Adopted 11 February 1936 on 92 G/3, as labelled on British Admiralty Chart A1922, published in 1853, in turn as identified in a drawing by Mr. Emilius Simpson, aboard the HBC schooner Cadboro, 1827.

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

Likely so-named in association with Washington State's Point Roberts, in turn named 12 June 1792 by Captain George Vancouver after his friend and predecessor in command of the Discovery, Captain Henry Roberts, RN; Vancouver and Roberts had sailed together on Cook's voyage to the South Pole, and Roberts had been with Cook when the latter was killed at Karakakooa Bay, February 1779.

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

That portion of Roberts Bank off Canoe Passage is known to the Tsawwassen First Nation as "sha sum kum," where canoes bumped in shallow water (the Coast Salish spelling in 2005 draft for Tsawwassen Final Agreement). The preferred Hun'qum'i'num spelling is identified as She?semkem in Tsawwassen Final Agreement, Appendix O-4, 2008. NOTE: The name is spelled Shesumkun and identified as a Trough, per November 2008 submission from Tsawwassen First Nation, suggesting that Shesumkun is not the entire feature called Roberts Bank, rather a the navigable channel through the Bank, leading to Canoe Passage.

Source: Tsawwassen First Nation