Adopted in the 6th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 30 June 1906, as labelled on British Admiralty Chart 579, 1863 et seq, and on Trutch's 1871 map of British Columbia, etc.

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

"Named in 1859 by Captain Richards, HMS Plumper, after Commander ("captain de fragata") Dionisio Alcala Galiano, of the Spanish navy.... in the exploring vessel Sutil...[Galiano]... made an examination during the summer of 1792 of the channels between what is now Vancouver Island and the mainland, in company with Commander Valdes, in the Mexicana. Galiano and Valdes, the former in charge of the expedition, were sent from Mexico to this coast by order of the viceroy of Mexico to complete the exploration of Juan de Fuca strait. ...arrived at Nootka 12 May 1792... left Nootka for the strait 4 June 1792 and continued exploring the inner channels, where they met Vancouver and accompanied him for a portion of the cruise, until they came out into the Pacific 23 August...anchoring again at Nootka, Saturday 1 September 1792..."

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)

...Galiano was killed fighting against the British in the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805.

Source: Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; 1001 British Columbia Place Names; Discovery Press, Vancouver 1969, 1970, 1973.

Kilmorey Island was the Hudson's Bay Company name for Galiano Island. (from SHALE: Journal of the Gabriola Historial & Museum Society; Nick Doe editor)

Source: included with note