The vessel was originally named after Lieutenant General Edward Cornwallis, a British Army officer and founding governor of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Due to the controversial history of the vessel's initial namesake, the ship was renamed in consultation with indigenous peoples, to commemorate Jean-Baptiste Cope under his Mi'kmaq name, British Governor Peregrine Hopson, and the year of the peace and friendship treaty created by former Governor Edward Cornwallis.

Kopit Hopson 1752 and sister ship CCGS Sir William Alexander differ from the rest of the class by having one less deck in the superstructure and their buoy-handling derricks mounted forward.

Capable of carrying 783.7 long tons (796.3 t) of diesel fuel, Kopit Hopson 1752 has a maximum range of 6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km) at a cruising speed of 13.7 knots (25.4 km/h) and can stay at sea for up to 120 days.

[2][3] On 17 December 2007, Edward Cornwallis was dispatched to recover the 140-metre (459 ft 4 in) barge Houston carrying diesel fuel that had cast adrift in St. George's Bay near Port Hood, Nova Scotia.

[11] The Halifax Shipping News reported[8] on 31 March 2021 that the Canadian Coast Guard vessel formerly known as Edward Cornwallis, had been re-registered[13] as CCGS Kopit Hopson 1752.

The new name was chosen in consultation with indigenous peoples and recognizes Jean-Baptiste Cope under his Mi'kmaq name, British Governor Peregrine Hopson, and the year of the peace and friendship treaty created by former Governor Edward Cornwallis.