Strathnaver (Post Office) adopted 18 September 1967 on 93G at 53° 17' x 122° 30'. Form of name changed to Strathnaver (community) 15 September 1981 on 93G/7. Coordinates adjusted 8 February 1989 on 93 G/7, to 53° 17' x 122° 29' 30".

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

Strathnaver Post Office was opened 1 July 1919, located in the home of W.M. Muirhead, postmaster. Relocated in 1920 to NW 1/4 Lot 3183, the home of J.A. Wade, postmaster. The post office was closed 31 December 1926; re-opened 1 July 1930 situated on SW 1/4 Lot 3182, the home of James MacKay, postmaster, near PGE's Strathnaver Railway Station; closed 29 September 1956; re-opened 20 September 1965, situated about 5 miles to the southeast, on SE 1/4 Lot 3204. Date of final closure not cited. (sequence of postmasters contributed April 2011 by geographer Kent Sedgwick, Prince George)

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

The area was settled in 1912 by Scottish immigrants, part of a colonization scheme by the Duke of Sutherland; Sutherland also held the title Lord Strathnaver, and had named his British Columbia holdings "Strathnaver Farm," but the project was abandoned soon after his death in 1913.

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

"Named by the Duke of Sutherland, Scottish land owner, who came to Canada in 1909 and bought approximately 4000 acres here, after a property of his is Sutherlandshire. He intended settling the area with Scotsmen." [note: documentation has Sutherland travelling to Victoria in 1904, and Vancouver in 1905, then to this area in 1911 to instigate his settlement scheme (advice from geographer Kent Sedgwick, Prince George).]

Source: Provincial Archives' Place Names File (the "Harvey File") compiled 1945-1950 by A.G. Harvey from various sources, with subsequent additions

"Strathnaver was named after a property in the north of Scotland, owned for many years by the Duke of Sutherland, and through this property in Scotland ran a beautiful river called the Naver... in Scotland, strath means valley...." ( letter from J. MacKay to L. LeBourdais, MLA, with additional explanation from Lebourdais to BC Geographic Division: "Mr. & Mrs. MacKay are the 2 oldest settlers there, having come out some 30 years ago on the Duke of Sutherland's land settlement scheme." (both letters on file F.3.44).)

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