Sir Henry Edward Stokes KCSI (23 July 1841 – 20 October 1926) was an Irish civil servant of the Indian Civil Service who served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1888 to 1893.

A member of a notable family of academics associated with Trinity College, Dublin, Stokes was a grandson of Whitley Stokes (Regius Professor of Physic at Trinity College, Dublin), the great-grandson of Gabriel Stokes (Professor of Mathematics at Trinity College, Dublin) and a great-great-grandson of Gabriel Stokes (the Deputy Surveyor General of Ireland).

[citation needed] Stokes served as Chief Secretary to the Madras government from 1883 to 1888.

A younger brother, (Sir) Gabriel Stokes, and a son, (Sir) Hopetoun Gabriel Stokes, followed him in the public service in India.

[citation needed] Stokes was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Star of India in 1889, being advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India in 1892.