Dean Channel adopted in the 9th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 30 June 1910. Re-approved 13 March 1947 on 93/SW.

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

Labelled "Dean's Canal" on Captain Vancouver's chart "Part of the Coast of NW America", to accompany the published account of his voyages. Spelled "Deanes Channel" on British Admiralty Chart #2449, 1872 et seq. Identified as "Dean Canal" in Annual Report of the Geological & Natural History Survey of Canada, vol III, 1887-88 (page not cited)

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

"Named in 1793 by Captain George Vancouver in association with King Island and Raphoe Point, after Rev. James King, DD, dean of Raphoe, Ireland in 1791. The dean was the father of Captain James King, RN, who had accompanied the celebrated circumnavigator, Captain James Cook, on Cook's third and final voyage [George Vancouver was also present, having served as junior officer aboard Resolution then midshipman aboard Discovery, on Cook's second and third voyages respectively]. Rev. King died at Woodsloo in 1795, where a tablet is erected in the church to the memory of himself and his sailor son, the latter having died in 1784." The channel was surveyed by Captain Richards, RN, in 1861. (from Victoria Colonist, 2 July 1861)

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)