Joseph F.W. DesBarres (November 22, 1721 - October 27, 1824) was a Swiss-born cartographer and Canadian statesman, who served as aide-de-camp to General James Wolfe in Quebec.

DesBarres made many maps of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans and also mapped much of the Canadian Territory, most notably Nova Scotia and its capital Halifax.

Desbarres served as the lieutenant governor of Cape Breton Island from 1784-1787, and governor of Prince Edward Island from 1804-1812.

He died at the age of 102, and his date of death is variously given as October 27 and October 24.