Edward Fairfax (1580? - 1635) was a translator, the natural son of Sir Thomas Fairfax and thus a half-brother of Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Baron Fairfax of Cameron.

Fairfax lived at Fuystone, near Knaresborough, in peace and prosperity. His translation of Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered, for which he is best known, is considered a masterpiece, one of the comparatively few translations which in themselves are literature. It was highly praised by Dryden and Waller. The first edition appeared in 1600, and was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Fairfax also wrote a treatise on Demonology, in which he was a devout believer.

This article is originally from A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature.