The town of "Alberni" was named for Pedro de Alberni, a Spanish officer, who commanded the fort at Nootka on Vancouver Island's west coast from 1790 to 1792.

Originally, the Alberni Valley was inhabited by two Nootkan tribes, the Tseshahts and the Opetschesahts. The first Europeans to settle in the valley were with the Anderson Company - a sawmilling company from London, England, established in 1860. Although the mill failed, others followed in the 1880's. These early settlers were, for the most part, farmers, but other rich resources of the area soon attracted miners, loggers and fishermen.

The twin cities of Port Alberni and Alberni were incorporated in 1912 and 1913 respectively.  The two small settlements were dividied by a two-mile wagon road. Animosities continued until the near-disasterous tidal wave of 1964 caused the two communities to work together. They were amalgamated three years later, in 1967, under the name of Port Alberni.

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