Adopted by the Geographic Board of Canada 1 March 1904, as identified in British Admiralty Chart #3162, 1902 (Board files OBF 0176, C3521) - the southern portion of what was formerly Valdes Island.

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

The three islands now known as Quadra, Sonora and Maurelle Islands were once thought to be a single landmass, identified as "Valdes Island" on British Admiralty Chart #580, 1862. Okisollo Channel and Hole in the Wall (channel) were located and charted during subsequent surveys, and the label was adjusted to "Valdes Islands" (plural), until each island was given its own distinctive name by the Geographic Board.

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

"After Don Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, Knight of the Order of Santiago, a Spanish naval officer ("capitan de navio"). While a lieutenant ("teniente de navio"), Quadra made two exploring voyages along this coast; the first one, in 1775, was in command of the schooner Sonora... and proceeded as far north as 58° latitude. On sailing southwards after passing what is now known as [Haida Gwaii] the Sonora kept too far off this coast to make any useful observations until southward of the strait of Juan de Fuca. On his second voyage, in 1779 , Quadra, in command of the Favorita... entered the Prince William sound, as named by Cook in 1778, and [re]named it Ensenada de Regla. After this voyage, Spain having become involved in war with Great Britain, no further explorations were made on this coast till Nootka was occupied in 1789. (Greenhow, "History of Oregon and California" 1844, pp.117-126) Quadra was commanding, in 1791, the marine establishment of San Blas [Mexico] and was deputed, in 1792, by the Viceroy of Mexico, to meet Captain Vancouver at Nootka and restore to the British Crown the lands taken by the Spaniards from British subjects in 1789. The two officers met, and were most kindly disposed to each other... in September 1792, while [Quadra and Vancouver were visiting] the Nootka chief Maquinna at his summer village at the head of Tahsis canal, it was suggested that some port or island should be named after both. Vancouver says in his journal: "Conveiving no spot so proper for this denomination as the place where we had first met, which was nearly in the centre of a tract of land that had first been circumnavigated by us, forming the southwestern sides of the gulf of Georgia, and the southern sides of Johnstone's straits and Queen Charlotte's sound, I named that country the island of Quadra and Vancouver; with which compliment he seemed highly pleased." (Vancouver, 8°, II, p.357) The name of Quadra has, however, as regards to this island, long since fallen into disuse and that of Vancouver alone remains..." [see Walbran for extensive additional biographical information about Quadra]

Source: Walbran, John T; "British Columbia Coast Names, 1592-1906: Their Origin and History"; published for the Geographic Board of Canada, Ottawa, 1909 (republished for the Vancouver Public Library by J.J. Douglas Ltd, Vancouver, 1971)

"Born at Lima, c1744, the son of Don Tomas de la Bodega, the descendant of a noble house in Spain, and his wife, Francisca Mollinedo, a native of Lima but of Galician descent; he added "Quadra" to his name because his father adopted in when he emigrated to Peru at the wish of his relative Don Antonio de la Quadra, who was residing there. (Historical Archives, Madrid.) Quadra died in March 1794 at San Blas, or possibly at his home in Tepic, a pleasent town some sixty miles from the seaport."

Source: Walbran, John T; "British Columbia Coast Names, 1592-1906: Their Origin and History"; published for the Geographic Board of Canada, Ottawa, 1909 (republished for the Vancouver Public Library by J.J. Douglas Ltd, Vancouver, 1971)