William Mayhew (2 March 1787 – 26 April 1855) was a British politician. The eldest child of three sons and a daughter born to William and Hannah Mayhew, of Coggeshall, Mayhew's father was a victualler and innkeeper who had formerly earned his living as a woolcomber. The Mayhew family were of some distinction, being descendants of Augustine Mayhew (1622-1693), an attorney and lord of the manors of Great and Little Coggeshall, and William Mayhew (c. 1736–1787), a barrister, bencher of Gray's Inn, high steward and recorder of Colchester, and recorder of Ipswich and Aldeburgh.