographical Names Office staff.

Named in 1861 by Captain Richards, RN, while surveying these waters "....after Captain Edward Hammond King, late of HM 59th Regiment, who was accidently shot on this island, in taking his fowling piece out of a canoe on a deer hunting excursion 3 March 1861, and died 3 days after, near Alberni. Early in that year, 22 January, Captain King had been despatched by the government as a special constable, accompanied by his brother Joseph H. King... to take charge of the Florencia, wrecked near Ucluelet 31 December 1860, and was also commissioned to inquire into the circumstances attending the sale of that wreck to Captain Stuart, residing at Ucluelet...." (see Walbran for additional description and biographical information).

Source: Walbran, John T; British Columbia Coast Names, 1592-1906: their origin and history; Ottawa, 1909 (republished for the Vancouver Public Library by J.J. Douglas Ltd, Vancouver, 1971)