Frederick William True (July 8, 1858 – June 25, 1914) was an American biologist, the first head curator of biology (1897–1911) at the United States National Museum, now part of the Smithsonian Institution.

[3] That year he became librarian and acting curator of mammals, which positions he filled until 1883.

He married Louis Elvina Prentiss in 1887, and at his death two of their children were living.

[3] He was the son of Methodist clergyman and writer Charles Kittredge True.

His brother Alfred Charles True was a noted agricultural educationist.